Passivent makes the grade at historic Northumberland Hall

Natural ventilation solutions manufacturer Passivent has helped breathe new life into the Grade II-listed Matfen Hall in Northumberland following an extensive refurbishment programme designed by Doonan Architects.

Grade II-listed Matfen Hall in Northumberland is a former stately home set in 300 acres of landscaped gardens and woodlands. The gothic hall dates back to 1832 and is now a hotel and wedding venue, having recently been extensively restored. The refurbishment of this gothic hall, which dates back to 1832, has greatly enhanced this stunning building, set in the beautiful Northumbrian countryside.

Passivent worked closely with specialist building environment and services engineers Skelly & Couch to develop a natural ventilation strategy for the hall’s newly covered external courtyards. This led to the use of Passivent’s high-performance Aircool wall ventilators, installed beneath the striking rooflight to maintain a fresh air supply to the enclosed area that has now been created.

In total, 10 Aircool wall ventilators were installed by Passivent’s client, JP Westhall, in the lower courtyard, with seven in the upper courtyard. Passivent also supplied a two-zone iC8000 intelligent controller which monitors the internal and external temperature and carbon dioxide level to allow the facilities team to control the natural ventilation system.

Close collaboration leads to success

Close collaboration was key to the successful delivery of the ventilation system, with Skelly & Couch working with Passivent very early in the design stage to access the relevant technical product information and calculate the required free area. This information was then passed back to Passivent so the Aircool wall ventilator’s aperture could be sized accordingly.

Rosie Jones, Associate at Skelly & Couch, says: “On such a complex restoration project as this, it was essential that we not only identified the right product but found the right supply chain partner. The Passivent team was extremely efficient and provided us with all the product information we needed in a range of formats so we could advance the technical design of the ventilation strategy effectively. The team’s contribution ensured the specification process went smoothly and we would certainly look to use Passivent ventilation products again in the future.”

Passivent’s Aircool range features both insulated wall and window ventilators that are fully controllable and suitable for use within the external facades of all types of buildings. The electrically actuated dampers provide controlled air intake, making them the perfect partner for natural and passive ventilation strategies.

The Aircool range of ventilators is also suitable for night-time cooling strategies, where daytime heat build-up is purged from the structure during the night. They also have excellent weatherability, which allows the units to remain open even in inclement weather conditions. Passivent offers a number of options for its Aircool system including standard, thermal, acoustic and hybrid versions.

Nathan White, General Manager at Matfen Hall, adds: “We are delighted with the work that has taken place here at the hall. The refurbishment not only enhances the natural beauty of the hotel but will provide us with much more flexibility for events taking place all year round. The covered courtyard has become a real focal point and both the rooflight and the natural ventilation system that are now in place will ensure this stunning outdoor space can be enjoyed to the full for many more years to come.”

www.passivent.com