For a long time now the ventilation system of choice for commercial office spaces has been ceiling void mounted fan coil units connected to inductive ceiling diffusers.

Provided that the diffusers have been properly selected, this system has been proven to provide high levels of occupant comfort in terms of low velocities in the occupied space and uniform room temperature profiles.

However, and much more relevant to the crisis which we are facing today, these high level diffusers induce contaminant laden room air, mix it with supply air and re-deliver to the occupied zone (breathing zone) ensuring that one persons viruses are evenly spread throughout the entire office.

No amount of social distancing can avoid the mixing of contaminant laden room air with supply air, which is then distributed evenly throughout the workspace.

The obvious alternative to this system would be an up flow system, displacement or mixed flow. In it's purest form a displacement system would be the obvious choice delivering cool, clean air to low level which is then drawn into the heat plume created by warm bodies and all contaminants are transported to high level then extracted directly without being re-introduced into the occupied zone.

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it will be that life will not be the same from here onwards. Our day to day routines will have to change. This will need to include the way we approach ventilation system design with occupant safety & wellbeing foremost in our minds.

For further information on up flow ventilation, product information & selection advice, contact us directly on il@advancedairflowsolutions.com or 01457 876262.