Air conditioning and natural ventilation: which is better?
When it comes to being given the choice of whether or not to use windows or air conditioning to help improve comfort levels in a home or office space, most people will go with the latter. After all, it can be quite comforting to make use of air conditioning — especially when it is uncomfortable hot outside. That said, while it is understandable why most people would utilise mechanical ventilation, it still pays to consider the use of natural ventilation.
The idea of whether or not mechanical ventilation or natural ventilation is better can be a tricky question to answer, as the idea of 'better' can vary wildly. Here are just some of the benefits of natural ventilation that rises above the realm of simple comfort.
Without a doubt, air conditioning can lead to stagnant air
While air conditioning is still a form of ventilation, it often requires a closed environment for homeowners or business owners to make full use of its effects. While it might not seem like such a bad thing at first, even air can eventually stagnate. In an office where people spend hours working, it only takes one person with a cold to cause trouble for just about everyone else in the production area. After all, air conditioning can lead to a stuffy environment, which means the air is not given a chance to be flushed out through natural ventilation.
Making use of both mechanical and natural ventilation
The idea that you can only have one or the other when it comes to ventilation is odd, as it is more than possible to have both. For example, balanced use of air conditioning and natural ventilation will always work in your favour. After all, not only will the utility bill decrease due to the economical use of the AC, but utilising electric window openers is a surprisingly easy way to promote natural ventilation at home or in the office. It even allows business owners to place windows in hard-to-reach places, as all it takes is the use of window controls to successfully manipulate them.
A more consistent temperature overall
Have you ever used an air conditioner only to find that it pushes the cold past comfortable levels? Many people tend to fiddle with the temperature system to come up with the ideal temperature, but provided that the conditions outside are not unbearably hot or cold, natural ventilation needs no such help. Natural ventilation can keep the temperature at a balanced and pleasant level all throughout a home or office, ensuring that no-one has to worry about everything being uncomfortably cold or warm.
Aside from the reasons above, natural ventilation can also help ensure that smoke has a means of escaping the structure in the event of a fire. Smoke inhalation can have terrible consequences and is known to be a more consistent source of fatalities than injuries received from burns. While it can be easy to go with air conditioning due to the cooler temperature, it is still a good idea to strike a balance between mechanical and natural ventilation.
