Ventilation requirements for the hospitality sector: what you need to know

Sometimes we are asked the question: is ventilation mandatory in the hospitality industry? The answer is crystal clear: yes, ventilation is mandatory. And this applies to all rooms where guests may spend time. This obligation is there for a reason, as good ventilation is essential in the hospitality sector to keep the indoor climate healthy. Hospitality sector ventilation must comply with the requirements laid down in the Buildings Regulations and the Working Conditions Decree. These requirements include the amount of fresh air to be supplied and extracted per hour. It is the responsibility of the owner or operator of the hospitality establishment to ensure that the ventilation is in good order and meets legal requirements.

The Alcohol Act states that the CO2 concentration in catering establishments that serve alcohol must not exceed 1,200 ppm (parts per million). This only applies in areas where people stay for more than 30 minutes, such as cafés and restaurants. There is a reason for this: with too high a concentration of CO2, air quality deteriorates, people get tired faster, complaints such as headaches can occur and infectious diseases (such as colds) are transmitted more quickly.

For hospitality ventilation, one thing the Building Regulations do is distinguish between existing construction and new construction. There are also specific standards for areas that accommodate different numbers of people:

• Based on the Building Regulations, the air replacement capacity for 100 people in existing buildings is set at 212 dm3/sec/pers (100 people x 2.12 dm3/sec/pers)

• For new constructions, the air supply is required to come directly from outdoors, and the air replacement capacity is 400 dm3/sec/pers (100 people x 4 dm3/sec/pers)

You are highly recommended to include the ventilation requirements at the time of designing and installing any hospitality facility, as well as when you look at the practical options the building can offer. To ensure that the ventilation system not only complies with the requirements, but also works as efficiently as possible.

Note: the regulations are expected to change from 1 July 2024. To bring the Building Regulations in line with the measures in the Covid-19 Temporary Regulation Measures (TRM), a basic requirement is expected to be added that ventilation must provide at least 3.8 dm³/sec per m² of floor area. The air also must be supplied and extracted mechanically. This applies to both existing and new function rooms where alcohol is served.

A key indicator of the success of any hospitality business is the level of comfort that guests experience. After all, the longer they stay, the more they will spend. Good air quality contributes to this. So there is every reason to pay attention to the ventilation requirements for the hospitality sector. Do you need advice on an energy efficient ventilation system for your hospitality business? Then call in a specialist. Interduct has forty years of experience in designing, installing and maintaining ventilation systems for hospitality businesses. Contact us and find out how we can install sustainable ventilation systems.

Want to know more about ventilation in an office environment? Then read our article: office building ventilation requirements.