The fallout from poor ventilation

High occupancy levels, as well as pets and everyday activities like showers, cooking, and drying clothes indoors, can quickly lead to condensation and associated black mould  growth.  Other contaminants such as allergens from dust mites Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from aerosols and furniture additives, household odours and even radon gas can seriously affect the health of residents and aggravate asthma, bronchitis and skin problems. In addition, high humidity levels can damage the valuable fabric of the buildings themselves and lead to further problems and unnecessary expense.

A cost effective and energy efficient solution

EnviroVent’s heatSava provides you with a simple and effective solution to combat these problems. The heatSava is a Single Room Heat Recovery Unit that is usually fitted into bathrooms and kitchens. The unit works without the need for user intervention to control humidity levels and continuously extract moist, stale air and contaminants from the room where it is situated whilst at the same time – drawing fresh air from outside into the room.

Unlike traditional extract fans, this supply of clean, healthy air passes through a high-efficiency tubular heat-exchanger where it collects up to 75% of the heat from the stale air which is being extracted. This means the fresh air is pre-warmed before it enters the room offering significant savings on heating costs for the residents. Basically, it’s like having the windows open but without losing any of the heat!

Reducing carbon emissions

The heatSava is perfect for Asset Managers looking to eliminate their tenant’s condensation and mould issues whilst helping them to reduce their heating bills. What’s more, the heatSava is the ideal solution for councils and housing associations looking to meet energy and carbon reduction targets.

The unit is easy to install and suits a wide range of different wall sizes and situations. The heatSava comes with automatic Summer Bypass and Frost Protection features as standard, designed for hassle-free maintenance it also comes with a renewable five-year warranty.

To see the heatSava in action click here to watch the video, if you would like to book a product demo click here or for further general information visit http://www.envirovent.com/heatSava.

*Office of National Statistics

So how does it work?

Dynamic PIV works by capturing the heat energy that would normally escape from a dwelling and utilises it to heat up incoming air through the insulation layer, it basically (and rather cleverly) turns the envelope of the property into a heat exchanger. What’s more, the temperature of the incoming air can be raised as much as 8°C.

Situated in the loft space, the Dynamic PIV is connected to the cavity and works at a continuous rate to draw the warmed air (via the Dynamic insulation) into the property at ceiling level.  Achieving a Specific Fan Power as low as 0.2 W/l/s along with significantly improved U-Values and Psi-Values, Dynamic PIV controls humidity levels and ensures all year round good indoor air quality – meeting Building Regulation Part F. See the Dynamic PIV in action, watch the video here:

Dynamic PIV offers reduced building costs and is ideal for new build projects as an alternative to heat recovery systems – To find out more visit or to book a free product demo visit www.dynamicpiv.com or contact EnviroVent on 0845 2727 810.

The MEV Spider is a continuous running mechanical extract ventilation (MEV) system, with eco-friendly characteristics, ideal for retrofitting. It also meets SAP for ventilation and can be fitted by one of our BPEC approved ventilation installers.

How does it work?

Designed with multiple extract points which are ducted to a central system, it works by drawing moisture laden air out of the ‘wet room’ areas of the homes, (kitchens and bathrooms) extracting it out to atmosphere. What’s more, the clever MEV Spider also minimizes the movement of humidity to other rooms, controlling humidity levels and preventing the formation of condensation and mould problems. The unit has intelligent humidity tracking and remote controls as standard.

Engels House

The energy efficient MEV Spider was chosen by City West Housing Trust as the ventilation system to meet Building Regulations Part F for their mammoth challenge – the refurbishment of Engels House, a 10- storey concrete tower block in Barton Village, Salford. Built in the 1960s the high rise had problems with heat loss, fuel poverty and condensation and mould.

Since the retrofit project was completed in March 2012, Engels has been completely transformed and is super energy efficient complete with thermal cladding and an EcoPod heating system.  After sealing up the building and sorting out the fuel poverty issue, the MEV Spider was installed to provide  the residents  with good indoor air quality vital for a comfortable and healthy living environment all year round– free from condensation and mould.

