3. Necessity of a ventilation system

The formula for optimal construction is:

Construction design + systems technology (ventilation + heating) =
housing quality² (building quality and room climate)

For the owner this formula means:

• Long-term preservation of the building structure by avoiding damage caused by humidity (e.g. mold).

• Due to filtering of the outside air, increase in quality of life, health and comfort for persons allergic to pollen and dust

• Savings in energy required for heating (up to 30 – 50 % savings in heating costs) thus reducing the operating costs if the ventilation system has an efficient heat recovery.

• Increase in physical and mental performance capability due to a constantly high quality of the indoor air and a comfortable ambience and room climate

> Modern living with healthy air!

A short, but important digression regarding this subject: Max Josef von Pettenkofer (born 1818, died 1901) was professor in Munich and founder of modern scientific-experimental hygiene. Due to his achievements he was the first German to receive an ordinary professorship for hygiene. His findings resulted in the public health policy and the establishment of the health technology which was applied on a large-scale basis for the first time at the end of the 19th century during the urban retrofits of Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Paris and other cities. During his investigations of the carbon dioxide concentration in indoor air Pettenkofer discovered that the human state of health is directly related to the CO2 content of the air. In order for humans to feel comfortable the concentration may not exceed 0.1 % (1,000 ppm, parts per million). These findings are still valid within today’s DIN 1946-2 standard (ventilation and air-conditioning technology, health-related requirements).

Quelle: www.m-ww.de

Besides CO2-emissions further factors are also polluting the air:

• Nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbon, aldehydes, solvents from building and other materials

• Vapor caused by human breathing or perspiration, cooking, taking showers, washing

• Degradation products or organic materials, odors caused by humans, animals and plants

• Aerosols, organic and inorganic dusts such as textiles fibers and pollen

• Viruses, bacteria, fungi and fungal spores

Nowadays the demands on room climate are based on the DIN 1946-6 standard. To ensure continuous compliance with the maximum CO2 level of 1000 ppm an outside air flow volume of 30 m³/h per person is required.

Important information for the future owner / please inform the owner about the following:

Only controlled ventilation systems offer the possibility to meet this requirement, i.e. to guarantee the supply of the necessary air flow volume and thus the well-being of the residents. Considering modern building standards and the high air tightness of the building envelope, manual airing is no longer sufficient! Also the required air flow cannot be achieved by cracking windows.

Burglary and theft prevention

For airing simply open the windows! A well-known and popular tip – only recently during the climate summit of the associations ZVSHK, BHKS and FGK architects gave this presumably good advice. The  “Bund der Versicherten (BdV)” [Association of insurance agencies] however repeatedly explained that insurance agencies will not cover any damages caused by burglars if any window was left open. Lilo Blunck, the managing director of the association, warns that people are insured in case of burglary, but not in case of simple theft.