Applications

DOAS: New Construction & Retrofit

Choose the right recovery technology - wheel, heat pipe, plate, or run-around - for your project. We make all four.

DOAS Energy Recovery for New Construction & Retrofit

From blueprint to retrofit — the right recovery, ready to spec.

Bringing outdoor air into a building is essential for indoor air quality, but conditioning that air requires significant HVAC capacity. A dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) addresses this challenge by conditioning ventilation air separately from the building’s space-conditioning systems, helping improve ventilation performance and environmental control.

Air-to-air energy recovery plays an important role in many DOAS applications by transferring energy between exhaust and incoming outdoor air streams. The key question is not whether energy recovery should be considered, but which technology is best suited for the application.

Energy recovery wheels, heat pipes, plate exchangers, and run-around loops each offer distinct advantages related to energy recovery, airstream separation, installation requirements, and maintenance considerations. Most manufacturers offer only one technology. Innergy tech manufactures all four, allowing the recovery strategy to be matched to the building, exhaust conditions, performance objectives, and project requirements, whether for new construction or retrofit applications.

Find Your Best-Fit Recovery Technology

Decouple the Ventilation, Then Recover Its Energy

A dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) uses a separate unit to condition outdoor air for ventilation and deliver it directly to occupied spaces or local HVAC units. The local HVAC units then focus primarily on maintaining space temperature. By separating ventilation from space conditioning, a DOAS can help improve humidity management and provide greater control over outdoor air treatment.

Why Energy Recovery Matters

  • Ventilation air represents a significant building load. Outdoor air often requires substantial heating, cooling, humidification, or dehumidification before it can be delivered to occupied spaces. Recovering energy from exhaust air can reduce the energy required to condition incoming outdoor air.
  • Energy recovery can reduce HVAC system loads. By transferring heat and, in some technologies, moisture between exhaust and incoming air streams, energy recovery devices can help reduce the demand on heating and cooling equipment.
  • DOAS applications are well suited for energy recovery. Because dedicated outdoor air systems process large volumes of outdoor air, incorporating energy recovery can improve overall system efficiency and help reduce operating costs.
  • Recovered energy can support conditioning strategies. Energy recovery technologies can be used to precondition outdoor air and help reduce the amount of additional energy needed to achieve desired supply-air conditions.
NEW CONSTRUCTION: DESIGNING RECOVERY IN FROM DAY ONE
New Construction

Design It In and Optimize the System

In new construction, energy recovery can be considered early in the design process because it may influence the design and operation of the overall HVAC system.

  • Coordinate system design around energy recovery. Integrating energy recovery into the ventilation strategy can help reduce the energy required to condition outdoor air and may influence equipment selection throughout the HVAC system.
  • Evaluate energy recovery as part of the ventilation strategy. Considering energy recovery early in the design process can help align ventilation, heating, and cooling system requirements and avoid later design changes.
  • Select technology based on project needs. Different energy recovery technologies offer different advantages depending on project goals, climate conditions, airflow requirements, maintenance preferences, and separation needs.
  • Incorporate appropriate controls. Control strategies can help optimize system operation under varying outdoor conditions and building loads.
  • Use recovered energy where applicable. Energy recovery technologies can help precondition outdoor air and reduce the amount of additional energy needed to achieve desired supply-air conditions.

Innergy tech offers selection software and multiple energy recovery technologies to help engineers evaluate options based on project requirements, including factors such as performance characteristics, footprint, maintenance considerations, and system configuration.

RETROFIT: ADDING RECOVERY TO EXISTING SYSTEMS

Stop Heating the Outdoors — Without Replacing Everything

Energy Recovery Retrofits for Existing Buildings

Many existing buildings exhaust conditioned air from the building as part of normal ventilation operations. Energy recovery can be incorporated into retrofit projects to help transfer energy between exhaust and incoming outdoor air streams. The best approach depends on the building layout, available space, and project objectives.

Retrofit Options

  • Replace existing energy recovery components. If an air-handling unit already includes an energy recovery section, replacing or upgrading components can help restore or maintain system operation.
  • Add energy recovery where supply and exhaust air paths are accessible. When supply and exhaust airstreams can be integrated within the same system or installation area, energy recovery technologies may be incorporated as part of an HVAC upgrade.
  • Consider pipe-connected recovery systems for separated air paths. In buildings where supply and exhaust air systems are located in different areas, certain energy recovery approaches can transfer energy between the two airstreams without requiring them to be adjacent.
  • Add a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS). As part of a broader HVAC modernization strategy, a DOAS with integrated energy recovery can provide a dedicated ventilation solution while working alongside existing space-conditioning equipment.

