‘Ventilation’ is the intentional movement of air from outside a building to the inside.
‘Ventilation Rate’ is the rate at which air within a building is replaced by fresh air. It may be expressed as:
• Number of times the volume of air within a space is changed in one hour (air changes per hour or ach).
• Rate of air change in volume and time, e.g. litres per second (l/s).
Ventilation is essential in any building or structure, more so than a conservatory. Ventilation is necessary for providing fresh air, removing stale air and helping to control the internal temperature – especially important in conservatories where the high % of glazing in the overall structure can lead to fluctuations in internal temperature if not properly designed and specified.
In years gone by, ventilation was unwittingly provided by draughts in buildings which were not built to the exacting standards of those constructed today. As Building Regulations were gradually tightened to control the quality of the new homes that began to appear in post-war Britain, it became apparent that mechanical or forced ventilation was necessary to maintain a comfortable interior temperature in dwellings and so trickle ventilation and other methods are now used as standard in new buildings. Although conservatories do not generally fall under Building Regulations (unless all or part of it is being used as a kitchen), it is now widely accepted as good practice that ventilation is a vital factor to consider when designing a conservatory.
All Ultraframe conservatory roofing systems feature ventilation as standard, essential to manage temperature, airflow and to minimise condensation, so creating a valuable living space that can be used throughout all the seasons of the year.
For many homeowners times are hard right now. The ‘credit crunch’ that has claimed companies in our industry already during 2008, is proving to be just as difficult for consumers, with less money than ever to spend on big ticket items such as home extensions and conservatories. The so-called ‘utility’ buyer segment of the market which has emerged over recent years, whilst affected by this credit crunch their growing families mean that these people require more space and a conservatory is a cheaper and easier option for them to get the space they need than a traditional brick built extension or moving home. The credit crunch will more than likely bring the ‘move or improve’ dilemma to the forefront of such family’s minds, with the chances that the ‘improve’ option might be the clear winner.
Such utility buyers need to be confident that adding a conservatory to their homes will bring them their much needed space – space that can be used all year round. Of course, ventilation is just one critical factor in achieving this – other factors include high performance glazing, underfloor heating etc.
Ventilation is one of the areas where Ultraframe surpasses its competitors. Trickle Ventilation is included as standard on every Classic roof to ensure a steady and constant flow of air. Combine this with effective optional Eavesflow ventilation to create optimal cross flow ventilation, harnessing convection currents to ventilate the conservatory environment.
Mark Hanson, Marketing Manager at Ultraframe commented: “Here at Ultraframe we have always strived to consider ventilation when designing our roofing systems – it’s one of the single most important factors in creating a conservatory that is a true room for all seasons. Users of our products can benefit from the high level of ventilation technology that features on every Ultraframe roof, as well as taking each individual site into account and factoring in further ventilation measures as necessary. The ventilation provided by the roof of a conservatory is just one piece of the jigsaw in ensuring that a suitable interior atmosphere is maintained – but is a vital piece none-the-less. As consumers become more discerning, how they define a conservatory has changed. No longer is it a room solely for a relaxing during the summer months – a conservatory is now a living space, often a central and integral part of any family home and so whilst many think of ventilation as something to consider once the ‘major’ decisions about style etc have been made – it is actually a vital feature of any modern conservatory and should, as such be given due consideration and care.”
