Yes, this sounds to good to be true, but Panasonic have just announced on the 26th October 2020 the results of research by Texcell into their NanoeX air conditioning filter technology.

Over 99.99% of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) activity was inhibited within 2 hours

Read the full article on the UK Panasonic subsiduary:

Verification of inhibitory effect of nanoe X, technology with the benefits of hydroxyl radicals on novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

and here on the Panasonic Worldwide website:

Panasonic’s nanoe X helps you brave the new normal with the benefits of hydroxyl radicals proven to inhibit the novel Coronavirus

I personally visited Panasonic Research Labs in Tokyo in September 2019…..long before Covid-19 or Coronavirus were common terms in daily life. They demonstrated the NanoeX filtration in their standard air conditioners. I was astonished at its ability to filter odours and they used strong smelling ammonia to demonstrate this. The research technician also talked in depth about filtering pollen, bacteria and viruses (no mention of Covid-19!). The pollen section caught my attention, as I know this is an increasing problem and we get asked about this regularly in the context of choosing air conditioners.  The technician talked at length about bacteria and virus filtration, but to be frank, I sort of switched of at this point, thinking it was of less value to our customers when considering air conditioning systems.

Roll on 12 months…..how wrong was I!

Until now, we have been reluctant and avoided making claims about Covid-19 filtration when promoting Panasonic air conditioning for homes and commercial properties. However, this incredible new research by Texell shows just how good the NanoeX filtration is at achieving this.

There is nothing conventional about NanoeX filtration…..its not a filter or gauze that air passes through like normal air conditioning systems (although Panasonic air conditioners do also have one of these for larger particles and dust capture).  Read the article if you are technically minded, but in essence, NanoeX air conditioning filtration uses tiny electrically charged water particles to attract microorganisms. These can be bacteria, fungi, pollen and viruses…..including Coronavirus.

Its a patented technology that we will not see in other air conditioning systems and we expect it to be a major differentiator from the other air conditioning manufacturers.

As much as we love air conditioning systems, we can’t pretend they are not a just little unsightly. Hence, I thought an article on ‘How to hide air conditioning units’ would be a worthy addition to our air conditioning blog. This article looks at some of our favourite ideas for disguising or hiding your outdoor air conditioning unit.

In the UK, home air conditioning is becoming increasingly popular as our summers seem to be getting warmer. Many modern houses now rely on air conditioning systems entirely for heating, as well as cooling. As much as this is a energy efficient and very much the future, it brings with it the need to hide an outdoor air conditioning unit.

Often we can hide units down side walls or alley ways where they are not seen, but equally often there is no choice but for them to be on the back or front of your house.

Below are some ideas on how to hide the dreaded outdoor AC unit. Some of them are well crafted things of beauty, but others are very DIY and can be knocked up with odd bits of timber or wooden pallets. If you are not up to making your own air conditioning screen, then Google ‘wheelie bin screens’ and there are lots of off the shelf solutions which are quick and easy to install.

Basements represent a unique challenge when it comes to air conditioning and ventilation, particularly the latter. They can be further complicated if these areas are to have high student occupancy rates.

This was the challenge we faced on a recent project at a college in Oxford. Their unused basement was to be converted into three new classrooms and a student breakout area. The total occupancy was for 80 students at any one time. Initially we were ask to cost a proposal designed by a professional M&E consultant. The cost of this was such that the whole project became unviable. It was at this point Air Intelligence offered to design a solution more fitting with the budget available.

The Challenges:

Volume of ventilation: The whole nature of classrooms is that they have high occupancy rates for the size of the space. The basic requirement for classroom spaces is for the ventilation to provide 8 litres of fresh for each person, every second of the day. This means a classroom of 20 people needs 576 m3/hr of fresh air. Across all four new rooms, this was over 2300m3/hr.

Ducting Routes: The second complication in ventilating a basement is finding a route through which ductwork can be installed. Since the ventilation unit would be roof mounted, we needed to find a route from here to where the air is needed. Fortunately, we were able to adapt and enlarge an existing riser cupboard.

Ventilation capacity: Next up was finding a ventilation unit that was powerful enough to provide the required air flow, but small enough to fit in the small roof space we had available. This is where Barkell, based in Co. Durham stepped in. Their Therm-x range of air handling units come in a range of sizes and configurations. Compared to the alternatives, it was the only system that could provide the duty, but be small enough to fit the available space. At 500kg, it required a telehandler type forklift to get it onto the ground floor roof, but after that, it was relatively easy to install.

