LESS VENTILATION, MORE EFFECT

Nature is a master of efficiency - nothing is superfluous, every element fulfills a clear task. AFC has developed the LessTech approach according to this principle: less technology, less complexity, more effect. This thinking is also evident in building planning, especially in the ventilation of parking garages. The focus here is on safety: carbon monoxide (CO) from vehicles must be reliably extracted. The Swiss guideline SWKI VA103-01 specifies how ventilation systems should be dimensioned - in practice, however, systems are often oversized in order to cover every possible load.

When standard becomes expensive

A standard design sounds like planning security, but in practice it often means additional costs. Hundreds of meters of ventilation ducts take up valuable space, the excavation becomes more extensive, construction heights increase and the use of materials grows. Architects lose flexibility, clients pay for technology that is rarely really needed and users hardly benefit from it.

Simulation as the key

The second method allowed by the SWKI VA103-01 shows that there is another way: verification by simulation. AFC uses state-of-the-art CFD calculations to realistically map air flows. All influencing factors are taken into account - from the entrance situation to the garage doors and natural openings.

More freedom, lower costs

Architects regain design freedom with slimline ventilation concepts. Shafts and ducts shrink to a minimum, the installation space can be used more flexibly and the ceiling height increases. Building owners benefit twice over: their concepts are eligible for regulatory approval and at the same time significantly more cost-effective - both during construction and in subsequent operation. And the users? They enjoy good air quality and a pleasant indoor climate, without any visible technology disturbing the picture.

The principle also has an ecological impact. Less material used during construction, lower energy consumption during operation - this also means a noticeable reduction in CO₂ emissions. CO ventilation concepts based on the LessTech method therefore contribute directly to the climate targets of investors and building owners.

Less technology, more impact - progress can be that simple.

https://www.afc.ch/afc-lab/die-natur-zeigt-es-uns-weniger-lueftung-mehr-wirkung/