When designing any kind of building, engineers have to carefully consider how to introduce adequate external wall ventilation. While this may seem like an obvious point to make when talking about apartment buildings, office blocks and warehouses, ventilation is often an overlooked feature of places like car parks, underground structures and even the hallways within otherwise well-ventilated buildings.
In order to introduce proper ventilation, engineers have a choice between dampers and louvres, however, it pays to know the differences between them.
In this blog we will compare dampers and louvres, and introduce the value of external wall ventilation when designing enclosed spaces.
What Are External Wall Ventilation Louvres?
Louvres provide natural ventilation in a similar way to slat windows. The gaps between the louvres enable natural air flow, which allow your building to “breathe”, while providing a protective barrier against dirt and moisture.
The blade configuration of louvres determines the flow of air and can be customised to your particular application.
Louvres can be static (meaning they don’t move) or adjustable but they are not mechanised – they do not move on their own and they are not designed to produce constant movement.
What are Ventilation Dampers?
Ventilation dampers introduce air flow either through a motorised fan-like action, or an air pressure system, which works in a similar way. In other words, dampers are constantly in motion.
Both kinds of damper systems slowly churn their blades within the barrel and, in most cases, introduce an open hole into a wall.
Dampers therefore must have louvre-like covers in order to be safe in public spaces like car parks, as the constant movement of the blades represent a safety risk.
What is External Wall Ventilation?
External wall ventilation utilises static louvres as both a ventilation solution and a wall. If this is hard to grasp, just visualise an entire wall made up of acoustic or two stage louvres.
Where a wall stands between a space and the outdoors, it can be easily used as ventilation to introduce fresh air.
In other cases, wall ventilation may be used between one space that is well aerated and another that is not, such as within an office block.
The benefit of optioning for wall ventilation rather than simple louvre or damper systems is that there is no need to introduce fans or other kinds of air conditioning machinery.
In summary, external wall ventilation is designed to take advantage of fresh air drawn from the outside through natural airflow.
The Best External Wall Ventilation Louvres Manufactured in Australia
Get in touch with CVS to learn more about our external louvre systems specially designed to aerate enclosed spaces. Our expert term will be happy to assist!