Innovative natural ventilation from SE Controls helps keep pupils alert

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.

SE Controls Provides a Breath of Fresh Air for Jubilee House

Indoor air quality at a new £3 million energy efficient office development for the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham, is being monitored and controlled by an advanced NVLogiQ natural ventilation system from international smoke and natural ventilation specialist, SE Controls.

                               

The new 1290m² Jubilee House building was designed by Nottingham based, Maber Associates and provides the diocese with a mission centre, conference facilities and a new administration centre for approximately 50 staff who were previously located in the adjacent Grade II listed Dunham House.

The BREEAM Excellent rated building incorporates a number of energy saving features including high levels of insulation and natural daylight alongside low energy light fittings and SE Controls’ efficient natural ventilation system, which monitors, manages and controls carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels and temperature to maintain a comfortable indoor environment.

The adaptive natural ventilation solution developed, installed and commissioned by SE Controls uses 26 of its innovative NVLogiQ controllers, which constantly monitor the air quality in 24 separate zones. This provides a highly versatile system that not only allows the indoor air quality and ventilation to be managed locally in each zone, but every NVLogiQ unit is also linked together as a networked building solution.

Depending on the level of CO₂ present in each zone, alongside information about temperature and humidity, each NVLoqiQ controller signals a series of dedicated NVLogiQ PSU (power supply units) to automatically open windows and rooflight vents, allowing stale hot air to be replaced with cooler fresh air using the thermal stacking effect.

The sophisticated monitoring and control algorithms used in the NVLogiQ controller were developed in conjunction Loughborough University’s Building Energy Research Group and are designed to not only provide highly accurate indoor air quality management and ventilation, but also minimise energy losses from the building.

Every compact NVLogiQ controller, which measures 160mm x 105mm, also incorporates a data logger, which allows the indoor air quality, building performance and ventilation strategy to be constantly recorded for analysis, enabling the operational parameters for each zone in Jubilee House to be tuned to meet specific environment needs.

In addition to the NVLogiQ controllers and PSUs, SE Controls also provided 50 SECO N 24 40 compact chain actuators to precisely control the opening and closing of the building’s windows and rooflight vents, which are also linked to external temperature, wind and rain sensors.

In the event of rain, the system automatically closes all rooflights fully and reduces the window opening to 10%, yet authorised personnel can also adjust the individual ventilation strategy for each zone directly from the front panel of each NVLogiQ controller. A temporary over-ride facility is also available from the front panel, which allows a zone’s system to be controlled manually.

SE Controls project leader on Jubilee House, Majeed Mohammed, explained: “NVLogiQ is an ideal solution for Jubilee House as it provides optimised indoor air quality, localised monitoring and control in 24 zones and constant real time data logging to enable the building performance to be monitored and tailored.”

He added: “Ultimately, however, the natural ventilation system is about ensuring the building’s occupants have a comfortable working environment while minimising the building’s energy consumption. This solution not only meets these requirements, but also provides a level of adaptability and control that is often difficult to achieve using alternative methods.”

  

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.

Innovative solution for natural ventilation in schools control launched by SE Controls

The need to maintain precise control over carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature and energy consumption is essential to create quality learning environments in classrooms and educational buildings and SE Controls’ new compact NVLogiQ room controller provides an innovative solution to meet these demands.

NVLogiQ constantly monitors indoor air quality, temperature and humidity and uses innovative algorithms, developed in conjunction with Loughborough University’s Building Energy Research Group, to control the automatic operation of windows, vents and heating to improve learning and comfort while saving energy. A manual over-ride option is also incorporated to provide additional versatility and direct control.

Capable of being used as a stand-alone classroom controller or networked throughout schools and educational buildings, NVLogiQ’s also incorporates integrated data logging to allow detailed analysis against pre-defined design and performance criteria on both new build and school refurbishment projects.

This ability also presents a range of opportunities for consultants, contractors and facilities mangers to not only verify a school’s natural ventilation (NV) design and performance, but also to enable accurate ongoing system evaluation to be easily undertaken.

