In March 2023 Ministry of Education (MoE) released their Early Childhood Education (ECE) recommendations on how to “maximise fresh-air ventilation capabilities as much as possible while maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature of no lower than 18 degrees C, to help to reduce the risk of transmission of airborne illnesses.” (Ministry of Education, 2023). In this article, I would like to share these recommendations as well as the resources they are providing. TYPES OF VENTILATION Fresh-air ventilation can be achieved through natural or mechanical ventilation or both. Natural ventilation allows the natural movement of air through a building without VENTILATION THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION RECOMMENDATIONS BY PHIL AND TIFFANY SMITH, SMITH ARCHITECTS using a mechanical system. It is the breeze you feel when you open a window or a door to the outside of a building. Mechanical ventilation draws fresh air into a building and back out through a ducted mechanical ventilation system. It is worth noting that heat pumps do not provide ventilation. They only heat or cold the air that is already in the room. GOOD VS BAD VENTILATION Good ventilation in a building replaces stale air with fresh air from the outside while keeping the temperature and humidity at comfortable levels. This replacement of stale air also helps to reduce the transmission of airborne sicknesses such as colds, flu and COVID-19. If a room feels stuffy or smells linger, this can indicate that the ventilation needs to be improved. One way to monitor ventilation is by measuring the carbon dioxide (CO2) level in a room. As per the MoE guidance, action should be taken to improve the ventilation in a room if CO2 levels remain above 800 parts per million (ppm) for more than an hour. THE REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN VENTILATION In a building, the minimum requirements for ventilation are regulated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) through the New Zealand Building Code. The requirements for ventilation in the Building Code can be found in “Clause G4 Ventilation”. Manawa Children’s Village, Wallaceville. Photography Alastair McKenzie June 2023 { 32 }
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