ventilation

The cold arrives and the first bills scary heating. In many homes, the question is repeated every year: how to keep the house warm without skyrocketing costs? And, among neighborhood conversations, a technical term has emerged that generates curiosity (and some confusion): forced ventilation. What exactly is it? Is it mandatory? And why is there so much talk about her lately? When the cold reveals weak points. With the first freezing nights, the Association of Spanish Insulating Mineral Wool Manufacturers (AFELMA) has issued a warning: poor insulation takes its toll. According to their data, a third of final energy consumption in Spain – and CO₂ emissions – comes from buildings, mainly due to heating and cooling needs. “Every winter we see how many homes are not prepared to conserve heat,” says its president, Miguel Ángel Gallardo. But energy savings no longer depend only of good heating either to put weather stripping on the windows. In recent years, Spanish and European regulations have gone further: they are pushing towards a hermetic and efficient housing model, where ventilation stops being about opening a window “when necessary” and becomes a technical and health requirement. According to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition (MITECO)the Regulation of Thermal Installations in Buildings (RITE) establishes that all thermal installations must guarantee thermal well-being, hygiene and energy efficiency. In parallel, the Technical Building Code (CTE), in its section HS3 “Indoor air quality”requires homes to have a system that guarantees air renewal. That is, the law no longer understands ventilation as something optional. What changes is how it is done. So what is forced ventilation? Also known as mechanical ventilation, it consists of a system that automatically renews the air inside using electric fans and ducts. Unlike opening the windows, these devices guarantee a constant flow of fresh air and expel stale air without losing the accumulated heat. As explained by the specialized portal Heat and Coldthe current CTE regulations require ensuring a minimum indoor air quality, and there are two possible methods: Hybrid ventilation: It combines mechanical extraction and natural circulation when outdoor conditions allow it. Forced mechanical ventilation: Renews the air in a fully controlled manner using electrical equipment. In both cases, the goal is the same: ensure healthy indoor air without wasting energy. The key question: is it mandatory? In practice, all new or completely renovated homes must include one of these systems. If your house is old, you are not obliged to install it unless you do an energy renovation or seek an advanced efficiency certification. On the other hand, commercial premises, offices and other non-residential buildings are governed by the RITE, which also requires mechanical ventilation systems to maintain minimum levels of air quality, classified from IDA 1 to IDA 4, according to Certicalia. In other words, if you are going to renovate or build, you will have to include forced ventilation; If your apartment is old and you do not do any work, there is no immediate obligation. The other even more important question: price? Here comes the part that worries the most. Prices depend on the size of the apartment, the type of system and whether it includes a heat recovery, a device that uses the energy of the leaving air to temper the new air that enters. According to Certicaliaan efficient air conditioning and ventilation project can cost around 3,700 euros, although a basic installation with a heat recovery in a small apartment can be more affordable. However, experts emphasize that the investment pays off quickly thanks to energy savings. AFELMA estimates that improving insulation and ventilation can reduce heating consumption by up to 80%, in addition to avoiding humidity and condensation problems that can lead to costly repairs. As you remember from another specialized portalventilating in winter does not mean giving up thermal comfort. With a good system or simple habits—opening opposite windows for five minutes in the morning, using extractor fans in kitchens or installing heat recovery—you can keep the air clean without heat escaping. Towards a more efficient future. Forced ventilation with heat recovery is already one of the pillars of the Passivhaus standard, which defines almost zero consumption homes. Examples such as the Bolueta Tower in Bilbao or Casa 135 in Madrid show that these systems are not a fad, but rather a mature technology that allows you to save energy, improve comfort and breathe cleaner air. In the words of Siber Ventilationin just over a year, all new constructions must be Almost Zero Consumption Buildings. Mechanical ventilation, along with insulation and renewable energy, will be essential to achieve this. In a winter where every degree counts, knowing how the air enters and leaves our homes can make the difference between a cold home and a really comfortable one. “The real change begins with the materials that make up the home,” concludes the president of AFELMA. Because good thermal insulation—and adequate ventilation—not only saves energy: it turns a house into a healthier, more comfortable and winter-ready space. Image | FreePik Xataka | The patch to avoid another massive blackout is going to cost us 731 million euros. Iberdrola has already begun to collect it