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Decarbonizing
UK School Ventilation
Decarbonizing UK School Ventilation

Emissions

The UK government has set a target of achieving net carbon

zero by 2050(a). Scotland has brought their net carbon zero target
forward to 2045, and several UK councils have brought their
own deadline forward to 2030, with planning for new schools
to be built to the German Passivhaus Standard(b).

In February 2020, parliament proposed bringing forward the ban on the

sale of new petrol, diesel, or hybrid cars from 2040 to 2035 to help meet
their target. To achieve any of these goals, we will have to look towards both Jonathon Hunter Hill
our methods of energy generation and usage of fossil fuels, but also how Sector Manager - Education
we are generating carbon on a local level. SAV Systems

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The problem

With almost 33,000 schools in the UK(c), we must acknowledge that educational
buildings have a part to play in meeting the targets set.

Other
7%
Computing
8%

Catering
10%
Heating
50%

Lighting
25%

Breakdown of Energy Use in the Average School

Source: https://czone.eastsussex.gov.uk/media/1954/gil147-schools-energy-saving-fact-sheet.pdf

The average UK primary school is said to consume The latest edition of "BB101: Guidelines on ventilation,
119 kWh per m2 per year(d), and with classrooms typically thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools"(f)
being 60 m2, each could be consuming 7,140 kWh annually. recommends more passive cooling methods, such as
increased thermal mass and brise soleil. Heating, however,
The Carbon Trust estimates that 58% of energy use in
remains intrinsically linked to the fresh air requirements
a school is by heating(e). Therefore, by reducing heating
and, due to inefficient ventilation systems, results in high
consumption in classrooms we could substantially
classroom heat losses. We must also acknowledge that
reduce carbon emissions.
the school year, by design, is largely during winter and
Energy consumption in classrooms largely comprises spring; the coldest times of year and the heating
of electrical devices, computing, lighting and space season (October to April).
heating. There has long been a focus on reducing the
energy consumption of electrical equipment, such
that these technologies contribute little to the school’s
energy demand. Schools are unlikely to be equipped
with active cooling (air conditioning), which could
have high electricity consumption.

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Decarbonizing UK School Ventilation

The compromise

Numerous new schools and those being refurbished are being supplied with natural
or hybrid ventilation units, but these terms are a misnomer. In fact, the term hybrid
suggests that one specialises in neither natural nor mechanical and therefore an
engineering compromise must be made.

Hybrid solutions are more likely to retain heat in the
form of stale, CO2-laden, air which must inevitably be
replaced. By focussing, mechanical ventilation maximises
its efficiency all year round. At source, the energy
consumption of an opening window or hybrid ventilation
unit is low. However, a more holistic view is required: what
are the losses associated with this form of ventilation?
Fabric losses aside, each classroom has a base heating
load needed to maintain a certain room temperature.
Once brought up to temperature, the occupants negate
some of the load due to their own heat output, typically
measured as 70 W per person.
To maintain low CO2 concentration in a classroom (daily
average of no more than 1,000 ppm) the air in the space
must be changed multiple times per hour at low velocity
and close to room temperature to avoid draughts.
When the external temperature is lower than the required
inlet temperature (typically 16°C for natural and naturally
driven hybrids, and 19°C for mechanical and mechanically
driven hybrids), the incoming air must be warmed up,
requiring a source of heat energy.
Indeed, BB101 alludes to the difference in energy
consumption commenting that, “systems with low initial
capital costs may have unaffordable running costs (g).”
(BB101 pg. 62, Life cycle and maintenance), often
in the form of supplementary heating.
The solution
For mechanical ventilation units with heat recovery or
Smart Mechanical Ventilation units (SMVs), 80% to 90%
of the heat being extracted from the room will be
recovered by a heat exchanger.
For hybrid or natural ventilation units this must be sourced
from additional heating in the room as, by their very
nature, these systems do not contain heat exchangers.
Therefore, any heat retention would be achieved by
mixing stale room air, effectively limiting fresh air,
and diminishing indoor air quality.

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For a typical classroom, hybrids could use as little as 0.09 W/l/s whereas SMVs consume 0.8 W/l/s.
If classrooms are to have equal standards of indoor air quality, 200 l/s of ventilation would be required.
This results in electricity consumption of 0.02 kW for the hybrid, and 0.16 kW for the SMV. Assuming both
heat gains and fabric losses are equal in classroom, then the following diagram describes the overall system
energy requirement to achieve a steady energy state in the room of 3 kW, maintaining 21°C in the room.

