A new £2 million science centre at
Moreton Hall School in Oswestry, is using an advanced NVLogiQ naturalventilation monitoring and control solution from SE Controls to maintain
classroom indoor air quality while providing a stimulating and comfortable environment
for pupils.
Founded more than 100 years ago,
Moreton Hall is one of the UK’s
highest achieving independent schools, providing education for girls from age 3
to 18 and boys from 3 to 11, together with accommodation and facilities for
boarding.
The new two-storey science building
provides high quality teaching laboratories for the school’s junior science,
GCSE and A level students and was designed by Shrewsbury based architects,
Baart Harries Newall who were keen to ensure that the building’s indoor air
quality was maintained within national standards and its energy consumption was
minimised.
To achieve the designer’s objectives,
SE Controls worked closely with the architects and main contractors, Jones
Brothers Weston Rhyn, to develop an assisted natural ventilation solution. Using
compact NVLogiQ room controllers linked to automatic opening windows and a low
energy cross flow fan in each of the eight lab classrooms, the system manages
ventilation as well as the operation of radiators to provide a fully integrated
low energy system.
The NVLogiQ room controllers constantly
monitor carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in each classroom alongside
indoor air temperature and relative humidity, as well as outside temperature,
wind and rain via external sensors. Each NVLogiQ unit also incorporates an
integral data logger to allow the recording and analysis of all key aspects of
the room environment.
The sophisticated monitoring and
control algorithm used within the compact NVLogiQ system was developed in
conjunction with Loughborough University’s School of Civil and Building
Engineering to ensure indoor CO2 levels and temperatures are
precisely controlled while minimising building energy losses.
In addition to the eight NVLogiQ
controllers and PSUs, 18 SECO N 24 40 400N twin chain compact actuators were
also installed by SE Controls together with PIR finger trap sensors and all the
appropriate cabling to control the automatic opening of windows and the small cross
flow fans in each lab.
During normal operation, as CO2
levels increase within each individual science lab, the NVLogiQ controller
triggers SE Controls’ SECO N 24 40 compact chain actuators to begin the
incremental opening of the windows to allow fresh air to enter the classroom.
Simultaneously, small dampers located on the wall opposite the windows are
signalled to open and the low energy fans start to draw air from the room to
stimulate cross flow and aid ventilation.
Dr. Chris Iddon, SE
Controls’ Design Manager, explained: “There are already a significant number of
high quality studies that have identified a clear link between increased
internal CO2 levels and a reduction in the
ability of students to learn and perform optimally.”
He added: “Post
occupancy monitoring of the Moreton Hall classroom environment has shown
excellent indoor air quality proving that the design is an example of how
having a clearly defined, controlled and executed ventilation strategy can maintain
a high quality and stimulating classroom environment for students. Using
NVlogiQ enables excellent on demand ventilation whilst minimising heating
energy demand.”
SE Controls specialises in the
design, project management and installation of advanced smoke ventilation and
natural ventilation solutions to meet the needs of architects, contractors,
building services engineers and facilities managers worldwide. Further information
on SE Controls’ products, solutions and projects can be obtained by visiting
www.secontrols.com or calling
+44 (0) 1543 443060.
