A better indoor climate
According to American data available at the time, people spent approximately 90% of their lives inside buildings, including around 65% at home. As expectations concerning indoor comfort continued to rise, air quality became increasingly important. The demand for fresh, healthy air was also supporting the development of the ventilation and air-conditioning industry.
Ventilation has always been essential and will remain so. People continually seek greater comfort in their everyday lives. Air-conditioned interiors with a reliable supply of fresh air have become standard, and that air supply can only be maintained through properly designed ventilation.
Every room occupied by people should have effective ventilation. It is fundamental to maintaining good health, comfort and general well-being.
For that reason, the economic crisis being discussed so widely across Europe did not appear quite as severe from the perspective of the ventilation and air-conditioning sector. More than 80% of manufacturing and trading companies reported improved turnover in 2011 compared with 2010, while more than half of business owners expected their turnover to increase again in 2012.
Those indicators still had to be considered carefully. The year 2011 had not been easy for companies: margins were falling, competition was increasing and the number of new investments remained limited. The outlook for 2012 appeared similar, and businesses had to take those conditions into account when planning their strategies.
DOSPEL, which had occupied a leading position in the ventilation market for many years, was not afraid of the expected slowdown in global economic growth. We were prepared for it. We had already passed through numerous periods of instability and market turbulence, emerging from them in an even stronger and more established position.
Over the years, we had refined our ability to respond to customer needs while remaining one step ahead of changing expectations.
At a time when customers were carefully considering every expenditure, energy-efficient solutions were becoming the clear priority. Our business partner, BERLÜF GmbH, had become a leader in this field.
BERLÜF equipment combined innovation with improved functionality and ergonomic operation. These qualities translated into a growing number of satisfied customers, even during what was widely described as a period of economic crisis.
DOSPEL responded to market expectations by providing solutions designed to ensure excellent indoor air comfort while recovering valuable thermal energy.
Heat recovery ventilation was becoming increasingly common. In addition to recovering heat, it offered numerous other benefits: it supplied fresh air, helped reduce excessive indoor humidity and effectively removed harmful pollutants generated inside the building.
Continuous air exchange protected occupants against excessive microbiological contamination, elevated carbon dioxide levels and dust. Unlike gravity ventilation, mechanical ventilation also operated independently of prevailing weather conditions.
Heat recovery had therefore become an important element of energy-efficient housing — a system worth investing in for improved indoor air quality, comfort and responsible building operation.
Source: Builder, April 2012.
