Logistics and distribution centre · Ventilation
Ventilation in logistics and distribution centre: what the SRI measures
Ventilation is about demand-controlled ventilation: more air when more people are present or CO2 rises, less when a room is empty. Heat recovery, free cooling with outdoor air and air-quality reporting count as well.
In short
- 1This page shows how the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) assesses the ventilation domain for logistics and distribution centres.
- 2For this building type, ventilation counts as 1 of 3 weighted domains, less heavily than for offices or dwellings.
- 3The focus in halls often falls on electricity, generation and charging, but ventilation remains relevant for air quality and energy consumption.
Weight of this domain for this building type
Which services count
| Service | Lowest level | Highest level | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supply air flow control at the room level V-1a · A · 5 levels | No ventilation system or manual control | Local Demand Control based on air quality sensors (CO2, VOC, ...) with local flow from/to the zone regulated by dampers | at least level 1 |
| Air flow or pressure control at the air handler level V-1c · 5 levels | No automatic control: Continuously supplies of air flow for a maximum load of all rooms | Automatic flow or pressure control with pressure reset: Load dependent supplies of air flow for the demand of all connected rooms (for variable air volume systems with VFD) | – |
| Heat recovery control: prevention of overheating V-2c · 3 levels | Without overheating control | Modulate or bypass heat recovery based on multiple room temperature sensors or predictive control | – |
| Supply air temperature control at the air handling unit level V-2d · 4 levels | No automatic control | Variable set point with load dependant compensation. A control loop enables to control the supply air temperature. The setpoint is defined as a function of the loads in the room | – |
| Free cooling with mechanical ventilation system V-3 · 4 levels | No automatic control | H,x-directed control: The amount of outside air and recirculation air are modulated during all periods of time to minimize the amount of mechanical cooling. Calculation is performed on the basis of temperatures and humidity (enthalpy) | – |
| Reporting information regarding IAQ V-6 · A · 4 levels | None | Real time monitoring & historical information of IAQ available to occupants + warning on maintenance needs or occupant actions (e.g. window opening) | at least level 1 |
Worked example
If everything in this domain is at level 0, the domain contributes nothing. At the highest level for all services, the indicative total score for this building type rises by about 11 percentage points (from 30 to 41 percent, with all other domains at level 1).
Why does ventilation count in a distribution centre?
A logistics centre typically consists of large halls with few people per square metre. Yet the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) also assesses the ventilation domain here, because air quality and energy consumption are linked. Demand-controlled ventilation, supplying more air when more people are present, can save significant energy in a half-empty warehouse.
For this building type, ventilation counts as 1 of 3 domains. That is less weight than for buildings where people stay all day, such as offices. The reason is straightforward: in halls with few staff and much space, the grid connection, lighting and charging infrastructure often have greater impact on total energy use.
Which smart-ready services fall under this domain?
The methodology assesses six smart-ready services within ventilation. They cover control of air flow at room level and at the air handling unit level, heat recovery, supply air temperature, free cooling with outdoor air and air quality reporting.
- Control of supply air flow at room level: from no system to local demand control with dampers per zone.
- Control of air flow or pressure at the air handling unit: from continuous maximum supply to automatic control with pressure reset.
- Control of heat recovery to prevent overheating.
- Control of supply air temperature, with or without compensation for outdoor temperature or load.
- Free cooling with a mechanical ventilation system, up to control based on temperature and humidity.
- Air quality reporting, from simple sensors to maintenance alerts.
Each service has functionality levels from 0 to 4. A higher level means more automation and more control based on current data rather than fixed schedules.
What does this mean for the score?
Because the domain carries relatively light weight for logistics buildings, ventilation alone rarely determines the final class. However, lack of automatic control here, together with other domains, can lower the overall score. The score is expressed as a percentage and classified into classes, from below 20 per cent to 90 to 100 per cent.
What this means for you
- Owner
- Check whether the ventilation system in the halls runs on fixed schedules or responds to demand, and whether air quality is already measured. A simple upgrade to occupancy detection or CO2 sensors can improve the score without major renovation.
- Tenant
- As a tenant of a hall, you notice this mainly in comfort: less draught or stale air when occupancy changes. Smart ventilation adjusts air renewal to the actual situation, not to a fixed schedule.
- Advisor
- When assessing, pay attention to the distinction between control at room level and at air handling unit level, as both services count separately. Also account for the relatively low weighting of this domain in logistics buildings, so you focus attention on the right domains.
Next step
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