Furze Down School, Winslow

Project info

Name:
AirMaster - SMV

Consultant: Frankham Consultancy – Oxford

Client: Furze Down School

The Project

SAV AirMaster mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) units have enabled Furze Down School in Winslow, Buckinghamshire, to control indoor air quality (IAQ) efficiently while maintaining the low noise levels required for Special Educational Needs (SEN) facilities.

Furze Down is a co-educational community school taking children from the ages of 5 through to 19, many with complex Special Educational Needs.

The Challenge

Located on Verney Road, Winslow, the acoustic design ruled out openable windows for ventilation because of traffic noise. Average daytime background noise was 46 – 50dB at the external façade.

Computer Room

The Solution

Frankham Consultancy Group therefore specified AirMaster MVHR units because of their highly effective attenuation of external noise, 49dB. Further reasons for this choice were low SFP, quiet casing breakout noise and reliable temperature control.

A total of 37 AirMaster units have been installed, comprising both AML 300 and AML 500 models, for use in class bases, life skills, media and nursery rooms. Units on the ground floor are connected horizontally to the outside through external walls, while 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.

As class sizes are relatively low, the units have been programmed to run at 80% of their maximum capacity, keeping casing breakout noise within the 30 dB(A) allowable under BB 93 for SEN facilities. The AirMaster MVHR units are zoned in ‘clusters’ and controlled via five control panels located in staff offices, thereby avoiding indicator lights in classrooms as these can upset children on the autistic spectrum.

By using only short ductwork to connect to the outside, installation was straightforward with install of each unit taking 3-4 hours only. All units came pre-programmed before delivery, helping commissioning to be carried out effectively. Demand control using integral CO₂ sensors ensures energy-efficient operation and first class indoor air quality.