Fire Safety Regulations: Being a basement, meeting fire and smoke safety regulations was our next challenge. We had to ensure the system:

1.  was linked to the fire alarm such that it would automatically shut down in the event of a fire. Its very important ventilation systems do not feed fires with fresh air.
2. Smoke sensors in the ductwork that linked to the fire alarm that ensured the ventilation system automatically shuts down in the event of a fire inside the air handling unit.
3. The air handling unit can be made to operate in ‘exhaust only’ mode to draw out smoke from the basement after a fire.
4. Fire and smoke dampers between spaces to prevent transfer of smoke/fire.

Limited ceiling height: The next challenge was finding air conditioning units that could fit above the very limited space above the new suspended ceiling. In the end, we went for Panasonic 10kW PACi ducted units. This are only 250mm high, which is probably to lowest currently on the market. Not only that, they also can have a pipe run of up to 50m.

Schools represent much higher occupation levels than a typical commercial office building, hence the bioburden becomes even greater. What is bioburden?….It is the number of non-sterilised living bacteria in a space.

The bacteria particulates can be brought in on people’s clothing, through open doors and windows. The activity level of most young people increases the shedding of skin cells and other particulates which makes school air some of the dirtiest air in any environment. This makes air quality in schools even more important than most other types of buildings.

For any parent who has taken their child to school first thing in the morning and collect them in the afternoon, the difference in the smell of the school at the end of the day is astonishing. For those in the school, they have become accustomed to the odour and do not realise their air is full of particulates and odours. In addition, cold, dry air is a common asthma trigger and can cause children to have flare-ups. Hot, humid air also can be a problem. 

STEP 1: Air Conditioning

Air conditioning in schools is the first major step in improving air quality. These systems can both heat and cool the air, most importantly they contain filters that remove bacteria and other particulates. Typical wall mounted air conditioning units in a classroom can filter the air 20 times every hour (this is cleaning the air in the entire classroom, every 3 minutes) , which prevents particulates from being transmitted around the classroom from one person to another.

Not only does Air Conditioning mean students and teachers can work more efficiently in a classroom with a comfortable temperature, it shall reduce transmission of ailments and ultimately absenteeism. 

STEP 2: Ventilation

As we have discussed, installing Air Conditioning in a classroom is the first major step to improve air quality. The second step to further improve air quality is the introduction of new fresh air into the classroom.

In 2018, the government’s Education & Skills Funding Agency released Building Bulletin  101 (Guidelines on ventilation thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools). This comprehensive document shows Regulations and Guidance on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality to the internal environment in schools. Although this document is a benchmark for schools, the reality is the limited school budgets often results in this rarely being achieved other than in new or refurbishment projects.

Just because it may prove difficult for schools to meet this benchmark, it does not mean they are unable to realise many of the benefits of improved ventilation. At Air Intelligence, we are experienced at delivering low cost fresh air ventilation solutions into classroom environments. Typically these are ‘heat recovery’ ventilation systems that both supply fresh air (1) and extract stale air (2) at the same time. To be energy efficient, they use a heat exchanger (3) to absorb the heat from the extracted air and apply this to the new fresh air.

Low Cost Custom Legionella Management Plans for 2020

You probably know that all businesses must now comply with Legionella Legislation. It’s surprising how many think they are complying because they have a Legionella Risk Assessment.

Its also remarkable how many think that because they are in rented property, that it’s not their responsibility. Both are usually wrong and they are not just risking their business, but also a prison sentence.

Why would you take these risks when they are so easy to solve with our low cost “Custom Legionella Management Plans”. 

STEP 1: We carry out a site survey and compilation of your Legionella Risk Assessment (typically £395 for most SME sized businesses).

STEP 2: From this, we build a “Custom Legionella Management Plan”. Typically these plans incorporate:

• Set up of roles and responsibilities FREE
• Monthly water temperature monitoring £880p.a (for 12 visits p.a)
• Some sites require water samples to be sent for lab analysis (£195 p.a)
• Other sites require chlorination of the water tank and pipework every two years (£150p.a)

We also offer 1/2 day ‘Legionella Awareness’ training courses for staff at bigger sites who want to take a more active role in the Legionella Management. These are £385 (for upto 6 people).

CP42 Commercial Kitchen Gas Safety Certificate

What is a commercial kitchen CP42 Gas Safety Certificate?

