Arens International Blog

 

Whether you are after information on natural ventilation, automation of high level windows or design advice to incorporate natural ventilation into your next project you will find it here. If you would like further information on any of the topics, or one that we may not have covered yet please feel free to contact us.

 

Natural Ventilation in Aged Care

With the population over sixty five years of age set to double by 2051 there will be increasing demand for the development of new aged care facilities. How these facilities are ventilated can have significant cost implications for owners, but it is also important to consider the health and well-being of those that will inhabit the building. The benefits of having automated windows and natural ventilation. The reliance on mechanical forms of ventilation, which are very costly to operate and maintain, can be significantly reduced Provides a user friendly mechanism for operating windows – either through a wall mounted switch or automatically according to environmental conditions Provides residents and carers with a greater connection to the outdoors The degree of opening can be easily restricted to enchance saftey and security Burden on staff can be reduced as windows can be signalled to close automatically on rain, excessive winds, or at night time for security Provide a healthier environment to live and work in, avoiding a sealed and overly institutionalised feel in the building Natural ventilation assists in reducing operating costs. With heating and cooling making up a large portion of building operating costs, natural ventilation can be used to effectively reduce the usage of mechanical forms of ventilation. Natural ventilation will promote passive cooling, as well as provide an effective relief path for carbon dioxide and other air borne contaminants to be removed from the building. If windows are required to operate solely to lower carbon dioxide concentration, such as in the cooler months, controlled fine openings will prevent large energy losses occurring. Thermal comfort levels can be increased... read more

Natural Ventilation in Intelligent Buildings

There is now increased demand for the development of highly intelligent buildings. Owners want a building that is sophisticated and highly energy efficient with the potential to reduce operating costs, whilst also providing the occupants with a high level of thermal comfort. There are some important advantages that exist for intelligent buildings, including: Optimised building performance and functionality Automated control and enhanced monitoring of building systems through a single platform Maximised operational and energy efficiency Lower life cycle costs Increased occupant comfort and productivity In order to realise such advantages, it is essential that all building systems, technologies and solutions are integrated into one platform – a Building Management System. It can monitor and control the operation of many of the technologies and systems within a building, ensuring that optimal indoor conditions are maintained, in the most energy efficient manner possible. Natural ventilation is considered to be a vital element in any building striving to increase occupant comfort, as well as decrease operating costs. It can act as a complementary system to the HVAC, providing free cool and air exchange until conditions determine that mechanical ventilation is required. Arens enables you to integrate the automated windows with the Building Management System, which can both monitor and control the building’s natural ventilation. While it is quite common to have simple switch closure for automated windows, this does not allow the natural ventilation system to operate to its full capabilities. When an automatic natural ventilation system is incorporated into your building, it can result in benefits such as: Increased energy efficiency & decreased operating costs – Various studies suggest that heating... read more

Arens Launch New Solar Chain Winder

Arens have successfully launched our new Solar Chain Winder and programmable remote control at the 2015 R+T Stuttgart, Germany. It is set to open up new possibilities in window automation. Being a self-powered operator means there is no cabling required, making installation quick and easy to both new and existing windows. This product sees Arens’ expertise in window actuators combined with solar cell and rechargeable battery technology from Dynaveil, to produce a solar window actuator like no other on the market. The actuator has been specifically designed to optimise the charge rate, as well as minimise power consumption. This has been done without compromising the performance or reliability of the actuator, ensuring it is ideal in both commercial and domestic applications.   What sets the Arens Solar Chain Winder and Remote Control apart from the others on the market? Uses solar cell and rechargeable battery technology that has been on the market for over four years With the Dynaveil technology in mind, the actuator has been specifically designed to both optimise the charge rate, as well as minimise power consumption The rechargeable battery in the actuator has an expected life of between seven and ten years Multiple remote controls can be programmed to operate a single actuator Provides the convenience of being able to operate your window actuators, internal and external motorised blinds from a single remote control In rooms with low sunlight, or if additional power is needed, the solar chain winder can be charged with any standard USB charger Arens Solar Chain Winders can be integrated with a Building Management System, including BACnet and KNX When will... read more

