Last month, WindowMaster, one of the world’s leading natural ventilation specialists, welcomed 30 industry experts to an exclusive event at Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum.
They were there to learn how it’s possible to achieve carbon neutrality in a 170-year-old, Grade II listed building, where the company’s natural ventilation technology is helping to deliver the museum’s decarbonisation programme.
The event took place in the museum’s historic Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery. Particularly, the venue showcases WindowMaster’s advanced natural ventilation controls & actuators, specified and installed as part of the museum’s drive to decarbonise.
Real world performance in a heritage setting
Attendees experienced first-hand how WindowMaster’s intelligent controls & actuators help the museum work towards its carbon neutrality target of 2033. The installed solution uses a network of window actuators with MotorLink® technology to deliver millimetre-precise control, replacing energy-intensive mechanical cooling while allowing the historic building to breathe naturally and maintaining optimal indoor conditions.
The controls interface with the Building Management System that monitors internal sensor data including CO2 levels and temperature, alongside external weather conditions. This enables automatic window adjustments that ensure consistent fresh air supply without uncomfortable draughts for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who pass through the Power Hall each year.
Technical insight and industry engagement
The programme included a technical CPD presentation led by Darren Peel, WindowMaster’s Business Development Manager for the North of the UK, who explored the practical considerations of achieving effective climate control and indoor air quality through natural ventilation in complex building environments. The session addressed key concerns for building services professionals implementing natural ventilation strategies. According to David Brown, Sales Director UK & IE, who also attended, “There’s nothing like seeing the technology in situ. The Power Hall event demonstrates that heritage buildings don’t have to compromise on environmental performance. Our specifiers wanted to see for themselves how natural ventilation can meet modern carbon targets whilst maintaining architectural heritage.”
That’s not all…
Participants received a fascinating tour of the Power Hall led by the museum’s expert curators, observing how modern building performance standards can be met without compromising the architectural integrity of historic structures. The event attracted specifiers from across the construction sector, including consultants & architects keen to understand how natural ventilation systems integrate with contemporary building design.
Live system demonstrations also provided opportunities for direct engagement with the WindowMaster team, whilst sumptuous hospitality and networking concluded the programme.
The gathering reflected WindowMaster’s commitment to engaging directly with the specification community, using real-world case studies to demonstrate how natural ventilation technology addresses the construction industry’s pressing challenges around carbon reduction, occupant wellbeing and building performance.
