Renovation of ventilation for better energy efficiency in housing companies
How to ensure a hassle-free renovation of ventilation?
Many housing companies feel the need to improve their ventilation while lowering energy consumption. However, it may be difficult for residents and housing company board members to understand how their ventilation could or should be improved. Predicting the resulting effects may prove to be equally difficult. It is, therefore, wise to break the process down into smaller steps.
Preventive maintenance is always a good idea
Every housing company should have its ventilation inspected every few years. FINVAC has published instructions on how to conduct a relatively easy inspection of the ventilation and heating of a building. Although the instructions are geared towards public buildings, it is a good idea to check the same things in terraced houses and blocks of flats – and the basics of ventilation are not that different in detached houses, either.
A ventilation inspection may reveal existing or imminent faults, faulty components or incorrect adjustments. As an inspection of a block of flats typically only costs some tens of euros per apartment, addressing even a single fault or adjustment may quickly pay back the inspection costs.
Project planning is vital for a successful renovation
If a housing company wants to investigate its renovation options further, it should invest in professional project planning. This does not yet mean committing to a renovation process. The purpose of the project planning step is to map out the current situation. If a ventilation inspection has already been conducted, it will provide a solid groundwork for the plan. The project plan charts the renovations that the building and the residents need; different ways in which they could be carried out; recommendable systems and technical solutions; the requirements of the local building control authorities; etc.
At this stage, it will become easier to grasp how different options would affect renovation costs, energy consumption, the comfort of living and the extent and duration of the renovation. This step will also reveal whether the renovation would affect other building technology and whether other renovation projects should take place at the same time. A good project plan will provide grounds for the right decisions.
A professional supervisor is a valuable asset for the housing company
If a housing company decides to renovate, the next step is to draw up ventilation and other necessary plans. This enables the housing company to request tenders. It is a good idea to hire a supervisor before sending out any requests for tenders. The housing company should also invite tenders for the ventilation design. An experienced supervisor can help the housing company to decide how many requests for tenders should be sent out, to whom, and what they should contain. In addition to a ventilation contractor, a number of other professionals are needed on the worksite. The supervisor may also contact the local building control authorities, if necessary.
Carefully compare the tenders
At this stage, a competent supervisor plays an important role because comparing tenders is not always easy. Tenders sometimes even deviate from the specifications included in the original requests for tenders, in particular if the specifications were not detailed enough. The cheapest offer is not always a good bargain. Reliability is also important when it comes to selecting contractors, materials and components. The proposed schedules should be also taken into account, as well as the effects that the renovation will have on the residents’ daily life.
Time to get things done
After contracts have been signed, the professionals will start working as agreed on. Although all contractors bring qualified foremen to the worksite, the supervisor is there to ensure that all parties work as a team and complete their tasks in the right order and as efficiently as possible, eliminating the need for overlapping work, for example. Alterations and additional work inevitably occur on major worksites. The supervisor can make the necessary preparations for such alterations and map out their effects, ensuring easier decision-making for the housing company board. As their title suggests, the supervisor also supervises work quality and schedules and acts as a contact person between the contractors and the housing company.
A ventilation renovation is no cause for concern for residents or board members – simply prepare for it well with the help of the right professionals.
Read also the articles Why is good ventilation important, Renovation of ventilation in connection with a pipe renovation in an apartment block and Responsibilities and distribution of work related to ventilation 2019.
Watch the webinar recording
To learn more on how to successfully renovate ventilation systems, watch a webinar hosted by the Finnish Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (Sisäilmayhdistys ry), the Finnish Association of HVAC Technical Contractors (LVI-Tekniset Urakoitsijat ry), Sevire Oy and Vallox Oy. Webinar recording is only available in Finnish.
0:01:25 Ilmanvaihdon merkitys hyvässä sisäilmassa: toiminnanjohtaja Mervi Ahola, Sisäilmayhdistys ry
0:22:35 Taloyhtiöiden ilmanvaihtosaneeraus: koulutuspäällikkö Ali Aaltonen, Vallox Oy
0:46:40 Ilmanvaihdon kunnostuksen hankesuunnittelu: suunnittelujohtaja (talotekniikka, LVI) Kari Koivumäki, Sevire Oy
1:09:25 Onnistuneen IV-korjaushankkeen muistilista: erityisasiantuntija Juha-Ville Mäkinen, LVI-Tekniset Urakoitsijat ry