Leisure, Healthcare & Communal Buildings

Arkendale Memorial Hall was built in 1920, but the original building had deteriorated beyond repair resulting in it being demolished in 2007. Using money raised by the community, lottery funding and corporate donations, the new hall was completed earlier this year.

Energy efficiency was a central theme of the new building, as the memorial hall committee wanted to minimise its impact on the environment. This was achieved through fitting an MVHR system, which also helped reduce heating bills, along with extensive use of timber construction – a naturally renewable material.

The MVHR system from ADM was specified by Martin Gallon, architect at Blue House Construction, which also built the hall.

ADM Systems supplied two types of heat recovery systems on this project. A through the wall unit (HR500) was fitted in the main hall due to the roof being open to the rafters – ducting is normally installed in the void above a plasterboard ceiling. Through the wall units from ADM Systems are suited to light commercial applications, classrooms and offices where ducting is not always possible.

A ducted MVHR system was then used in the kitchen and washroom areas, where there was a standard height plasterboard ceiling.

The heat recovery systems in the memorial hall are now able to significantly improve the energy efficiency of the building by recovering heat that would otherwise be lost using normal extract ventilation. The stale moist air is collected from inside the main hall and kitchen areas. This contaminated air passes through the system and is exhausted to the outside. Clean fresh air is then drawn from the outside and as the two air streams pass each other the heat is transferred from the outgoing stale air to the fresh incoming air. There is no mixing of air streams.

Alan Stokes, chairman of the Arkendale Memorial Hall Committee, explained: “We are delighted with the energy efficient solution provided by ADM systems as it helps us make significant savings on our fuel bills. That means we can keep the hall comfortable and warm whilst doing our bit for the environment.”

Blue House Construction specialises in the design and build of high quality Finnish glu-laminated log construction, which was the method used on Arkendale Memorial Hall.
“The new memorial hall in Arkendale is an excellent example of a modern, energy efficient building,” said Chris Marriott, managing director of ADM Systems. “More of our customers are realising the long-term cost and environmental benefits of fitting an MVHR system and the new hall is a perfect example of this.”

For more information on MVHR systems, contact ADM Systems on 01756 701051 or visit the website www.admsystems.co.uk