loftkælings

Loftkælings is an Icelandic term that translates to "air cooling" or "ventilation" in English. It refers to the process of removing heat from an indoor space by circulating and conditioning outdoor air. This is distinct from air conditioning, which typically involves refrigerants to actively lower the temperature of the air. Loftkælings relies on the natural temperature difference between indoor and outdoor environments.

The primary mechanism of loftkælings involves drawing in cooler outside air and expelling warmer indoor air. This can be achieved passively through natural convection, where warm air rises and escapes through higher openings, or actively using fans to force air circulation. In many modern buildings, especially in cooler climates like Iceland, loftkælings systems are integrated to provide fresh air and temperature regulation without the energy consumption associated with traditional air conditioning.

These systems often incorporate heat recovery units, known as energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) or heat recovery ventilators (HRVs). These devices pre-condition the incoming fresh air by transferring heat from the outgoing stale air, thereby reducing the heating or cooling load on the building's primary HVAC system. This makes loftkælings an energy-efficient approach to maintaining comfortable indoor air quality and temperature. The effectiveness of loftkælings is directly dependent on the outdoor air temperature and humidity.