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NOVEMBER 08 - PASSIVELY INCREASING CHOICE FOR CODE FOR SUSTAINABLE HOMES COMPLIANCE

New data has revealed that social housing providers have a choice in how they achieve compliance with the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), particularly with regard to the ventilation...

Independent testing using SAP software on a three-bedroomed house with four ‘wet’ rooms (kitchen, utility, bathroom, en-suite) showed that there was no better solution than Passive Stack Ventilation. In a similar three bedroomed, four wet room apartment, the Passive Stack option attained almost 10% improvement on the TER.

Expands Stephen Smith, Passivent Domestic Product Manager, “The Code for Sustainable Homes demands that new build social housing meets at least Level 3 in sustainable design, rating the whole building as a complete package. A key concern is energy use, including the choice of ventilation system. The independent SAP testing shows that specifiers DO have options, and ones which actually perform better and give additional benefits of reduced- or even no- maintenance, giving an enhanced lifetime costing.”

Passivent iPSV uses NO electricity at all to function: it works automatically by harnessing natural variations in air temperature and pressure- convection and the venturi effect. Humidity sensitive inlets and extracts react to changes in the air moisture content to draw fresh air into the home and exhaust the used internal air, functioning 24/7, silently yet without draughts. The system cannot be turned off or disconnected, ensuring there is no risk of damp build-up. There are no fans or other mechanical parts to require regular maintenance, servicing or replacement. It is a ‘fit and forget’ solution for the life of the building.

Andy White of bpha (Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association) observed, “Passivent PSV is our preferred ventilation system for all our rental new build housing. It has no mechanical parts to go wrong, and eliminates reliance on tenants operating the ventilation, to keep the homes damp-and condensation free.”

Added Bryn Davies, Development Manager at Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd, “We aspire to giving our tenants a sense of wellbeing, but are also conscious of issues such as fuel poverty so aim to build homes that are as economic as possible to run. The Passivent PSV is important in helping realize both objectives. It ensures the homes remain dry, fresh and condensation free, without draughts. As it does not require electricity to operate, it costs the tenants nothing to run, and the tenants do not have to worry about physically switching the ventilation on or off.”

Passivent’s range for both domestic and commercial buildings further includes a spectrum of background window and through-wall ventilation solutions. Passivent is part of the Building Product Design Group which incorporates Glidevale (roofing and ventilation), Z-Led (damp-proofing solutions), and Kingfisher Louvre Systems (ventilation and solar shading louvre systems), all of which aim to bring to market innovative yet practical products in line with changing requirements.

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