Innergy tech offers multiple energy recovery technologies that can support both retrofit and replacement projects, allowing engineers to evaluate solutions based on building constraints, performance goals, maintenance considerations, and system requirements.

Benefits & Value Drivers

Recovers Ventilation Energy
Energy recovery can transfer energy between exhaust and incoming outdoor air streams, helping reduce the energy required to condition ventilation air.

Technology Selection Based on Project Needs
Different energy recovery technologies offer distinct advantages depending on climate, system configuration, building layout, maintenance preferences, and application requirements. Evaluating multiple technology options can help identify an appropriate solution for a specific project.

Supports Energy and Ventilation Goals
Energy recovery technologies can be incorporated into HVAC systems to support ventilation strategies and improve overall system efficiency while maintaining indoor air quality objectives.

Potential for System Optimization
By preconditioning incoming outdoor air, energy recovery may influence heating and cooling system requirements and can be considered as part of an overall HVAC system design strategy.

Retrofit-Friendly Solutions
Energy recovery technologies can be incorporated into both new construction and retrofit projects. Available solutions can accommodate a variety of building configurations and installation constraints.

Evaluation Tools for Informed Decisions
Selection software and performance analysis tools can help engineers compare energy recovery technologies based on project-specific requirements, including factors such as system configuration, footprint, maintenance considerations, and performance characteristics.

The optimal technology depends on the specific requirements of the project, including building layout, ventilation strategy, exhaust-air characteristics, maintenance preferences, and performance objectives.

In general:

  • Energy recovery wheels may be suitable when supply and exhaust airstreams can be integrated within the same system.
  • Enthalpy plates can provide sensible and latent energy transfer without moving components.
  • Sensible plates and heat pipes may be appropriate for applications focused on sensible energy transfer or where airstream separation is important.
  • Run-around systems can be considered when supply and exhaust air paths are separated and cannot be located adjacent to one another.

Because Innergy tech offers multiple energy recovery technologies, engineers can evaluate solutions based on project requirements rather than a single technology platform.

Energy recovery requirements vary by project location, applicable energy codes, building type, and system design. Engineers should consult the governing codes and standards applicable to their project to determine specific requirements.

Regardless of code requirements, energy recovery is commonly evaluated as part of a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) design to improve overall system efficiency and ventilation performance.

Both technologies are designed to transfer sensible and latent energy between exhaust and incoming outdoor air streams.

  • Enthalpy wheels use a rotating media to transfer energy between airstreams and are often selected for applications where energy recovery performance and compact system integration are important considerations.
  • Enthalpy plates transfer energy through a fixed media and contain no moving parts, making them an option for projects that prioritize maintenance simplicity and airstream separation.

The most appropriate solution depends on project requirements, application needs, and design priorities.

In many cases, yes. Energy recovery can often be incorporated as part of a retrofit or HVAC modernization project.

Potential approaches include:

  • Replacing existing energy recovery components.
  • Adding energy recovery to existing air-handling equipment where space and airflow configuration allow.
  • Using systems that accommodate separated supply and exhaust air paths.
  • Incorporating a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) as part of a broader building upgrade.

The feasibility of each approach depends on the existing building configuration and project objectives.

Energy recovery performance varies based on factors such as climate, operating conditions, ventilation rates, building usage, technology selection, and system design.

Project-specific energy performance should be evaluated using engineering analysis and system selection tools that account for the unique requirements of the application.

When properly integrated into the overall HVAC system, energy recovery and economizer strategies can work together as part of a building’s ventilation and conditioning approach.

The specific control sequence and system design should be evaluated by the project engineer to ensure the intended operation under varying outdoor conditions.

Different projects have different requirements. Factors such as climate, building layout, maintenance preferences, exhaust-air characteristics, and performance goals can influence technology selection.

A manufacturer that offers multiple energy recovery technologies can help engineers compare available options and evaluate solutions based on project-specific requirements and design objectives.

One Manufacturer. Every Recovery Technology. The Right Choice.

Wheels, plates, and heat pipes – selected on merit for your climate, your exhaust, and your project stage.

Find the Right Solution