Passivent has supplied a comprehensive natural ventilation solution for Norfolk County Council’s new King’s Lynn Library, helping to create a comfortable, sustainable and welcoming environment for visitors, staff and community groups in the heart of the historic Norfolk town.
Sustainability informed every aspect of the project including the natural ventilation strategy. As part of this, Passivent supplied a range of natural ventilation products, including Thermal Acoustic Window Aircool® ventilators, standard Window Aircool ventilators, Airstract® roof terminals and SoundScoop® cross-talk attenuators.
Designed by Hudson Architects and delivered by Mace, the new three-storey library is an incredible transformation of an existing commercial building. The daylight-filled civic facility brings together a contemporary library, learning and study spaces, business support facilities as well as community and events areas under one roof, creating a vibrant, accessible and inclusive destination for residents and visitors alike.
Passivent worked closely with engineering consultants Hoare Lea to develop a passive stack ventilation strategy designed to reduce operational energy use. Various products from across the Passivent range were incorporated into the scheme. Twenty-five Thermal Acoustic Window Aircool units serve as façade-mounted air inlets, providing both tempered fresh air and acoustic attenuation to the learning, activity and breakout spaces, library areas, meeting rooms and offices. To complement the building’s textured façade which uses tonal and subtle fibre cement shingles on the upper levels to echo the materials of the historic town, the Aircools were finished in RAL 1011 Brown Beige. In addition, a further four standard Window Aircools in RAL 7017 Anthracite Grey were installed within the upstand of a large rooflight over the central atrium to provide an air outlet.
The project also features eight Passivent Airstract roof terminals in RAL 7047 Telegrey 4. These were positioned above the three learning spaces and breakout areas to provide an exhaust air path while five SoundScoop cross-talk attenuators were installed within the internal walls of various rooms to facilitate air transfer between rooms. The SoundScoop’s acoustic design helps to support effective natural ventilation while reducing sound transfer between noisy and noise-sensitive areas.
The whole natural ventilation system is controlled by Passivent’s 10-zone iC8000 intelligent controller which monitors internal and external temperatures, carbon dioxide levels, time, date and precipitation to automatically regulate ventilation throughout the building.
The ventilation products were manufactured at Passivent’s Nottinghamshire facility before being installed on site by M & E contractor, TClarke.
The project has been shortlisted in the Civic category of the Architects’ Journal Architecture Awards 2026, recognising its high-quality design and community contribution.
To find out more, visit www.passivent.com, call +44 (0)1732 850 770 or email projects@passivent.com. Follow us on LinkedIn to be kept up to date with the latest news.