This is the official term for a safety certificate that is issued annually by a registered Gas Safe engineer to cover all gas installation and appliances in your kitchen. These certificates specifically target commercial kitchen facilities. Typically these include:

• Restaurants & Cafes
• Take-away shops
• Catering businesses
• Staff canteens
• Food production centres

Do I need a CP42 Gas Safety Certificate?

Yes, if you have a commercial kitchen with gas appliances. You have legal duty to ensure sure that any gas equipment on your premises is checked and certified by a gas safe qualified engineer at least once every year. Your insurance cover will almost certainly depend on you having a current CP42 Gas Safety Certificate

If you lease your property, don’t assume this is the responsibility of the Landlord. Usually leases include clauses that pass responsibility for gas safety to the leaseholder.

What does a  commercial kitchen CP42 Gas Safety Certificate cover?

The list of safety checks is set down by law and they cover all gas appliances, pipework, extraction systems and gas interlock systems.

What if I don’t have a  commercial kitchen CP42 Gas Safety Certificate?

You are breaking the law and could potentially be prosecuted under Regulation 35 of the “Duties of Employers and self-employed persons” of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations. Also, your insurance may well be null and void.

How long does a CP42 Gas Safety Certificate last?

12 months from date of issue.

How do I get a commercial kitchen CP42 Gas Safety Certificate?

Give us a call on the numbers above and we will provide a quote within 24 hours.

More information HERE

Getting aesthetically pleasing air conditioning and ventilation to shops and restaurants and shops has always been slightly challenging.

Visible ducting used in a restaurant.

This is now changing with innovations in ducting fabrication is now allowing new ways of delivering air conditioning and ventilation to shops and restaurants, helped by the increasing trend for more industrialised and rustic feel to the overall interior design.

Visible ducting used in a retail space.

Instead of trying to hide air conditioning and ducting equipment, interior designers are making a feature of it. Some are even using the ducting to mount lighting. Some types of ducting can also be painted to blend in with the ceiling or to stand out as an architectural feature. 

Visible Oval Ducting

Where design constraints and space limitations demand, such as in ceilings, floor voids and walls, then flat oval duct offers significant advantages.  It also boasts fewer supports and site joints than the rectangular ductwork. The air tight structure ensures less air leakages, improved flow of air, and reduced noise which makes it ideal for use indoors and it’s is also watertight

Oval Ducting

In just a few short months Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) are going to become a requirement for all commercial buildings. This will mean that from the 1^st of April 2018 it will not be legal to rent out a property with an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating of F or G.

EPC ratings were introduced in 2007 and are indicators of the energy performance of buildings but it is important to keep in mind that it is not a prediction of the running cost or long term efficiency. EPC is very similar to how MPG (Miles Per Gallon) is in relation to cars in that you can use it to compare one car directly with another but actual fuel usage will vary greatly depending on how the car is driven. So in the same way EPC is supposed to provide an easy comparison when buying or renting a property. EPC is essentially a theoretical rating and the actual performance of a building could be better or worse so MEES is unlikely to have an impact on efficiency. Most people are struggling to find a correlation between EPC ratings and the true performance of a building.

One of the other issues with EPC is that they are valid for 10 years which means a building certified as E at the start of 2008 could legitimately be rented using the same certificate in October 2017 for example. They can also be misleading to building owners and managers as they fall short in measuring the actual efficiency of the equipment in the building as it relys on information on seasonal efficiencies which is not always available in older buildings. Even up to date seasonal efficiencies may not be clear as system over 12kW are only going to be regulated by Eurovent as of 2018.

Unfortunately most buildings are really falling short in operational efficiency and EPC is not designed to be a reflection of this. Often it is found that things like the air conditioning are just left running flat out where simply changes like using the timer clock would instantly improve efficiency. It is vital for building owners to know how to operate their building’s efficiently and a good building user guide is important so there is advice on how to use the space in an efficient way. An example of this is to turn off the VRV system when it is 15^oC outside and maybe open the windows instead.

The road to improving operational efficiency is usually a relatively straight forward one but relationship between owner and occupier and what makes it more complicated. If the owner is the occupier then it is easy to implement changes but where there is a lease involved you often end up with a lot of dilapidated equipment that’s not running effectively. Yet a tenant will be reluctant to spend money on changes as they benefit the landlord more than themselves in the long term. If a tenant occupies an A rated space the actual performance similar to an E. Generally a landlord’s main priorities are the statutory elements like fire alarms and emergency lighting so energy efficiency tends to be at the bottom of the list. It is usually the case that better results are achieved when the occupant is responsible for the performance of the building and when someone makes decisions about how comfort levels are achieved efficiently it can result in better long term performance. For example at the Cundall offices in Birmingham they use the windows for ventilation where possible and they have also focused on task lighting over desks rather than general lighting which has energy used on lighting by almost two thirds.

