4.1 Storage environments

The control of the environment in a storage area is a product of the prevailing conditions in the surrounding area, the construction of the storage facility, the quality of insulation and vapour seal, and the air-conditioning plant; when designing a storage environment all four of these must be taken into account. Overdesigning the air-conditioning plant to compensate for poor insulation, for example, leads to unstable and variable conditions. As has been discussed earlier in this publication, stability is more important than the absolute conditions being met. The following provides some general information that can be used in discussion with the appropriate design specialist.