Multi-Family HRV

Multi-Family Heat Recovery Ventilation

Apartment buildings and condominiums have unique indoor air quality challenges. Because they are often located in urban areas, outdoor air pollution is especially common. Also, in many neighborhoods, it isn’t safe for occupants to open windows to ventilate their units or there can be excessive noise levels, discouraging this practice.

Because multi-family buildings tend to have higher occupant densities, there are certain types of indoor air pollution that are especially common.

  • Contaminants from cooking, including particles, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide need to be properly ventilated for healthy living.
  • Excess moisture from showering and washing degrade indoor air quality by encouraging mold growth.  
  • Carbon dioxide levels can become elevated with more occupants in a given space without sufficient ventilation, causing headaches, fatigue, and difficulty breathing.

passive apartment home

Zehnder Clean Air Solutions

Adequate ventilation is one of the best ways to keep contaminant levels low and in healthy ranges. Existing apartment buildings and condominiums can be retrofitted with heat recovery ventilation or energy recovery ventilation systems to promote indoor air quality. New multi-unit buildings can have ventilators seamlessly installed, either with one ventilator servicing multiple apartments or with each apartment having its own.

Zehnder heat recovery ventilators supply a constant stream of clean, filtered air — exhausting and diluting contaminants. The incoming air is filtered before entering living spaces. Fine filters remove many common allergens and asthma triggers, such as pollen, mold spores, smoke, smog, bacteria, and dust, promoting overall health.

The ComfoAir 70 energy recovery ventilator was designed specifically as a ventilation solution for small apartments. Installation only requires one penetration through the exterior wall, making it ideal for retrofit and new construction projects alike. With a higher capacity, the ComfoAir 550 is ideal for efficiently ventilating a few apartments with one central unit.

Energy Efficiency Improvements

A heat recovery ventilator reduces energy use by transferring the heat or cold from the outgoing stale air and using it to condition the incoming fresh air. Recycling this energy helps lower heating and cooling costs throughout the year while also promoting comfort.

Zehnder systems are up to 95% efficient and are the most energy-efficient heat recovery ventilation systems on the market. They are widely used in projects built to the Passive House standard, a voluntary certification program for ultra-energy efficient projects. Zehnder ventilation systems can also help reduce the heating and cooling load of a multi-family building, reducing the size of the HVAC system and cutting costs.

Ready to get started? Contact us at (603) 601-8544 or request a quote today