Vent-Axia Brings Sentinel Demand Ventilation To Harold Hill Fire Station

When the London Fire Brigade (LFB) wanted to provide the local community of Havering with a new state-of-the-art, energy conscious fire station, the design concept called for an energy efficient ventilation solution. As an integral part of the £5 million project, Vent-Axia was chosen to supply its Sentinel Totus D-ERV (Demand Energy Recovery Ventilation) system to improve ventilation and save energy at the Harold Hill station.

Harold Hill fire station is the first new build station to be opened in London in over a decade and offers the increased population of Havering and the surrounding area further emergency services. Project consultants Scott Wilson and main contractor Lakehouse converted three former industrial units to form the foundations of the station. Utilising the existing buildings saved £300,000 of the budget and also had a reduced impact on the local environment.

The fire station’s green credentials include features such as a combined heating/power system, a solar hot water system, a heat bank, photovoltaic panels, a soft lighting scheme and an integral grey water recycling system. JSMS Contracts were commissioned to supply and install all the HVAC equipment for the project with minimising energy consumption in line with Part L of the Building Regulations a primary objective. As a result, three Sentinel Totus D-ERV units were installed.

Vent-Axia were able to support LFB’s aim to provide a contemporary building design with a strong sustainability agenda, aiming for a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’. The Sentinel Totus D-ERV system was selected because of its 90% energy recovery and its demand ventilation philosophy, only supplying ventilation as and when it is needed. Its precise control options are key to providing the required amount of fresh air while keeping CO2 levels within prescribed levels. Depending on the room’s occupancy a change in CO2 levels triggers the Sentinel Totus’ fan speed to increase or decrease to ensure good ventilation is maintained to meet demand.

Integrating Vent-Axia’s proven on-demand control concept with efficient EC/DC motor technology and a state of the art counterflow heat recovery cell to achieve up to 90% energy recovery – the Sentinel Totus boasts the highest performance of any system on the market, and the UK’s first D-ERV system to be independently rated and tested to EN308.

Designed to operate on the principles of on-demand ventilation the Sentinel Totus responds to the precise ventilation requirements of a room at any one time providing the right level of supply and extract airflow only when required, making it ideal for environments with changing occupancy patterns, as with this project. Sentinel Totus also recovers maximum energy (heat and cool) from the extracted air, transferring it into the fresh air supply via the unit’s integral high efficiency counterflow heat exchanger. The result is a system which achieves required airflow rates and ventilates according to precise needs, significantly reducing fuel consumption, energy costs and cutting the carbon footprint of a building by up to 30% more than conventional crossflow energy recovery ventilation devices.

Sentinel D-ERV is part of Vent-Axia’s award-winning Sentinel demand ventilation range of commercial and residential applications. For those seeking expert advice on how to achieve the best outcomes for their public buildings, schools or offices, Vent-Axia offers practical advice on HVAC installation and selection. This is supported by guidance on the best solutions to meet legislative requirements, project management, after sales support and maintenance information.

For further information on Sentinel demand controlled ventilation solutions, please contact Vent-Axia on 0844 856 0590 or click this link: http://www.vent-axia.com/range/sentinel-totus-demand-energy-recovery-ven...