Smart Mechanical Ventilation Hybrid Ventilation

Ventilation
Loss
Ventilation 3.0 kW
Loss
0.6 kW

Space
Input Heating Input
3.76 kW Demand 6.02 kW
3 kW

Electrical Electrical
Consumption Consumption
0.16 kW 0.02 kW

Smart Mechanical Hybrid

Variables
Ventilation Ventilation

Input (kW) 3.76 6.02

Space Heating Demand (kW) 3.00 3.00

Heat Recovery Efficiency (%) 80 0

Ventilation Loss (kW) 3.00 x (1-0.8) = 0.60 3.00 x (1-0) = 3.00

Electrical Consumption (kW) 0.16 0.02

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Decarbonizing UK School Ventilation

Mechanical vs Hybrid

The ventilation losses associated with hybrid ventilation are substantial. The result
is that the hybrid ventilation consumes 60% more energy than the SMV.

Considering annual results, the following table illustrates the energy consumption of two ventilation system
types including the top-up heating required to mitigate ventilation loss. The data is based on the London and
Leuchars, Scotland weather files with a flow rate of 200 l/s to achieve a daily average of 1,000 ppm of CO2 in
the classroom. It is pragmatic to assume, in the future, that BB101 will hold mechanical, natural and hybrid
ventilation systems to the same standards as pupils deserve equal environments regardless of the type of
equipment installed. The SMV in this case has a heat recovery efficiency of 84% and the hybrid, none.

London(h) Leuchars, Scotland(i)

Variables
SMV Hybrid SMV Hybrid

Electrical 256 29 256 29

Annual
Consumption Heating 575 3,611 691 4,340
(kWh/year)
Total 831 3,640 947 4,369

Difference (%) 77 78
Heat Recovered (kWh/year) 2,959 0 3,645 0

As illustrated, by using an SMV, energy consumption due to ventilation could be reduced by as much as
78% when compared to a hybrid system. If a hybrid system were designed such that the amount of fresh
air is reduced and mixed with a higher proportion of recirculated room air during cold periods, the heating
consumption would reduce. However, the consequence would be significantly reduced indoor air quality.

4000 3611 3640

3500
2959

3000
SMV
Energy Consumption (kWh/year)

2500 Traditional

2000

1500

1000 831
575
500
256
29 0
0
Annual Heating Annual Electrical Total Energy Consumption Heat Recovered
Consumption (kWh/year) Consumption (kWh/year) (kWh/year) (kWh/year)

Mechanical vs Hybrid Energy Consumption

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Conclusion

Taking average classroom energy consumption of 7,140 kWh per year, and factoring
in heat recovery ventilation, energy consumption could be reduced to approximately
4,180 kWh per year in London classrooms, a 41% reduction. The data speaks for
itself: to decarbonize school heating systems the logical choice for ventilation
must be heat recovery.

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References
(a) Net Zero The UK’s contribution to stopping global warming Committee on Climate Change. (2019) [online].
Available at: https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Net-Zero-The-UKs-contribution-to-stopping-global-warming.pdf
(b) The City of Edinburgh Council Finance and Resource Committee (2019) Minutes of The City of Edinburgh Council Finance and Resource
committee meeting 10 October 2019 [online]. Available at: https://democracy.edinburgh.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=9352
(c) BESA. (2017). Key UK education statistics - BESA [online]. Available at: https://www.besa.org.uk/key-uk-education-statistics/
(d) Energy Consumption In Non-Domestic Buildings: A Review of Schools. (2011) [online].
Available at: https://ep.liu.se/ecp/057/vol3/034/ecp57vol3_034.pdf
(e) Ctv019 schools. (2012) [online]. Available at: https://www.carbontrust.com/media/39232/ctv019_schools.pdf
(f) BB101: Guidelines on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools (2018) [online]
Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/735063/BB101_
Guidelines_on_ventilation_thermal_comfort_and_indoor_air_quality_in_schools.docx
(g) BB101: Guidelines on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools (2018) [online].
Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/735063/BB101_
Guidelines_on_ventilation_thermal_comfort_and_indoor_air_quality_in_schools.docx p. 62
(h) AirMaster A/S (2020). Estimation of energy consumption and return air ratio, United Kingdom, London [online]
Available at: https://sav-systems.workbooks.com/resources/=UDN3ADN/aca3bdb7f1b1ab72061d12eb84b30335.pdf
(i) AirMaster A/S (2020). Estimation of energy consumption and return air ratio, Leuchars, Scotland [online]
Available at: https://sav-systems.workbooks.com/resources/=UDN3ADN/bbfddbb934a02ccfe4098e9dc33ae7e2.pdf

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Head Office: SAV Systems

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+44 (0)1483 771910

www.sav-systems.com – j.hunterhill@sav-systems.com – www.linkedin.com/company/sav-systems Rev 1 2020