Exi-tite supplies 75 MVHR units to Scottish Passivhaus schools
Exi-tite has supplied mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) systems to three of the first Passivhaus schools in Scotland.
The company says it became the first Passive House Institute (PHI)-certified ventilation distributor in Scotland last year. Thanks to Alan Gordon its Regional Director for Scotland passing the PHI Tradesperson examination, the company has now delivered Helios ventilation to Perth High School, Dundee East End Community Campus and Monifieth Learning Campus. All three projects can achieve efficiencies of 67kWh/sq m per yr to meet government targets.
With Passivhaus buildings designed to maintain an almost constant temperature, they are constructed, insulated and ventilated in such a way that requires very little additional heating or cooling, other than from the sun and the activities of its occupants, Exi-tite notes.
A total of 75 Helios Air1 XC units have been used across the three sites, all installed with Class 3 rectangular dampers to guarantee acceptable air leakage levels.
Alan Gordon said: “Exi-tite is proud to be involved in these prestigious projects and contributing to Scotland’s target of Net Zero with energy-efficient education sector buildings. Becoming a certified member of the PHI was key to understanding the guiding principles and requirements for Passivhaus MVHRs. The units were selected to meet the design requirements for the classroom ventilation design strategy, with the necessary accessories to meet Passivhaus guidelines. The equipment was supplied within a 4-month period to meet the projects’ construction programmes and we will be carrying out the HRU controls set-up for all projects in 2025/2026.
Helios Air1 XC range
The range delivers energy-efficient ventilation with heat recovery. The four-unit Helios Air1 series covers ceiling or floor-standing installation and includes more than 30 unit types in a volume flow range up to 15,000 cu m/h – creating more than 100 possible configurations, with a wide range of accessories.
The XC series used in the three school projects provides a flow range of 500-3,200 cu m/h from a compact footprint using cross counterflow heat exchangers. Even where space is limited, an electric or warm water auxiliary heater battery can be easily integrated into the unit, Exi-tite says. The external cooling module can be directly mounted to the supply air inlets of the unit and thus also guarantees installation in confined spaces.
The units feature a built-in electric pre-heating coil as standard to protect the heat exchanger against frost at very low outside air temperatures. If increased comfort temperatures are required, an optional electric or hot water auxiliary heating coil can be installed in the unit casing.
