An adequate smoke ventilation system is an essential part of any building. The reason for this is fairly straightforward: this type of system will make sure that системы вентиляции, in the case of a fire, smoke is led up and out of the building, allowing occupants to escape with reduced risk of harm and facilitating the effective work of fire service personnel.
Smoke ventilation has many different applications in a wide range of structures. Each of these different buildings will have different needs and requirements when it comes to the system installed, as each construction features a different structure, and will rely on natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation or a blend of both in its design.
The first notable application of this kind of system is in residential buildings. In many cases, residential buildings that have three storeys or more will require a smoke ventilation system to be put in place in order to adhere to building controls.
Although there are different types of system able to be installed in this type of property, some of the most common types include Automatic Opening Vents (AOVs) placed at the head of stairwells, AOVs placed in corridors and smoke shafts. All of these combine to provide a ventilation system that is capable of handling emergencies.
Another place where this type of system is installed is in public buildings and premises such as retail outlets and shopping centres. As with residential buildings, this system is absolutely essential in preventing major loss of life in the case of a destructive blaze.
In addition to the stairwells and corridor ventilation that is present in residential buildings, many retail buildings and shopping centres tend to have wide open atria that will house most of the building’s occupants in the case of a fire. For this reason, these areas must be fitted with the right AOVs in order to provide life saving functions.
For those who work in large commercial buildings and offices, it is also essential to have the right type of ventilation system in place to cope with an emergency scenario such as a fire. The structure of these buildings can vary, yet many resemble residential buildings in some sense, and therefore benefit from corridor AOVs, head of stairwell AOVs and smoke shaft facilities.
In addition to this, it is possible to install AOV windows, AOV façade louvres and AOV roof vents to allow offices to preserve their aesthetic all whilst providing critical smoke evacuation capabilities. These will ensure that occupants can escape the building effectively, and that fire fighters have safer access throughout the building’s common areas in the event of a fire.
These can also apply to premises such as hotels, where loss of a larger number of lives is also a possibility in the event of a fire. Many hotels need to provide adequate smoke ventilation, yet must preserve their aesthetic, in which case the solutions mentioned above for office spaces are often relevant. There are three types of systems that you need to know about, helping you identify which ones you need, how they will benefit you and what options are available for each type of ventilation system available. The three options include smoke, natural and mechanical.
Smoke ventilation systems are designed for stairwells, corridors, smoke shafts and roofs. These systems can be valuable in the event of a fire, enabling everyone to get out of the building with minimal risk of smoke inhalation. We all know that hot air rises and the heat and smoke from a fire will rise and taken out of the ventilation system, enabling those inside the building to quickly find their ways out of the fire exits and to the fire assembly point with minimal risk.
Smoke systems are essential in all types of commercial buildings, agricultural buildings, hospitals, hotels and more. They are the ideal choice for high rise buildings, where people need to escape via their stairs to get to safety. The smoke can be reduced as it is drawn out of the ventilation system, providing ample time to get to safety and wait for the fire department to arrive.
Natural ventilation systems are a top choice of buildings, home and more. They come in a variety of options that you can choose from to find the perfect match based on your specific requirements. The benefit of natural ventilation systems is that they don’t work with motorised fans, which can help you save money in the long run.
The natural solutions are based on the fact that hot air rises and uses ventilation vents to draw out the hot air while cooler and natural air enters the building through windows.
One of the options available is the cross ventilation system. This system requires you have your windows open in your office, the system provides a positive pressure which draws fresh air through windows on one side and then as the air rises it is drawn out of the system on the other.
Stack systems are very popular and also works on warm air rising. These systems have a vacuum at a lower level which sucks fresh air into the building; the hot air is then pushed up, escaping through roof vents. This system is very similar to roof vents, which provide the same service, enabling all the hot air to escape through the roof, helping keep the area cool and reducing the need for your air conditioner to run all day, this can also be a cost effective solution helping you save money in the future.
Passive cooling has grown in popularity with larger buildings throughout the world. During the day the floor gets hot as the hot air gets trapped, during the night when the temperatures drop the building is cooled via vents. This means when you get to work the next day, the building is cool and comfortable.