ERV or HRV



Balanced ventilation systems use either an energy-recovery ventilator (ERV) or heat-recovery ventilator (HRV), typical in Passivhaus construction.

While both enable the simultaneous stream of fresh air in, stale air out, and recovery of some heat from the warmer stream in passing each other, the ERV also transfers moisture to the drier air stream with minimal mixing between the two streams. An ERV can transfer 40-60% of the humidity in the outgoing stale air stream to the incoming fresh air stream helping to maintain a more consistent relative humidity level indoors. In higher humidity climate zones, indoor humidity can be effectively controlled using a dehumidifier, as a stand-alone unit.

In the long-running debate between which of the two types of units makes a better choice for passive house construction, ERV or HRV, energy efficiency is still a primary criteria to assess different units on the market. Following are some of the more highly cited makes available online:



Panasonic FV-04VE1 WhisperComfort™ Spot ERV Ceiling Insert Ventilator with Balanced Ventilation and Patent-Pending Capillary Core 
Soler & Palau TR130 Energy Recovery Unit
Fantech FLEX 100H Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) CFM, 0.4 W.C., 50-106
Honeywell, Inc. VNT5070H1000 TrueFRESH Heat Recovery Ventilator



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