As NVLogiQ has a compact and unobtrusive, with a footprint of just 160mm x 105mm, it can be located close to desks and work areas, allowing the precise monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature and humidity to maintain good indoor air quality and comfort levels.

SE Controls’ Natural Ventilation Division Manager, Nick Hudleston, explained: “There are clear guidelines of the volume of fresh air to be introduced into school classrooms, lecture theatres and other educational facilities to ensure that learning is not impeded by high CO₂ levels as well as elevated temperatures. NVLogiQ provides a simple, compact and powerful method of monitoring these parameters and automatically controlling the natural ventilation system to maintain a productive learning environment.”

He added: “For consultants, contractors and those responsible for managing educational buildings, the data logging facility can be used for detailed ongoing analysis, allowing the NV strategy to be ‘tailored’ precisely to the needs of the students and teaching staff, while optimising energy efficiency and comfort.”

CO₂ temperature and relative humidity readings are continuously displayed on NVLogiQ’s integral LCD screen while a red, amber and green ‘traffic light’ display gives a constant indication of indoor air quality. A manual over-ride capability is also built in to the room controller, allowing staff to temporarily open or close windows, louvres or other ventilation devices.

NVLogiQ’s versatile and powerful control structure has been designed to enable it to be used in a range natural ventilation strategies including cross ventilation and single sided ventilation as well as managing passive ventilation and night purging.

“From the outset, we designed NVLogiQ to provide an unrivalled mix of features, control and precision to help take indoor air quality, comfort and energy management of natural ventilation systems in education to the next level,” continued Nick Hudleston. “The innovative operating algorithms, integral data logging and the unobtrusive design, enables it to address a range of NV control and educational building management requirements in a highly versatile package.”

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 by calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.

Innovative smoke and natural ventilation from SE Controls at Building Services show

Innovative smoke ventilation and natural ventilation control solutions form the primary focus of the SE Controls’ stand at this year’s CIBSE Conference and Exhibition.

A fully working model of SE Controls’ SHEVTEC® Extended Travel Distance System is integrated into the exhibition stand design to demonstrate the highly effective smoke ventilation solution, which received full Registered Detail Certification from the LABC (Local Authority Building Control) earlier this year.

The fully compliant and CE marked system gives local building control officers (BCO’s) the confidence to accept the SHEVTEC Extended Travel Distance System knowing that it has already been rigorously evaluated and tested. It also incorporates a range of additional features that enable specifiers, designers and developers to achieve a more cost effective solution without compromising safety, including the ability to reduce the size of smoke shafts to less than half of the 1.5m² required by an Approved Document B compliant natural ventilation system.

SE Controls is also launching an innovative new natural ventilation control solution, NVLogiQ, at the show, which is designed to maintain precise control over indoor air quality, temperature and energy consumption as a compact stand alone unit or as a networked system.

Using new control and performance algorithms developed in conjunction with Loughborough University’s Building Energy Research Group, NVLogiQ not only provides advanced monitoring and control of NV systems in individual rooms or zones, but also combines integrated data logging for detailed building performance and environment analysis.

NVLogiQ constantly monitors indoor air quality, temperature and humidity and via separate PSU’s (power supply units) and actuators, automatically manages the operation of windows, louvres and vents within a building’s natural ventilation (NV) system, as well as controlling the heating.

With a footprint of just 160mm x 105mm, NVLogiQ can be located almost anywhere within a building in close proximity to desks and work areas, allowing the precise monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature and humidity to maintain indoor air quality and comfort levels.

NVLogiQ’s integral data logging capability presents a range of opportunities for consultants, contractors and facilities mangers to not only verify a building’s NV design and performance, but to also enable accurate post occupancy evaluation to be easily undertaken.

Further information on NVLogiQ, SHEVTEC and SE Controls’ full range of smoke and natural ventilation solutions can be obtained at the exhibition in addition to visiting www.secontrols.com or by calling +44 (0) 1543 443060.