The Cost of Ventilation

Buildings across the country side vary in construction quality, type, age, insulation type and value. The nature of the building envelope on the overall energy impact of a building is significant. This is most clearly expressed with the heating and cooling load associated with ventilation. According to Stat’s Canada (REF), Space Heating accounts for 68% of a typical residential buildings total energy cost, and Hot Water being 23% – the remaining 9% is cooking, television, games, music, hair dryers, vacuums, phantom loads, etc. Whereas a poorly or under ventilated buildings develop poor indoor air quality, which can ultimately lead to mold and mildew issues – if you develop condensation on your windows during the heating season, you should be looking at the balance of ventilation and heating in your space, to control moisture in the building.

To balance all of these demands, we can reduce ventilation to controlled, passive, and uncontrolled. Uncontrolled being air which leaks through the building assembly due to a lack of tightness. Passive is typically a manual opening, like windows or skylights. Controlled ventilation operates based on an electronic control circuit, even as basic as a manual switch for a bathroom fan.

Modern ventilation systems use a process of demand control and energy recovery processes to minimize energy drain associated with supplying fresh air to your building. Operating at peak efficiency, a heat recovery ventilator can operate at a peak 85% efficiency, typically heating -20C incoming air up to +10C, using the outgoing building air as the heat source.

Current incentive programs with the Ontario Government, through SaveONEnergy, and delivered by Hydro One can pay up to 50% of the project cost to modernize your HVAC system, for non-residential and agricultural customers. This offers a serious return on investment for implementing a project that will save you energy and money. Call us today to get started on your project today – while the incentives remain available!