Table of Contents
- Applies to residential and non-residential ventilation units with a fan electric power of 30 W or more. Bidirectional units (supply + extract) must carry a heat recovery system (HRS) with a thermal bypass facility.
- Unit type Minimum thermal efficiency ηt Bonus basis Plate / thermal wheel HRS (non run-around) 73% (from 2018) E = (ηt − 0.73) × 3000 Run-around coil HRS 68% (from 2018) E = (ηt − 0.68) × 3000 The efficiency bonus E relaxes the specific fan power limit, rewarding higher-efficiency cores. Test methods are EN 308, EN 13053 (AHUs), and EN 13141-7 (residential units). The effectiveness test standards article explains how ηt is defined.
- Non-residential unit with HRS: SFPint capped around 800–1300 W/(m³/s) depending on flow. Residential bidirectional unit: about 450 W/(m³/s) at reference airflow. All units (except dual-use) need multi-speed or variable-speed drives; a filter warning signal is required from 2018.
- Specify cores that clear 73% (or 68% for run-around) and document the product information sheet. For critical ventilation where cross-contamination is unacceptable, a membrane core is the compliant non-rotating option. These Ecodesign floors align with the EPBD zero-emission building push — efficient recovery is now table stakes in the EU market.
The European Union regulates ventilation units through Regulation (EU) 1253/2014 (the “Ecodesign” Lot 21 measure). It sets binding minimum thermal efficiency and fan-power limits for units placed on the EU market, so any AHU or ERV sold in Europe must comply.
Applies to residential and non-residential ventilation units with a fan electric power of 30 W or more. Bidirectional units (supply + extract) must carry a heat recovery system (HRS) with a thermal bypass facility.
| Unit type | Minimum thermal efficiency ηt%a 4%9 5 | Bonus basis |
|---|---|---|
| Plate / thermal wheel HRS (non run-around) | 73% (from 2018) | E = (ηt%a 4%9 5 − 0.73) × 3000 |
| Run-around coil HRS | 68% (from 2018) | E = (ηt%a 4%9 5 − 0.68) × 3000 |
The efficiency bonus E relaxes the specific fan power limit, rewarding higher-efficiency cores. Test methods are EN 308, EN 13053 (AHUs), and EN 13141-7 (residential units). The effectiveness test standards article explains how ηt%a 4%9 5 is defined.
- Non-residential unit with HRS: SFPint capped around 800–1300 W/(m³/s) depending on flow.
- Residential bidirectional unit: about 450 W/(m³/s) at reference airflow.
- All units (except dual-use) need multi-speed or variable-speed drives; a filter warning signal is required from 2018.
Specify cores that clear 73% (or 68% for run-around) and document the product information sheet. For critical ventilation where cross-contamination is unacceptable, a membrane core is the compliant non-rotating option. These Ecodesign floors align with the EPBD zero-emission building push — efficient recovery is now table stakes in the EU market.