Germany: a jewel in the crown of Mechanically controlled ventilation investment
For many years now, Mechanically controlled ventilation solutions have been incorporated into the great majority of public and private buildings in Germany, as they can offer considerable energy savings. Such systems in fact, are able to store and re-use the heat generated, reaching levels as high as 90% in buildings with efficient thermal insulation.
Mechanically controlled ventilation: advantages, subsidies and efficiency against Covid
One of the most distinctive features of mechanically controlled ventilation is that it is able to provide clean, purified air inside buildings, so as to ensure a healthy atmosphere. This process is enabled by special filters and technical features, which allow the air in the system to be purified, thereby cleansing it of any pathogens which may be present.
It is for this reason that in Germany, MCV is considered a potent weapon against Covid-19. This is why the German government has decided to invest over five hundred million Euros in the improvement of existing systems and the installation of new ventilation systems in those buildings currently without them. The buildings which will benefit most from the relevant subsidies will be those where the risk of contagion is greatest, such as schools and offices.
As well as protection against viruses, mold and various micro-organisms, MCV offers additional advantages. Firstly, it is an excellent way to guarantee constant ventilation in closed systems, without the need for natural ventilation (opening windows).
This feature also increases noise reduction efficiency (keeping the windows closed enables external noise to be blocked). Furthermore, if the system itself is set up properly, it is almost inaudible during operation.
AiCARR reaction to MCV investments in Germany
AiCARR – the Italian Association of Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration – has praised the German initiative, describing the proposed measures (financing and modernisation/installation of MCV systems) as intelligent and forward-thinking; solutions which should be introduced in Italy too, as they would protect workers and students.
In many instances, it is school buildings that still lack adequate heat insulation and mechanically controlled ventilation to provide regular air replenishment. This concept has been highlighted several times by the association, which has brought the issue to the attention of the Government in the last few months, although appropriate consideration has not yet been given to this matter.
In their report, it is clear how, according to AiCARR representatives, the German approach would have been the most efficient strategy to adopt during the summer. This would have allowed for buildings to be prepared in time to be able to accommodate school pupils and staff safely. With the onset of winter, people tend to spend more time inside buildings, which can become receptacles for pathogens (including Sars-Cov-2), especially in the absence of adequate ventilation.
The association has also pointed the finger at the absence of suitable guidelines regarding air quality in public buildings. At the moment, at the height of the pandemic, such guidelines would have made a real difference in the fight against infection.
Those interviewed expressed their hopes that Italy will follow the German initiative as soon as possible, by allocating sufficient funding for the most important buildings (especially those used for education). This may not solve the problem completely, but it would certainly be a useful instrument in slowing the spread of the virus.
Together with the National Council of Engineers and the Italian Association for Safety and the Environment, AiCARR will continue to lobby the government with proposals and suggestions regarding this issue, in the hope that MCV will be adopted soon, as in Germany.
The improved personal safety and energy savings offered by mechanically controlled ventilation are two points in its favour that cannot be ignored and which are able to bring some significant advantages right away.
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Translated by Joanne Beckwith
