Ventilation systems are at the most basic level divided into three groups, natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation, and hybrid systems which, as you probably guessed is a combination of the two, fine-tuned and balanced to meet the buildings requirements.
While there are a lot of aspects to consider when choosing which system will meet the needs of a particular building, natural ventilation is by far the more affordable of the two, for example simply by opening up a window in a room you are making use of the benefits of natural ventilation. That’s not to say that this ventilation system is always that simple, there are allot of aspects to consider when the aim is to rely completely on natural ventilation, in other words, Natural ventilation can be very simplistic but can at the same time be equally as complicated and involved as high-tech mechanical systems.
With all the requirements and specifications, a ventilation system must adhere to, especially in the healthcare facilities, how does one decide which one system to go with, Natural ventilation has gained allot of popularity in recent years, but is it worth considering, and what are the pros and cons?
First let’s consider the price and economic viability of natural ventilation. Going for the Natural option can be problematic if the designated building is already built, that’s to say it is allot easier to implement natural ventilation into a building’s design. In fact this works extremely well and is by far the most efficient and cost effective method to implement an excellent ventilation system, and at a fraction of the price of a HVAC system.
Problems such as moisture build up in HVAC systems are often completely taken care of by natural ventilation, not to mention that mechanical ventilation often requires dehumidifiers in humid conditions, while Natural Ventilation does not, due to a constant and inexhaustible supply of fresh air. In Big Buildings this can be a tremendous money saver. Not to mention the low operating and maintenance costs, all around it seems that Natural ventilation is by far the most affordable economical and healthiest option.
Unfortunately, these benefits are not always a given, and as you can imagine the actual condition of the outside environment, such as moisture levels, environmental hazards, and even air quality are all factors that can make or break even the most innovative natural venting system.
Therefore, when comparing all the pros and cons, such as the stringent ventilation requirements of certain buildings and the cost effectiveness of natural ventilation, versus the instability of the environment, and so on, it becomes clear why neither of these two systems are implemented alone, instead a hybrid system can meet any needs and be adjusted either way to create a stable, well ventilated, light filled building.
If you need expert advice as to which ventilation system to install – contact one of our experts at SFE Services.
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