In today’s article, we take a look at heat recovery systems and why they’re well worth your investment. With growing sustainability demands and rising energy costs, installing an effective heat recovery system could be a very wise move. With KES Facilities, it’s simple from start to finish.

What is a Heat Recovery System?

In its purest form, heat recovery refers to any process that reclaims some percentage of waste energy. A heat recovery system is a commercial installation that captures waste energy and recycles it back into the system. These systems also filter the air throughout a building and replenish extracted air with clean, filtered air.

Heat recovery systems consist of a heat recovery ventilation unit and a network of valves installed throughout a building.

The Laws of Thermodynamics mean there will almost always be heat released during any heating, venting, and air conditioning (HVAC) process. Those same laws also mean that many HVAC systems are inefficient, and that no system is 100% efficient.

But that doesn’t matter. If a heat recovery system is capable of recovering any energy lost in the form of heat, then it’s still beneficial. Moreover, many modern heat recovery systems are so efficient that they’re absolutely worth your investment.

Why is it Useful?

You might be debating whether or not heat recovery systems are worth your investment. The answer is that, although there’s an initial up-front cost, the efficiency of these systems almost always makes them worth your while.

The main attraction of a heat recovery system is the reduction in total operating costs. Some systems are so efficient that they can recover up to 95% of the energy lost through HVAC processes in your building. That leads to a huge energy saving, a warmer building, and a significant reduction in your monthly expenses.

Another benefit is the improvement in air quality. Not only do heat recovery systems recycle energy, they also act as a filter for the air in your building. Air quality is improved since pollen, moisture and dust are removed from the system.

Any unpleasant smells, mould, dust, and the build-up of toxic gases can all eventually lead to structural problems for your business and respiratory issues for you. Heat recovery systems purify and clean that air.

Finally, heat recovery systems are super sustainable and improve your carbon footprint. With more and more government regulations being put in place, it’s a challenge being as sustainable as possible. There are strict targets for the UK’s carbon emissions, and installing an efficient heat recovery system means that you’ll be helping to meet those targets instead of contributing to the problem.

How Does a Heat Recovery System Work?

So now you know what a heat recovery system is and why it can be beneficial – how does it work?

The star of the show is the ventilation unit. This is normally installed in the roof or attic of your commercial property. This ventilation unit, with a powerful internal filter, is the link between the atmosphere, and every ventilated room within the building. You decide which rooms will benefit from a heat recovery system by installing air valves on a net of ducts throughout your property.

The combination of valves, ducts, and the ventilation unit creates a cycle of air being pulled in from the atmosphere and released to the atmosphere. Fresh air is pulled in, and undesirable air is removed and released.

Significantly, the ventilation unit captures the heat from the extracted air pipe and feeds that heat into the fresh air pipe. These two pipes are housed within the same unit, but they are not physically connected. Their close proximity allows the new, clean, atmospheric air to benefit from existing heat that would otherwise go to waste.

That new air that is warm and clean is then circulated throughout the building via many different pipes and air ducts spread throughout a commercial property.

KES Facilities and Heat Recovery Systems

At KES Facilities, our talented team have all the training and experience they need to install, service, and repair your heat recovery system.

Our expert technicians will be with you from the beginning until the end of the job. When you begin your enquiry with us, we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have about heat recovery systems, and make sure that you’re getting the most out of your system design. Our technicians know their stuff, and they’ll make sure that the system you install is the right one for you.

But if on the other hand you’re looking to set up a maintenance program or you’re concerned about a repair to your system, we can help there as well. We’re local to your Yorkshire business, and since we carry a large supply of stocks, we can normally even repair your unit on the day.

We’re specialists in the following heat recovery systems:

• Mitsubishi Heavy
• Mitsubishi Electric
• Daikin
• Vent Axia
• System Air
• Fujitsui
• Toshiba

Get in touch with our team to find out everything you need to know about heat recovery systems and how we can help today.