Inverness
A Zehnder MVHR System Installation covering a 350m2 ventilated floor area, in a bespoke new build property, near Inverness, in the Highlands.
R i Cruden, Renewable Innovation Centre, Inverness, contracted Miller MVHR to design and install an MVHR System as part of their contract to provide a complete Renewable and Mechanical Package for this project. Miller MVHR are a business partner of R i Cruden for MVHR Installations.
Miller MVHR appointed Paul Heat Recovery of Sustainable Homes Scotland Ltd. to provide a detailed design for the ventilation system. Paul Heat Recovery provide designs to best practice Passivhaus design guidelines. Although this property is not built to Passivhaus Standards, it will be completed to a very high standard of finish. A specialist design can save up to 30% on heating costs, along with savings on installation costs. Miller MVHR do not work with “free” designs that tie us to a supplier/manufacturer’s products. We have carefully chosen products that are complementary, to provide a low noise system, that is inherently hygienic, and able to meet best practice guidelines.
A Zehnder CAQ ERV heat and humidity recovery unit with a built-in pre-heater was specified for this property. This Zehnder unit has an enthalpy exchanger core that recovers both the thermal and the latent energy from the stale air extracted from wet rooms around the home.
This additional energy, which would otherwise have been lost, is transferred into the incoming fresh air stream before being supplied to habitable rooms. In larger properties this unit ensures optimum air quality both in winter and summer, while energy savings provide complete customer satisfaction.
Lindab Safe Products were specified for the main trunk ducts to and from the MVHR Unit. Lindab Safe air spiral duct and fittings are certified to Eurovent tightness class D.
Metal spiral ducting is generically hygienic and, when installed correctly, has low resistance to impede airflow by using swept bends. The ducts to and from the outside wall terminal are wrapped with Armacell Armaflex, which exceeds the insulation resistance value of the commonly used mineral wool duct wrap.
Miller MVHR do not install PVC round duct, which is considered, by some, to not be hygienic, and has restrictive tight radius bends that can restrict airflow.
The manifolds and silencers are from the Lindab InDomo Range. The silencers provide noise reduction in the airflow to ensure whisper quiet levels at the room valve terminals.
Frankische 90mm Profi-Air Classic semi-rigid ducting was installed from the manifolds to the valve plenums as a radial system. The radial principle involves individual ducting tubes from each extraction and supply point to plenum and distribution boxes connected to the mechanical unit. This eliminates cross contamination and noise transfer.
Frankische Profi-Air Classic ducting is Guaranteed Hygienic, with the smooth, antibacterial and antistatic inner surface satisfying the highest hygiene expectations. The hygienic safety is confirmed by the Institute for Hygiene. Miller MVHR use Frankische semi-rigid on all our installations.
A 100mm lowered ceiling was created in areas where steel beams obstructed the ducting routes. This also benefitted the other M and E trades.
The ducting was installed with flowing bends around the underside of the beams to keep restrictions of airflow to a minimum.
Careful consideration was given to the location of the semi-rigid ducts in the ceiling.
The ducts were fixed at high level to allow pipework and cables to be installed beneath them. This also ensured that there was not a conflict with recessed downlight installation.
