Vent-Axia Provides Cambridge Sustainable Development with Energy Efficient Ventilation

26-06-2018

Vent-Axia is delighted to have supplied specialist  Ventilation Company D.R Ventilation with ventilation for an exemplar of sustainable development in Cambridge. The Virido development offers future living with a collection of 208 unique apartments, duplex apartments and townhouses that offer a more sustainable lifestyle arranged around an open green space. Brimming with eco-design, the homes are architecturally pleasing, triple-glazed and clad in brick and dark timber with Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon Sentinel Kinetic BH and Lo-Carbon Sentinel Kinetic Plus Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) units providing energy efficient and effective ventilation to these sustainable homes.

To meet Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5, the homes at Virido have been designed and constructed to be highly energy efficient and to reduce the carbon emissions by 100%. To achieve this the homes at Virido have been designed to use as little energy and water as possible. Virido’s homes provide exceptional standards of insulation. Using Structurally Insulated Panels (SIP), approximately 4 times more insulation than an average new build home is achieved. The walls provide approximately 20% less heat loss than a typical building without compromising on room sizes. With such high levels of insulation and air tightness MVHR was vital to provide good air ventilation to the homes.

D.R Ventilation designed, installed and commissioned the ventilation system for the project and revised the specification along with the developers to use Vent-Axia’s MVHR units to ensure a constant flow of clean, fresh filtered air to the homes removing stale air from kitchens and bathrooms and using the warmth from this to heat the fresh air supplied to bedrooms and living spaces. Helen Roberts, Director , at D.R Ventilation explains: “The Virido eco-homes feature very high levels of insulation, air tightness and thermal efficiency which meant it was essential to specify MVHR in order to provide good levels ventilation within the properties.  We specified Vent-Axia’s MVHR because of their eco-credentials offering both energy efficient ventilation and good comfort for households. Having worked on many developments we have great confidence in Vent-Axia’s products and a professionally installed system with an efficient MVHR unit provides a winning combination.”

The Sentinel Kinetic BH and Sentinel Kinetic Plus MVHR units both fit with the Virido’s project objective which is to provide homes that effortlessly facilitate a lifestyle which is both environmentally responsible and sustainable without compromising on comfort. The pioneering Sentinel Kinetic BH MVHR Unit is designed specifically for new build and low-permeability properties. A whole-house, multi-room ducted solution, this MVHR system combines supply and extract ventilation in one unit. Warm, moist air is extracted from ‘wet’ rooms through ducting and passed through the heat exchanger before being exhausted to the outside. Fresh incoming air is filtered and then preheated via the integral heat exchanger which recovers an average of 90% of the heat energy that would otherwise be wasted. With comfort key for occupants the system also features a ‘summer bypass’, for passive cooling when conditions allow and an integral humidity sensor for intelligent air quality control, which are vital in thermally efficient air tight homes.

Recognised in SAP PCDB, this lightweight and very compact MVHR unit is simple to install with a horizontal duct option for space-saving installations. It can be mounted vertically in a roof space or on a suitable wall and it has been specifically manufactured to fit in a standard 600m Kitchen cabinet, if necessary.  Ducting can be attached to the unit horizontally, vertically or both and, with left and right-handed versions available, the installation options are almost limitless.

Meanwhile, the energy efficient Sentinel Kinetic Plus benefits from the latest high efficiency, backward curved impeller design, ensuring the lowest possible energy consumption, ultra quiet operation and an exceptional performance range covering small one bed apartments to the largest of houses. Recognised in SAP PCDB, the lightweight MVHR unit is simple to install with a horizontal duct option for space-saving installations and a unique folding filter for removal when access is restricted. The models can be mounted vertically in a roof space or on a suitable wall and ducting can be attached to the unit horizontally, vertically or both. Left or right hand installation further adds to its installation flexibility.

An integrated digital controller provides simple and accurate commissioning as well as self-diagnosis for simplified fault finding. Featuring plug and play control options and BMS connectivity, the Sentinel Kinetic Plus has sensor inputs allowing boosting from a full range of Vent-Axia controllers including humidistats and Vent-Wise, as well as a wireless remote. The integral humidity sensor increases speed in proportion to relative humidity levels, saving energy and reducing noise. The sensor also reacts to small but rapid increases in humidity, even if the normal trigger threshold is not reached. This unique feature ensures adequate ventilation, even for the smallest wet room. The night time relative humidity setback feature suppresses nuisance tripping as humidity gradually increases with falling temperature.

For further information on the Sentinel Kinetic BH and Sentinel Kinetic Plus MVHR Units and all other products and services offered by Vent-Axia, telephone 0844 856 0590 or visit www.vent-axia.com.