Technical Suitability Document (DIT) in ventilation and its importance

In the Spanish regulation for the construction sector, we have two major references. The first is the Technical Code of Building, whose application is aimed at homes and blocks of buildings. The second is the RITE Thermal Installations Certificate, which is intended for public and workspaces. Both are mandatory and encompass all the obligations and recommendations to consider when constructing buildings. But, what about voluntary guidelines? In this category enters the Technical Suitability Document (DIT), which, although not mandatory, can help to understand what is best to install in our buildings.

Strictly speaking, the Technical Suitability Document is a voluntary document issued by the Eduardo Torroja Institute of Construction Sciences, and it includes a favorable technical assessment of the suitability of using non-traditional or innovative materials, systems, or construction procedures in buildings and/or civil works.

Those materials or components included in the DIT can boast of having the approval of one of the most important documents. In other words, it will guarantee their technical suitability for installation in homes or workspaces, in an impartial manner by an important institution in the construction world.

The solutions included in the Technical Suitability Document can claim to be favorable in the following cases:

• Mechanical resistance and stability.
• Safety in case of fire.
• Hygiene, health and environment.
• Safety of use.
• Noise protection.
• Energy savings.

The technicians themselves will have previously developed a study of each of the products to certify their compliance with all the exposed conditions. The validity of the DIT will be five years from the certification date, and after that period, it can be renewed after passing a new inspection.

The Technical Suitability Document can be applied to materials, systems, or construction procedures for which no regulations based on the characteristics or performance of the product have been developed. Likewise, they must be able to meet the following conditions:

• They must be materials and equipment manufactured industrially.
• If procedures, they must have been used in real applications.
• The materials or systems must be perfectly identifiable.
• They must also be materials or systems that are intended for a specific and unequivocal use, not as part of something very general or versatile.

For the end user, acquiring a material or system that complies with the DIT and is guaranteed by this document also means a material benefit. Those solutions that have the Technical Suitability Document guarantee that:

• They comply with the regulations of the Technical Code of Building. In the case of ventilation systems, they comply with Basic Document HS3.
• They are systems that will reduce energy consumption in buildings, as they prioritize energy efficiency above all.
• They represent a significant saving in energy costs, making them ideal for installation in Nearly Zero Energy Buildings.
• They are beneficial for the environment as they limit pollutant emissions.

Although the acquisition of the DIT is voluntary, those solutions included in the document will have a significant advantage over other options, as they can demonstrate that they fit into a current reality in the construction world.

The higrorregulable ventilation that complies with the Technical Suitability Document (DIT)

One of the systems that adapt to the Technical Suitability Document is the higrorregulable ventilation system SIBER, which serves as an example of a system adapted to the DIT.

In this air renewal solution, a controlled ventilation of the home is offered. Speaking of its operation, the intake of outside air is done through higrorregulable air inlets located in areas described as dry, such as living rooms and bedrooms. The extraction of stale air is done through higrorregulable extraction outlets, in this case located in the wet areas of the home, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

In higrorregulable systems, the circulation of air within the home is carried out through passage openings located in the doors or dividing walls of the rooms. This mechanical ventilation system has managed to be included within the DIT because it guarantees maximum energy efficiency and, in addition, complies with the requirements of the CTE, which require that there be mechanical ventilation, at least in a hybrid manner, in all new homes.

It is important to consider systems that certify the characteristics of the systems in buildings, as proposed by the Technical Suitability Document (DIT), since being voluntary, they offer us greater assurance.