Arens CAT Winder Applications

The Arens CAT Winder is ideal for windows at various heights, with operation of low level windows possible with a handle and high level windows with an eyelet and extension pole. Being hand operated and easy to install makes the CAT Winder a very cost effective option. CAT Winder Features Suitable for windows over 300mm high Maximum possible window opening of 260mm Available in black, light grey and white Inverter bracket is powder coated to match the winder Extension pole can extend up to 3 metres to operate high level windows (sold separately) Please see technical specifications for maximum allowable window weights CAT Winder Applications Low level top-hinged windows Low level top-hinged windows can be operated using a CAT Winder with a handle Installation is quick and easy Operation is simple, with the occupant winding the handle to open or close the window as they desire. High level top-hinged windows If you have a top-hinged window that is out of reach, the CAT Winder with an eyelet can be installed and operated using an extension pole. It is important to note that the CAT Winder must be installed upside down, with an inverter bracket, to allow the eyelet to be at an appropriate angle for operation with the extension pole The inverter bracket is powder coated to match the colour of the winder. Please note: if the window has blinds, a CAT Winder with an inverter bracket may not be suitable, as it will protrude from the window sill and impede the blinds from operating. Skylights and roof windows As skylights and roof windows are commonly out of reach... read more

Arens to Appear at 2015 R+T Stuttgart, Germany

Arens is a co-exhibitor at the 2015 R+T Stuttgart, Germany, from 24 – 28 February. It is regarded as the leading trade fair for roller shutters, doors, gates and sun protection systems, as well as showcasing windows and window hardware. It is the perfect opportunity for Arens to showcase our new chain actuator and louvre actuator, with remote control. These products will provide you with another highly effective way of achieving natural ventilation. They both provide a high level of flexibility, with operation possible from a programmable remote control or wall switch. The complete range Arens actuators, including both the new chain and louvre actuators, can be integrated with BACnet, KNX and other common Building Management Systems. The Arens Louvre Actuator is slimline, making it ideal for mounting on frames as narrow as forty millimetres. Being surface mounted means that should servicing be required at any stage, it can easily occur without the need to dismantle the frame. The Louvre Actuator can operate a wide range of top and centre pivoting louvres. For more information on these products please visit us in Hall 7, Stand A77 at R+T Stuttgart 2015. Also, keep an eye on our website as further information on these products will be available... read more

Night Purging

Night purging is a highly effective method of pre-cooling a building or room during the night, before it is occupied again the next day. It involves operable windows or louvres being opened for a pre-set period of time over night, allowing a natural air flow through the building. Why should night purging be incorporated into your building? Night purging can help reduce the building operating costs, with hot and stale air being replaced with fresh night time air. This reduces the need for the HVAC system to be activated as soon as the building is occupied in the morning. The thermal mass of the building will be cooled, providing a fresher and cooler environment for the occupants. If hot and stale air is not removed, not only will the room feel stuffy, but air borne pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, may reach alarming levels. This can be potentially harmful for the occupants with symptoms such as headaches, dry and itchy eyes or a sore throat developing. In turn this can have a negative effect on both productivity and satisfaction levels with the internal environment. In which climates is night purging most effective? It is particularly effective in climates that have cool to cold night time temperatures as there will be a greater difference between internal and external temperatures. This is not to say that night purging cannot be effective in warmer climates. Even when internal and external temperatures are very similar night purging can still provide a means for air borne pollutants to be exhausted and allow fresh air to enter. Night purging with Arens The Arens Automatic Ventilation... read more

BACnet Integration

Can the Arens Natural Ventilation Systems integrate with BACnet? Arens provide a number of ways to integrate a smoke or natural ventilation system with BACnet. This will allow for building automation and control systems, such as air conditioning, heating and natural ventilation to exchange status information and operate in synchronisation. What benefits does BACnet integration bring? By integrating the HVAC and Natural Ventilation Systems with BACnet, it allows for synchronisation between building automation and ventilation control systems. This can result in improved thermal comfort and indoor air quality for occupants as well as improving energy efficiency by delaying the activation of the HVAC system. This integration can also allow features such as two way communication between MotorControllers and the BMS, precise position control and feedback, as well as early fault indication. How does Arens make BACnet integration possible? There are a number of ways that BACnet integration is made possible by Arens. WindowMaster FlexiSmoke BACnet Controller (WSC 520) – this will allow for direct communication from the BMS to the MotorControllers that are controlling the actuators, signalling them to either open or close the windows according to when the BMS sees appropriate. This may occur when temperature or CO2 set points are exceeded for example, or windows can be manually operated by occupants in the relevant rooms or zones. Through a voltage free contact – this is our simplest form of integration with BACnet. It will allow the BMS to operate the windows but it will not provide it with any status information. The WindowMaster FlexiSmoke is a BACnet compliant controller that is implementing a standardised profile – using... read more

