SAV delivers quiet ventilation for pupils with special educational needs
SAV AirMaster MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) units have enable Furze Down School in Winslow, Bucks, to control indoor air quality efficiently while maintaining the low noise levels required for special educational needs. This co-educational community school takes children from the ages of five through to 19, many of the with complex special educational needs (SEN).
Traffic noise meant that windows could not be opened for ventilation, with the average background being 46 to 50 dB(A) at the external facade.
Frankham Consultancy Group therefore specified the AirMaster MVHR units because of the attenuation of external noise, 49 dB(A). Thee units also have a low specific fan power (SFP), quiet casing breakout noise and reliable temperature control.
37 units have been installed. Units on the ground floor are connected horizontally to the outside through external walls. Those on the first floor are ducted vertically through the roof. Some units are partly recessed into void spaces, while others are installed below the ceiling.
Classes sizes are relatively small, so units are programmed to run at 80% of their maximum capacity, keeping breakout noise within the 30 dB(A) allowable under BB93 for SEN facilities.
The units are zoned in clusters and controlled via five control panels in staff offices to avoid indicator lights in classrooms as they can upset children on the autistic spectrum.
Using only short ductwork to connect to the outside enabled a unit to be install in 3 to 4 h.
All units were preprogramed before delivery, helping commissioning to be carried out effectively. Integral CO2 sensors provide demand control.
