We take a look at ventilation for different types of car parks, highlighting the key areas of consideration and requirements for ventilation solutions.
We're currently delivering Te Kaha, the new Christchurch Stadium. Due for completion in 2026, the facade contains over 3,000m2 of operable and acoustic weather louvres.
There is an undoubted move towards developing upwards, with an increase in 3 and 4 storey walk-up apartments. It’s generally what major urban areas do, so really is no surprise. Yet some of the issues which come with developing upwards may surprise some.
Today, as energy costs continue to rise and we focus more on the environmental impacts of energy use, passive ventilation is once again being seen as an attractive option. But it’s not as simple as it might seem upon first glance.
The pressure to build upwards and increase housing density, in the search for greater housing affordability, comes with risk and complication. One of them is the threat of fire. For ventilation systems in apartments it poses a specific problem.
Free open area size has long been used when selecting louvres.
The problem is it’s too simple. Louvres with a free open area of 48% can have a lower pressure drop (and let in more air) than alternative louvres with a free open area of 60%. This presents a risk when selecting louvres and doing so based on the free open area alone might end up costing you.
We’ve spent some time crunching the numbers and while we’re not sharing them here, not yet anyway (we want them to be independently verified first) we did want to talk about carbon in aluminium in general.
There is a perfect storm on the horizon if you’re building a home or a residential developer, that is likely to add both delays and significant cost. And it all comes down to proper, demonstrable design and performance in an area under increased scrutiny.
Every building has to have some sort of ventilation. The NZ Building Code makes sure of that. Although the extent to which the code actually satisfies the needs of current buildings (particularly residential housing) is a subject of some debate.
The responsibilities of a building owner are not straightforward. So what are they exactly when it comes to ventilation and what do you need to do? We explain all.
