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Commercial ventilation

Commercial ventilation design and installation

Supply and extract with heat recovery for offices, shops, clinics and fit-outs.

  • From £7,950 + VAT per system
  • Free survey on the UK mainland
  • Airflow tested and recorded
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Glass-walled meeting room with ceiling supply grilles

Commercial ventilation brings in enough fresh air for the people in a building and removes stale air, heat and moisture, usually through a supply and extract system with heat recovery. We design to the fresh-air rates for your occupancy, install the unit, ductwork, grilles and controls, then commission and balance the system.

How it works

Employers must make sure every enclosed workplace is ventilated by a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. In practice, designers work to rates such as 10 litres a second per person for offices, taken from Approved Document F and CIBSE guidance, and adjust for meeting rooms, kitchens and toilets.

Typical jobs are fit-outs and refurbishments: a new tenant needs ventilation to match a new layout, an old system cannot keep up with more staff, or a change of use needs a fresh design. We can work directly for occupiers and landlords, or as a subcontractor to fit-out and building contractors.

Options we fit

Heat recovery supply and extract

One or more units with ductwork to diffusers, sized for occupancy.

Toilet and kitchenette extract

Dedicated extract for welfare areas.

Demand control

CO2 or occupancy sensors that slow the system when rooms are empty.

Design and build or install-only

We design it, or install to a consultant's drawings.

Signs you need this

  • Stuffy meeting rooms and afternoon drowsiness
  • More staff than the system was designed for
  • A fit-out or change of layout
  • A change of use that needs a new ventilation design
  • Windows the only source of fresh air
  • Old units that are noisy, inefficient or failing

Guide prices

Commercial ventilation design and installation guide prices
WorkGuide price
Small office or shop: heat recovery unit, ductwork and controls (up to about 150 m²) (per system)£7,950–£16,950 + VAT
Office supply and extract ventilation with heat recovery, during a fit-out (per m² of floor)£55–£125 + VAT

Guide prices using West Midlands (our baseline) rates. Home prices include VAT at 20%; business prices exclude VAT. A guide price is not a quote: we confirm a fixed price in writing first. London is about 20% higher and the North East about 8% lower.

What happens, step by step

  1. Site survey

    Floor plans, occupancy, ceiling voids and plant positions checked.

  2. Design

    Air volumes, unit selection and duct layout, with drawings for approval.

  3. Install

    Units, ductwork, grilles, controls and electrical connections.

  4. Commission

    Airflows measured and balanced; controls set up.

  5. Hand over

    O&M information, commissioning records and maintenance advice.

The rules that apply

England

In England, ventilation is covered by Part F of the Building Regulations and its guidance, Approved Document F (2021 edition). Workplaces must also be ventilated with a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.

Wales

Wales has its own Part F ventilation guidance, published by the Welsh Government, and work is checked by building control. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 also apply, requiring sufficient fresh or purified air.

Scotland

In Scotland, ventilation is covered by the Building (Scotland) Regulations and section 3 of the Technical Handbooks, and most building work needs a building warrant first. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 apply in Scotland too, requiring sufficient fresh or purified air.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, ventilation is covered by the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) and Technical Booklet K. Northern Ireland has its own Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 with the same duty to ventilate.

Questions people ask

How much does commercial ventilation cost?

A small office or shop with a single heat recovery unit typically costs £7,950 to £16,950 excluding VAT. Larger fit-outs are often priced at around £55 to £125 per square metre of floor, depending on design and ceiling access.

How much fresh air does an office need?

A common design rate for offices is 10 litres a second per person, used in Approved Document F and CIBSE guidance, with more for meeting rooms and areas with higher occupancy.

Is ventilation a legal requirement in the workplace?

Yes. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require effective and suitable ventilation with a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air in every enclosed workplace.

Can you work as a subcontractor on a fit-out?

Yes. We can install to a main contractor's programme and consultants' drawings, and supply commissioning records for handover.

Do we need building regulations approval?

New or altered ventilation in non-domestic buildings usually forms part of the building control application for the works. We provide the design information and commissioning records needed.

Can the system cool as well?

Ventilation alone moves air; it does not cool much. Where cooling is needed we can coordinate with the air conditioning installer.

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