There is a strong school of thought that believe unless the government is willing to incentivise improving energy efficiency little will change. In Australia they use a scheme called NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating Scheme) where an operational performance level is guaranteed at the design stage and must be delivered otherwise penalties can be applied. So if you are promised a 4-Star rated property as a tenant and it doesn’t deliver, you landlord will be liable for a rebate. In general Australian commercial properties operate at half the energy usage of comparable buildings in the UK even though they are using the same equipment in a much warmer climate.

Wellbeing is fast becoming an increasingly important measure of performance and building services equipment is being designed to be efficient whilst creating a comfortable working environment. We are continually moving towards a stage now where automated controls will deliver system performance based on occupant activities. Which can improve performance by around 33% by monitoring ambient temperature, internal humidity levels and exact load conditions and adapting accordingly which is much more comfortable for the occupants.

Whilst the drivers, techniques and technology are available to improve efficiency and comfort the problem is that old habits are difficult to shake and the industry isn’t moving forward. Often specifications are based of equipment which is 15 years old and completely out of date so it is hard to encourage clients to buy equipment with these capabilities. More training and education is vital for building performance to be improved. Specifications are still being put together without a true understanding of what is actually needed. Simple mistakes like badly placed sensors are common but important things to get right. Architects are also still making energy efficiency difficult by implementing design features like full height glass facades. Features like this will straight away push up emission rates which then have to be brought down through building services.

With only 5 months to go till MEES it may feel like a major challenge but it might not all be bad news. If your EPC is now 10 years old then having your building re-assessed may result in a better rating if improvements have been made since or if simply better information is available. Although the rating could also be worse as a result of the changes in calculation methods but at least having an up to date EPC rating removes uncertainty. The important thing is that you start thinking about your EPC now so that you can start to think about improvements straight away as they will take time to implement. It is also important to go beyond just doing what is necessary and aim for better now to improve long term efficiency and comfort.

Steps to take now

• Review your EPCs if they are older as they may have changed.

• Check your EPC assessor’s qualifications to ensure they can offer the best advise.

• Make sure to look at key areas such as lighting, boilers, VAV systems and air change rates.

• Any work can be planned as part of a general maintenance and refurbishment or a fit out so it doesn’t need to cost extra.

Important points to consider when choosing a light-commercial boiler.

There is a growing market for light commercial boilers in the world of gas heating as a domestic installers can operate up to 70kw without any additional qualifications. With so many boilers to choose from here are the most important things to consider when making the decision for Berkshire based business.

Energy Efficiency

First and most importantly is energy efficiency, whether it is to reduce bills or carbon emissions thanks to the Energy Labelling Directive [ErP] comparing energy efficiency is relatively straight forward. All space and combi heaters up to 70Kw are required to have an energy label rating between A++ and G and when used along with the energy-efficiency data they can help engineers work out the most efficient system for your needs. To ensure your boiler runs at maximum efficiency it must be the correct size for how much heat and hot water is required for the building so it is important to work out how much is needed from the outset.

Controls

Both on-board and ancillary controls can improve the overall efficiency and usability of a boiler. Some newer boilers even coming fitted with weather compensation controls allowing the boiler to regulate its output in relation the outside temperature. Zone controls are also ideal when different part of a building require different heating options.

Boiler Dimension

It is important to have your maximum dimensions to hand when choosing your new boiler and to know the pro and cons as to it’s location. Wall hung boilers tend to be more popular as they offer a more neat and tidy installation but often floor standing alternatives are required for older buildings which are listed or have unstable walls. The newer floor standing models also have a very small footprint and can fit into smaller spaces too. The weight can make a difference too as lighter models can be quicker and easier the engineer to install.

Cost

As boilers are often a rush purchase it is important to find the best deal for you and often a high efficiency light commercial boiler will meet your needs and budget.

Warranty

Comparing the lengths of various warranties will give you an idea of the quality of the product and an extended warranty shows the manufacturer has confidence in its product. It’s important to always read the small print to ensure that you don’t accidentally break the terms and conditions