Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery can help reduce energy use

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery can Help Reduce Energy Usage

By Ruth MacEachern

Product Manager

The recent rises in gas and electricity bills coupled with increasing awareness about our impact on the environment are forcing homeowners to think more about what they can do to make their homes more efficient and reduce energy use.  Replacing traditional light bulbs with more environmentally friendly alternatives such as LEDs, and increasing the amount of insulation present in our homes are steps that can have a big impact on how much energy we need to light and heat our homes, but aside from these simple steps, energy prices and the need for greater sustainability are transforming the way we are thinking about our homes as a system, and making the elements of our homes work together to reduce energy use.

Efficient Home Design

Housebuilding is undergoing a quiet revolution at present, with developers looking at ways to reduce the environmental impact of the properties of the future.  Modern houses are built to make more use of natural heating from the sun and incorporating features such as heat pumps and solar panels to take advantage of renewable energy.  These houses are also constructed using more sustainable materials and incorporating more insulation along with double or triple glazed windows to reduce heat loss.

Historically, making a home airtight was seen as a good thing, however the truth is more complicated.  Although an airtight home will be more efficient, it also creates a problem with air flow.  Without natural airflow, condensation can build up, leading to issues with damp and mould.

Incorporating ventilation into the structure of a property allows for greater control of how air is refreshed in the building.  Controlled ventilation means that the warm air in the house is not lost to the environment but is used to heat incoming air.

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery

Integrating mechanical ventilation into a property improves the air flow through the structure and removes condensation and the problems it causes.  When ventilation systems are considered during the design process, they can be made more efficient, as the system is designed precisely to the specification of the house, with the extraction points placed at the most effective locations – this means less energy is needed to run the system and achieve the right results.

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems use a heat exchanger to capture the warmth of the air from inside the building to heat the incoming air and are highly efficient – up to 85% of energy is retained.  During the summer, or when the weather is warm, the heat exchanger can be bypassed, which helps to keep indoor temperatures more consistent.

Developers such as PureHaus are integrating EnviroVent MVHR systems into their new build properties to take advantage of these features and help to make the properties they build even more energy efficient.  These modern houses will use less energy and have a lower carbon footprint.

Find out More

If you are taking steps to make your property more efficient or have existing problems with condensation or damp as a result of poor airflow, we can help.  Enter your postcode below to find the details of your local EnviroVent Ventilation Specialist.  They can visit your home to conduct a free home survey that will identify the sources of condensation and provide advice about the best solution for your property, whether that is a single room extractor fan that includes our efficient intelligent moisture sensors and a heat recovery system, or a whole house MVHR system.