Designing for Window Systems

As a highly experienced company in the field of automated windows and natural ventilation systems, part of our job is to help you develop accurate specifications for your project. Below are some of the most important considerations for you to take into account in the design phase of your project. Window Actuators Arens offer both chain and linear actuators that can be used for three main purposes: Allow manual operation of high level windows and louvres for natural ventilation Provide a fully automated natural ventilation system Facilitate natural and smoke ventilation systems Window Sizes Ideally, awning sashes should be at least 500mm high in order to avoid the need for chains to be shortened. Windows should also be 450mm wide or greater to ensure there is adequate space for the actuator to be mounted. Arens do offer some custom solutions for smaller windows, but early consultation will be required. If your design is going to incorporate wide sashes, it is important to consider that any window that is greater than 1200mm will require two points of attachment. This is recommended by many window manufacturers to avoid bending or twisting of the frame. Fastenings In high wind loads some fastenings will not hold to timber and aluminium sections. In coastal and exposed locations as well as multi-level buildings this is particularly important to consider. Likewise, if your project is going to incorporate any form of displacement air conditioning this can lead to increased pressure on the windows and attachments. Calculations may be required to ensure that the most appropriate fastenings are selected. Window Openings and Locations High level operable windows... read more

Making High Level Windows Operable

Have you got high level windows that you cannot reach to operate? The need to open these windows can become very evident in the warmer months. It provides a cost effective means of exhausting hot stale air from your building and replacing it with fresh air. Passive cooling is promoted and the occupants can experience a greatly improved internal environment and in turn, higher levels of thermal comfort. The operation of high level windows can result in significant energy savings, whether it is in a school, home or office. Particularly in the warmer months, by allowing the build-up of hot and stale air to escape from the building a more comfortable internal environment can be achieved. It can also see the activation of air conditioning delayed. As air conditioners can make up a significant proportion of building operating costs, even small reductions in their use can amount to significant savings. Natural ventilation also plays an important role in the health of building occupants. If stale air is not removed from the building not only can drowsiness result, but in some cases symptoms such as headaches, a sore through or irritated eyes. These symptoms can result in not only reduced comfort but also a fall in productivity.   Arens International specialise in both manual and electric controls for remote windows. These can be used to operate various types of high level windows and louvres in both new and existing buildings. Our manual range incorporates a wide range of operators for single, multiple and wide sashes. They are reliable and cost effective, requiring no electricity and very minimal maintenance once installed.... read more

Effective Natural Ventilation Year Round

Natural ventilation is an important facet of good building design as it can provide significant cost savings on energy consumption. Natural ventilation uses pressure differences and natural airflow to deliver fresh air into the building through operable windows. By incorporating natural ventilation into any new or existing building, one can reduce the reliance on mechanical forms of ventilation. This can result in energy savings, while also facilitating the removal of carbon dioxide and harmful airborne pollutants from the interior space. Natural ventilation in the warmer months Mechanical forms of ventilation such as air conditioning systems are used heavily in the warmer months, increasing the building’s total energy consumption. Natural ventilation allows effective passive cooling to take place, allowing hot air to escape from the room, delaying the need for air conditioning to be activated, and reducing energy consumption and ultimately, the operating costs of the building. Natural ventilation also ensures the removal of carbon dioxide and various airborne pollutants in the building through the natural airflow created, reducing health risks for occupants and helping to maintain productivity levels. When the air conditioning system is active, controlled fine openings of the windows allow stale air to be exhausted from the building, while ensuring minimal energy loss. Natural ventilation in the cooler months Heating systems typically operate for extended periods during the cooler months, resulting in high energy consumption as well as an increase in the levels of carbon dioxide and other airborne pollutants. Natural ventilation assists in the removal of carbon dioxide and airborne pollutants, lowering potential health risks and drowsiness. Controlled fine openings of the windows assist in exhausting... read more