If you own or manage a shopping centre, sorting out your retail ventilation system can be the last thing on your mind during a busy week.
However, with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) highlighting the importance of these systems, it’s certainly not something to be taken lightly. With ventilation in the workplace of significant importance following the Covid-19 pandemic, we think it’s important to bring mechanical ventilation back into the spotlight. We explore what a mechanical ventilation system is and the challenges and considerations you may have to go through when designing ventilation systems.
What is mechanical ventilation?
Mechanical ventilation refers to bringing new air from the outside into a building while extracting the air on the inside to purify it.
Examples of mechanical ventilation systems include a Vertical Discharge Roof Fan, which allows for the extraction of things like dust and smoke, and Air Curtains that are placed in front of doorways and entrances to block out dust, odours, and insect entry.
Proper ventilation at work can drastically improve the air quality inside a building and is a legal requirement for most industrial and commercial properties.
What are the challenges shopping centres face when designing ventilation systems?
The challenges that a shopping centre may face when designing ventilation systems will vary depending on factors such as the size of the building. Still, several common issues need to be tackled.
- Meeting regulations
- Controlling noise
- Finding the right products
Meeting regulations
Arguably the most crucial thing to think about when designing ventilation systems and a challenge all will come across. Meeting regulations is vital for keeping patrons safe and keeping the shopping centre from being closed down.
AS1668.2 Mechanical ventilation regulations help keep your workers and customers safe. Many safety issues can occur when a mechanical ventilation system is poorly designed and installed. Handling this challenge can be much easier than you think so, as it’s simply a matter of:
- checking Australian regulations and any additional regulations of your state or territory.
- ensuring that the products you’re using meet mechanical ventilation standards and following the retail store ventilation guide
- Working with industry experts, such as Fanquip, that have experience working in the commercial sector
Going through these steps may be all you need to do to ensure you are meeting regulations and not risking anyone’s health or safety.
Controlling noise
In a retail environment, customer happiness is everything. As a shopping centre, you want visitors to enjoy their time there without being distracted by loud machines.
This concerns many businesses, as they think of loud mechanisms that circulate air on a large scale. However, mechanical ventilation technology has come a long way in this area.
Products like Giant Fans offer ultra-low noise options that keep the air moving in your shopping centre without being too loud.
Finding the right products
With so many products out there offering various benefits, it can be confusing and difficult to make any decision during the ventilation system design process.
You might not be familiar with the world of mechanical ventilation and therefore aren’t sure which products are right for you. It’s for this reason that partnering with a company that offers a variety of products to suit your needs can be a major asset to you.
Fanquip has a variety of products and will detail why something like a Profile Base Hooded Roof Fan might be suitable for your building and answer any other technical questions you have.
What should shopping centres consider when designing ventilation systems?
With what feels like so much to think about in this area, it seems there is a lot to consider when designing ventilation systems for your shopping centre. However, it ultimately boils down to just a few questions you should ask yourself.
These are:
- does it work for my building?
- does it meet employee and customer needs?
- does it meet regulations?
If, by the end of your design process, the answer to these three questions is yes, there is simply a matter of cost and logistics to solve. But don’t worry; Fanquip can help.
Although you may feel that you have more important things to consider than mechanical ventilation, it’s relatively straightforward to manage, especially with the right ventilation company to support you.
Find out how Fanquip can help you with all your ventilation needs
If you’re looking to set up a ventilation system for your shopping centre in Australia, Fanquip is there for you. Our team of professional ventilation engineers can assist you in customising and designing a system that complies with all the necessary building codes and safety standards.
Take a look at our services today and contact a member of the team to get started.