To read more click here for the Engels case study. For further information on EnviroVent and how we can help you with your retrofit projects in the new year visit www.envirovent-specifier.com.

Hot off the press!

EnviroVent and City West Housing Trust won the award for the Energy Efficient/ Retrofit Refurbishment of the Year at the Energy Awards in London on 5 December. You can read the press release here: Energy Reward Release.

Good for SAP

This compact MVHR performs exceptionally well in SAP with a low Specific Fan Power (SFP) of 0.58 W/l/s and a high thermal efficiency of 89%.  And its good news when it comes to installation – the energiSava 280 can be mounted within the space of a standard kitchen cupboard, fitted within a loft space or installed at high level in a utility room. What’s more, the unit is also flexible when it comes to configuration, it can be specified with 4 connections on top or as a 2×2 (2 on top and 2 below).

Manufactured in the UK, the heat recovery unit has been designed to outlast the lifecycle of the building it is installed in and comes with an automatic integral summer by-pass and intelligent humidity tracking as standard, both operate automatically and require no user intervention.

The energiSava 280 also has optional innovative control options which include PIR Sensing, Hibernation Mode and Intelligent Room Zoning.

To learn more about how this heat recovery system can benefit you simply book a FREE product demo here or you can visit the webpage here.

EnviroVent is proud to launch the most radical breakthrough in Single Room Heat Recovery Technology for decades – the heatSava! 

Designed for those who are in search of new and innovative ways to save energy and money, the heatSava is a fantastic energy efficient alternative to traditional extract ventilation. It’s ideal for bathroom, WC, kitchen and utility room installations and it’s also perfect for retrofitting!

What’s more, because the heatSava is part of EnviroVent’s award winning Lifetime Range®, it means the unit is engineered with sustainable components and comes with a five-year renewable warranty.

The way it works…

The heatSava continuously extracts stale air from the wet room areas of the home. The extracted air passes over a high efficiency tubular heat exchange cell, which has been cleverly designed to allow the air to cyclone around the barrel, retaining the heat from the extracted air before it reaches the atmosphere.

At the same time, fresh air from outside is supplied through the tubes where it collects up to 75% of the heat from the extracted air before it is returned back into the room. The unit improves indoor air quality, controlling condensation and mould problems in the most energy efficient way whilst helping your customers save money on their energy bills.

Watch our video about the heatSava here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h-I2B2qrtTA

Bursting with innovation

This clever little unit also incorporates a frost protection function, protecting the cell in winter months. Similarly, the unit has a summer mode which prevents warm air being supplied into the home on warm days.

What’s more, the unit can be easily maintained, meaning there’s no hassle for the resident when it comes to cleaning the heatSava.

Worried you don’t have sufficient space?

Fortunately, the heatSava fits neatly into almost any wall depth! The heat cell comes in four different lengths to suit wall depths of 310mm, 430mm, 500mm and 600mm.

What’s more, it can be fitted into four different positions through 360 degrees, horizontally or vertically – good news for installers on jobs where space is limited.

Interesting in booking a demo? Click here or call 0845 27 27 810 for more information

Want to learn more? Click here to watch the video or for more information visit http://www.innovation4carehomes.com/

 What’s more, if it is just ventilation you are looking for EnviroVent have a range of energy efficient solutions suitable for new care home developments……

energiVent® FLOW  – The award winning energiVent® FLOW is a sophisticated heat recovery system. The unit is available with numerous innovative control options including intelligent humidity tracking, an energy saving hibernation mode and a fire alarm shut down feature, all backed up by a 5 year guarantee.  energiVent® FLOW has been designed as a simple one man installation; the compact size of the unit makes it ideal for areas where space is limited. Click here for more information

energiVent® FLOW has been used by Anchor for their latest new flagship care home in West Byfleet, Surrey, which opened in July 2012.

