‘Simplicity at its Best’ is how Russell Cramb of Robertson Ventilation Industries describes the installation of the natural ventilation system at the recently built Pretoria University Engineering Block. The system was designed to automate the windows on demand or from a BMS signal, to achieve the optimum amount of natural ventilation when external temperature conditions are favourable.
The equipment selected for the engineering block was the SE Controls-manufactured OS2 control panel, which operates on a modular system allowing the occupant to manually activate the automatic opening ventilators on demand.
The technology is relatively new to South Africa and has been designed to monitor internal and external conditions and operate according to set parameters to control the internal comfort for occupants. To achieve this, rain and wind sensors, thermostats, external and internal temperature sensors and various switches can be installed for additional control. The control system allows for input from any BMS system to create proportional switching and thus allows the windows to open in 10 % increments to match small temperature movements.
The design and installation of the natural ventilation system for the Engineering Block was carried out by Robertson Ventilation Industries who have accumulated a large amount of experience in the window automation industry.
Russell says, “The window automation market in South Africa is still in its infancy and is growing rapidly which is why we have aligned ourselves with an international manufacturer like SE Controls. They offer us a complete service, from intelligent design, through to product selection and installation guidance”.
One of the main reasons for automating windows is that of convenience. Not all windows are located at reachable height and these may need a pole to operate them whilst, in some larger rooms and corridors, the sheer number of windows that need to be opened and closed make an automated solution preferable. ...
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Robertson Ventilation Industries (RVI) is a specialist company that has been trading in South Africa for over half a century and operates in system design and equipment for smoke and fire ventilation, industrial ventilation, solar shading, natural ventilation and window automation....
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