Heat-recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy-recovery ventilation (ERV) transfer heat—and, for ERV, moisture—between exhaust and supply airstreams, slashing the energy needed to condition fresh air. This hub links our articles on how HRV/ERV work, commercial-building case studies, and applications from offices to laboratories.
What are HRV & ERV?
- What is a heat recovery ventilation HRV system?
- Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)
- Air-to-Air Heat Recovery for Fresh-Air (HRV/ERV) Systems
Commercial Building Case Studies
- Fresh Air Systems for Commercial Buildings: A Case Study in Energy Recovery Ventilation
- Case Study: Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems Transforming Commercial Building Energy Performance
- Breathing Smarter: Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems for High-Efficiency Commercial Buildings
- Heat Recovery Solutions for Fresh Air Systems in Commercial Buildings: A Case Study
- Fresh Air Systems for Commercial Buildings: A Case Study in Ventilation Heat Recovery and Indoor Air Quality
- Energy-Efficient Fresh Air Systems for Commercial Buildings: A Complete Guide to Heat Recovery Ventilation
- Case Study: How Ventilation Heat Recovery Transforms Fresh Air Systems in Commercial Buildings
- Fresh Air Systems for Commercial Buildings: How Heat Recovery Ventilation Transforms Energy Efficiency and Indoor Comfort
- Case Study: Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems for Commercial Buildings - Optimizing Indoor Air Quality and Energy Performance
- Fresh Air Systems for Commercial Buildings: How Heat Recovery Transforms Ventilation Efficiency
- Case Study: Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems for Commercial Buildings - Cutting Energy Costs by Up to 40%
- Energy-Efficient Fresh Air Systems for Commercial Buildings: How Heat Recovery Ventilation Transforms HVAC Performance
- Energy Recovery Ventilation in Commercial Buildings: Cutting HVAC Costs by 40% with Heat Exchanger Technology
- Fresh Air Systems for Commercial Buildings: Heat Recovery Solutions for Energy-Efficient Ventilation
Residential, Institutional & Other Applications
- Purify air conditioning fresh air system
- Fresh air system for public places
- fresh air system for painting with heat recovery
- Application of Commercial Ventilation Heat Exchanger
- Common types of heat exchangers in agricultural ventilation
- The role of heat exchangers in agricultural ventilation
- Application of Heat Exchangers in Ventilation Systems
- Heat Exchangers and Ventilation Heat Recovery: Application Scenarios Analysis
- The Role of Heat Recovery in Modern HVAC
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between HRV and ERV?
Both transfer heat between airstreams; an ERV additionally transfers moisture, helping control indoor humidity, while an HRV transfers only sensible heat.
What effectiveness should I look for?
For most commercial HRV/ERV, sensible effectiveness of 70–85% is typical; higher is better for energy savings, but check airflow and frost-protection needs at design conditions.
Do HRV/ERV help with humidity?
ERV units recover moisture and reduce the load on cooling and humidification systems; HRV does not transfer moisture and can require separate humidity control.
Are HRV/ERV required by code?
Many codes reference ASHRAE 62.1 for ventilation and ASHRAE 90.1 / ErP for energy recovery in larger systems, effectively requiring recovery above certain airflow thresholds.
Free related tools: ERV vs HRV Energy Savings Comparator · Psychrometric Calculator.