The OZEO & OZEO ECOWATT CP
The OZEO is a MEV unit designed with multiple extract points and self-sealing duct connections which pivot 90°, making life a lot easier when it comes to installation. To enable full demand ventilation, the unit is complimented with intelligent humidity sensing valves and PIR sensors. For more information click here 

The OZEO ECOWATT CP is an MEV unit which provides constant pressure ventilation. This basically means that the unit allows the airflow inside the property to self-adjust in order to remain at a constant level without a drop in pressure, regardless of any ‘boost’ activity in other areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. Find out more

The OZEO & the OZEO ECOWATT CP were specified by Castleoak Care Partnerships for a specialist 107 bed care centre in Peterborough.

The BIOFAN® – perfect for hygienic environments
It all gets a bit scientific but the BIOFAN^®   is manufactured with built-in antibacterial protection to hamper the growth of bacteria, germs and mould on the surface of the fan by up to 99.9%.  This technology works to provide clean, safe and hygienic ventilation 24 hours a day against a wide range of nasty bacteria including MRSA, E.coli, and Legionella*

All repair, maintenance and component replacement can be carried out simply by non-electrically qualified staff.  And it this wasn’t enough, the BIOFAN^® is powered by eco friendly EC motor technology, making it up 80% more efficient than a traditional AC motor and is backed up by a 5 year maintenance-free warranty. For more info click here 

For further information on how EnviroVent can help you achieve energy efficient and effective ventilation visit www.envirovent-newbuild.com or call 0845 2727 810

*When used in conjunction with regular cleaning practices. 

It may seem like more red tape for developers and builders but ensuring that a ventilation system is installed correctly will save a lot of time, money and hassle in the long term. With today’s push on ensuing homes are built as energy efficient as possible in line with the Code for Sustainable Homes,  ventilation plays a very important part of the equation.

EnviroVent have a selection of energy efficient heat recovery systems to suit all your new build requirements, click here to check them out.

A refreshing alternative

It is worth noting that a refreshing alternative to heat recovery and MEV Systems for new build projects is an approved BBA PIV unit.

PIV is a whole house ventilation system which works by delivering fresh, filtered air into a property at a continuous rate. To install PIV, the build costs are less than a third in comparison to other ventilation methods, which amounts to significant savings for most budgets. What’s more, PIV can sometimes show better results in SAP than some MVHR systems for domestic new build dwellings!

For more information regarding our PIV units or ventilation solutions for new build properties don’t hesitate to call us on 0845 27 27 810.

Part F of the Building regulates states: “There shall be adequate means of ventilation provided for people in the building.”

When it comes to ‘adequate ventilation’ are we guilty of focusing on the minimum requirement rather than looking at a bigger picture?  Surely each requirement is different and should be assessed on an individual basis. We need to start by taking into account the factors which determine the type of ventilation required. These include occupancy levels, the fabric and design of the home along with the air flow rates inside the home. Ventilating should not be a tick box exercise to meet a minimum requirement and this is where we make the mistake – wasting money and ending up with inadequate ventilation which does not do the job.  Part F is not wrong, but sometimes the assumptions are.

Houses and flats with reoccurring condensation and black mould problems is a telltale sign that whatever is installed is not fit for purpose. Streaming windows and unhappy tenants – it won’t go away unless the factors which determine what ventilation should be fitted are properly assessed.

If you want to eliminate condensation and mould in your housing stock, it is vital that you get the requirement for ventilation exactly right with sufficient airflow rates for the whole building. This will maintain the fabric of the property and keep it free from condensation and mould whilst safeguarding the heath of the occupants.

With 25 years of experience helping registered providers across the UK successfully solve condensation and mould issues within their housing stock, EnviroVent are experts in ventilation.  What’s more, EnviroVent not only provides you and your tenants with the right products to solve condensation and mould problems, they can also help you minimise your future maintenance costs, saving you money through our energy efficient Lifetime Range® of sustainable ventilation solutions.

To learn more on how EnviroVent can help you solve condensation and mould problems as well as saving money visit www.envirovent-refurb.com or call 01423 810810 and ask for commercial services.

