This article is designed to help tenants understand how CHP buildings use fresh air and ventilation, what you can do to help and who to contact if you need support, in periods of warmer weather.
How do CHP buildings stay comfortable?
CHP buildings use fresh air and ventilation to help manage temperatures. These systems are designed to support airflow and remove warmer air from the building where possible, rather than cooling air down.
Ventilation systems will usually bring in air from outside. This means they cannot cool the building in the same way as air conditioning, especially when outdoor temperatures remain high.
There are two main types of ventilation you may hear about:
Natural Ventilation
Uses windows, trickle vents and natural airflow to bring fresh air into the building. It can help improve comfort, especially when cooler air is available outside.
Mechanical Ventilation
Uses fans to bring fresh air in and move warmer air out. It helps improve airflow, but it is not the same as air conditioning and does not provide chilled air
Using fresh air to help
Fresh air can help keep buildings comfortable, particularly when cooler air is brought in overnight or early in the morning. This can reduce some of the heat that has built up during the day. There are some easy ways you can keep fresh air coming into your building:
- Keep trickle vents open where possible. These are small openings at the top of windows designed to let fresh air flow into the building.
- Open windows where it is safe and appropriate to do so. Some windows may allow restrictors to be overridden. Please take care if opening windows widely, particularly on higher floors, and follow local safety procedures.
- Follow your local safety and security procedures if windows are left open outside normal working hours. You should inform any security or cleaning staff and make them aware of any windows that are left open.
How mechanical ventilation systems help
CHP buildings use ventilation systems that use fans to bring fresh air into the building and move warmer air out.
During summer, these systems are designed to improve air movement. They do not provide chilled air like air conditioning, so rooms may still feel warm during very hot weather.
In many buildings, the systems run automatically overnight to help clear warmer air and prepare the building for the next day.
Simple steps you can take during warmer weather
Small actions can make a difference and help your building work as effectively as possible during warm weather:
- Keep trickle vents open where possible.
- Open windows safely in line with local arrangements.
- Close blinds or curtains to reduce heat from direct sunlight.
- Switch off lights, equipment and electrical items when they are not needed.
- Report temperature or ventilation concerns as soon as you can to the Aria Helpdesk or your CHP Operations and Relationship Manager (ORM).
Why fire doors need to stay closed
Opening fire doors may seem like a quick way to improve airflow, but they must stay closed unless they are being used for access.
Fire doors help protect escape routes and slow the spread of fire and smoke. If a fire door is damaged, does not close properly, or has a faulty self-closing device, please report it through the Aria Helpdesk.
How CHP can support you
We understand that high temperatures can affect comfort and make day-to-day work more challenging. CHP teams work with landlords and maintenance contractors to address ventilation and temperature concerns when they are raised.
If you are experiencing issues, please:
- Log a request through the Aria Helpdesk.
- Contact your ORM.
- Contact the CHP Technical Team for advice or support.
The CHP Technical Team can also attend Building User Group (BUG) meetings or talk through how your building’s ventilation systems work if tenants would like to know more.
Working together
Our priority is to help provide safe and comfortable buildings for everyone who uses them. We will continue working with tenants, landlords and contractors to respond to concerns and support the effective running of our buildings.
Please contact us if you have any concerns. We are here to help.
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