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AUGUST 07 - SUSTAINING REGENERATION

Lessons learned in a test social housing development are being implemented at a new project to regenerate an area of high-rise tower blocks in Scotland.

Dunedin Canmore Housing Association is redeveloping the Oxgangs estate in three phases, and utilizing sustainable solutions as far as possible, executing strategies tested at its award winning Slateford Green project in Edinburgh, including the use of natural and low energy ventilation.

Phase 1 of the development, designed by Patience & Highmore and constructed by Lovell Partnerships, incorporates the demolition of the existing tower blocks and their replacement with 31 houses and 60 flats in six four-storey blocks, including four specifically designed for wheelchair users. Each of the houses features Passivent ‘whole house’ Passive Stack Ventilation (PSV), and the flats Passivent ‘whole house’ Mechanical Extract Ventilation (MEV).

Explains Helen Howitt, development officer at Dunedin Canmore Housing Association, “We are keen to incorporate ‘green’ features in all our developments, and include other ‘invisible’ sustainable features such as high levels of insulation, passive solar gain as well as passive ventilation. We used Passivent ventilation at Slateford Green, and it is now considered part of our environmentally conscious approach.”

Passivent ‘whole house’ ventilation systems introduce the concept of planned air paths into the home to ensure that all the rooms in a property are effectively ventilated. Moisture laden air is extracted at source from ‘wet’ rooms of kitchens and bathrooms, wioth air inlets in ‘dry’ rooms only (living rooms and bedrooms) providing a supply of fresh replacement air. The strategicsiting of inlets ensures that air always moves from ‘dry’ rooms to ‘wet’ rooms from which it is extracted in conjunction with moisture.

Passive Stack Ventilation (PSV) is driven primarily by the natural stack effect, whereby warm air rises, to extract moisture laden air directly from ‘wet’ rooms. Humidity sensitive ceiling or wall mounted extracts are linked via ducting to terminals on the roof. The extracts open and close automatically in response to changes in relative humidity allowing moist air to rise up the stack, enhanced by wind blowing across the roof (the venturi effect) thereby exhausting the warm, moist air directly to the outside. Passivent PSV helps maintain a dry, draught-free, fresh environment within and provides effective condensation control. The system has no mechanical parts to go wrong or need replacing, operates silently, does not need any electricity, and is not dependant on human input switching it on or off for operation.

Passivent MEV uses similar principles, extracting moisture laden air at source from the ‘wet’kitchens and bathrooms via humidity sensitive extracts. The extracts are linked via ducting to a constantly running, low energy fan, and respond automatically to changes in relative humidity caused by the occupants’ activities such as cooking and bathing and boost extraction via the discreetly located central extract fan. The system is specifically designed to each home, to ensure occupants enjoy a damp- and condensation- free environment without draughts.

Passivent is the only natural ventilation supplier to offer independent BBA certification across its range, proven in use for over 20 years. In addition to its natural (PSV) and assisted ventilation (MEV) systems, it supplies a comprehensive range of background trickle ventilators, the Fresh range of through wall ventilators, with or without acoustic options, all of which contribute towards efficient ventilation of the home with little or no energy consumption. Passivent is part of the Building Product Design Group, which specialises in developing innovative yet practical ventilation and roofing products in line with changing market requirements.

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