Huge savings with the lowest life cycle costs, reducing carbon emissions

All asset managers out there will be pleased to hear that you can enjoy significant savings and long term benefits when it comes to ventilation for social housing, in addition to curbing condensation and mould problems!

But how, you may ask?  The answer: The Lifetime Range® from EnviroVent.

EnviroVent’s Lifetime Range®

In 2007, EnviroVent launched the Lifetime Range®, sustainable ventilation solutions developed to last the life of the property in which they are installed in. Designed to cater for all domestic applications the range includes the award winning filterless extract fan, mechanical extract ventilation (MEV), positive input ventilation (PIV) and heat recovery systems; the Lifetime Range® really is the complete environmentally friendly solution.

What’s more, in addition to being energy efficient and suitably sustainable, all products in the Lifetime Range® have been innovatively designed so that after five years, any worn out components can be reworked or recycled and replaced.

The proof is in the case study…

See how the Lifetime Range® can help you save money and reduce the carbon footprint of your housing stock by checking out our case studies on the links below:

Havebury Housing – Keeping it Green with EnviroVent

After installing EnviroVent’s PIV units, Havebury Housing Partnership have achieved a carbon emission reduction of 56% over the last 16 years, including the entire prevention of mould and condensation problems.

Read the full case study here: http://www.envirovent-refurb.com/case-study-havebury-housing-partnership.php

Working in Partnership – Cartrefi Conwy

EnviroVent’s PIV units also helped Cartefi Conwy to save a staggering £3.9million in replacement costs over a 25-year period, thanks to the units being installed across its 3800 homes.

Check out the case study here: http://www.envirovent-refurb.com/case-study-improving-indoor-air-quality-for-conwy.php

Breathing life into high rise living

EnviroVent’s MEV Spider, also part of the Lifetime Range® a continuous mechanical extract ventilation system, was chosen by City West for its eco-friendly characteristics, energy efficiency and long term savings.

Read all about it here: http://www.envirovent-refurb.com/case-study-city-west-envirovent.php

Saving millions and our planet- Fife Council

Since 2004, Fife Council has installed a total of over 20,000 EnviroVent Filterless Extract Fans across its housing stock. If any other extract fan had been installed, Fife could have expected to have paid in excess of £12million in replacement fan costs over a 25 year period. This would amount to 100,000 replacement extract fans, equivalent to 32 fully loaded 20 foot containers going to landfill sites!

Read the full case study here: http://www.envirovent-refurb.com/case-study-fife-council.php

Need more proof as to why the Lifetime Range® reduces costs and emissions?

For more case studies click here http://www.envirovent-refurb.com/case-studies.php

We offer a full service solution including surveying, a free design service, installation and commissioning. We also have a dedicated team of project designers on board, who all have the correct expertise and knowledge of the building regulations and the Code for Sustainable Homes.

You’ll also be pleased to know that our nationwide team of installation engineers are specialised in the complexities of the MVHR and MEV installations; having sufficient knowledge is extremely important when it comes to ensuring the correct working of the systems that comply with SAP Appendix Q installation checklists!

In addition, EnviroVent hosts a series of CPD seminars for New Build Construction, which aim to broaden your knowledge of ventilation solutions for new build construction. Over the years, countless professionals including building consultants, architects and specifiers have all participated in this advantageous opportunity.

EnviroVent’s CPD seminars offer the chance to enhance your existing professional standards for new build projects, by providing you with informative information and advice on using the most effective and energy efficient ventilation solutions that meet Part F & L building regulations. And, because we’re a fully accredited CPD organisation, everyone who attends will receive a CPD certificate.

The ventilation solutions we cover will also meet health and environmental issues in addition to building regulations. After explaining the revisions to Part F and Part L of the building regulations, the seminar will cover how the SAP 2009 links in with Part L and Code for Sustainable Homes.

The CPD will also looks into Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) and Positive Input Ventilation (PIV): two types of effective ventilation which correspond to the revised building regulations.

For further information please call Gina Graydon on 01423 810810.