Reduction of maintenance costs of ventilation systems in plus energy buildings

Maintenance costs for central air ventilation systems are approximately 0,42 Euro/m².a excluding VAT, for decentralized systems 1,16 Euro/m².a excluding VAT. 50% savings in operating costs of apartment passive houses opposed to apartment low-energy buildings [SCH11] can be achieved with maintenance costs of around 0,42 Euro/m².a.

Short Description

Status

completed

Summary

Starting point/Motivation

An air ventilation system with heat exchange is an essential component of passive and plus-energy buildings. Maintenance costs of these facilities are important parts of the operating costs.

Contents and Objectives

In total 10 maintenance contracts of 9 apartment passive houses in Austria, partly „Haus der Zukunft“-projects, were compared. Those contracts were evaluated and a package of measures of maintenance works to be performed was created.

Methods

In the first work package the maintenance contracts of 9 apartment passive house projects were obtained, itemized after the following cost positions: check ventilator, V-belt, engine, heat exchange, filter and filter exchange, heat register, regulation, hygiene inspection and miscellaneous. Based on this comparison statements about the brandwith of the specific maintenance costs and their potential for optimisation were issued. Fire dampers were analyzed separately. Experiences in maintaining air ventilation systems were exchanged with developers and property managers.

Results

An analysis of these maintenance contracts showed results as follows: Maintenance costs for central air ventilation systems are approximately 0,42 Euro/m².a excluding VAT, for decentralized systems 1,16 Euro/m².a excluding VAT.

50% savings in operating costs of apartment passive houses opposed to apartment low-energy buildings [SCH11] can be achieved with maintenance costs of around 0,42 Euro/m².a.

In a project with a prior contract which showed much higher maintenance costs of 1,57 Euro/m².a excluding VAT than the above mentioned maintenance contracts, a quotation of another company with costs at 0,39 Euro/m².a excluding VAT has been seeked.

The package of measures for maintaining air ventilation systems in passive and plus-energy houses has been compiled together in a table with recommendation for intervals and interface descriptions which should serve as knowledge basis and decision support for the negotiation of maintenance contracts.

Project Partners

Project management

Schöberl & Pöll GmbH, Schoeberl & Poell GmbH

Contact Address

Schöberl & Pöll GmbH
Bmst. DI Helmut Schöberl
Ybbsstraße 6/30, A-1020 Wien
Tel.: +43 (1) 7264566-0
Fax: +43 (1) 7264566-18
E-Mail: helmut.schoeberl@schoeberlpoell.at