Passivent and Kingfisher Louvres, subsidiaries of the Building Product Design group, have joined forces to deliver a full package of natural ventilation products and external louvres for the new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal building in Liverpool, which opened in 2024.
A key consideration of the project was ensuring that the new two-storey 2800m2 building would offer a thermally comfortable environment for the hundreds of thousands of passengers who travel each year between Liverpool and the Isle of Man. Passivent’s Airstract® roof ventilation terminals and controllable dampers, alongside Kingfisher’s external weather louvres combined to provide the perfect natural ventilation solution, while also protecting the building from the elements.
Working closely with mechanical and electrical contractor, A & B Engineering, Passivent manufactured four circular Airstract roof terminals, at 1700mm diameter, at their factory in Nottinghamshire. The Airstract terminal is designed for extract ventilation and can be installed on all roofs from flat to 30 degrees pitched. They have a standard square base unit for ease of flashing and to ensure weather integrity, plus vertical airflow deflection posts to maximise ventilation performance. For this project, the circular design was a deliberate choice to complement other aspects of the building’s design and as a nod to a traditional ferry funnel.
Passivent also manufactured twenty-seven insulated controllable dampers, both standard and thermal versions, which were installed in various locations throughout the ferry terminal to manage ventilation – from baggage claim, scanning and search areas to offices, café area and foyer. The dampers were complemented by twenty-seven KW75HPG high performance external weather louvres manufactured by Passivent’s sister company, Kingfisher Louvres. The KW75HPG single bank louvres deliver high rainwater rejection combined with high airflow rates which have been independently tested up to A2 performance classification. They also offer a comparable weathering performance to double-bank louvre systems but with a far greater ventilation performance and all within a reduced depth of opening.
The whole natural ventilation system is split into 11 zones throughout the ferry terminal and managed by the Passivent iC8000 intelligent control system.
To find out more, call 01732 850 770 or email projects@passivent.com. Follow us on LinkedIn to be kept up to date with the latest news.