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Article: Mixed-mode ventilation: Hvac meets Mother Nature.
- Article from:
- Engineered Systems
- Article date:
- May 1, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 BNP Media. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Although more complex to design, combining operable windows with traditional systems can reduce energy use. It can also increase individual climate control, which has multiple benefits of its own. Europe and Japan are implementing mixed-mode already, and it may be coming to an office building near you in the future.
Ask anybody you know if they would prefer to have an operable window in their office, and chances are you'll find few people who would say "no." So why are so many office buildings designed with sealed glass facades that don't allow occupants to open a window and get a (real or imagined) "breath of fresh air"? Has our culture become addicted to air ...