Ice Rinks & Sports Complexes
Recover energy from the ventilation air that keeps arenas dry, clear, and safe to breathe.
Control Humidity. Recover Energy. Protect Performance.
Indoor ice arenas face a distinctive set of ventilation challenges. They must manage indoor air quality, control humidity and dew point, and maintain consistent ice conditions throughout the facility. Long operating hours can make ventilation a significant year-round energy load.
Air-to-air energy recovery can help reduce that ventilation load. Innergy tech manufactures energy recovery wheels, sensible and enthalpy plate exchangers, and heat pipes, allowing the recovery approach to be matched to an arena’s ventilation and humidity-control strategy. These technologies help support efficient operation while maintaining the indoor conditions needed for athletes, spectators, and facility staff.
Cold Surfaces, Moist Air, and Fuel-Fired Equipment
Humidity, Fog, and Condensation
Moisture enters an arena from resurfacing activities, occupants, outdoor ventilation air, infiltration, and other operational sources. When humid air comes into contact with cold ice or other cold surfaces, condensation can occur, leading to fog, dripping, corrosion, mold, and deteriorating ice conditions. Effective humidity and dew-point control are essential to maintaining ice quality, visibility, and occupant comfort.
Indoor Air Quality Considerations
Ice arenas require continuous ventilation to maintain indoor air quality and help manage emissions generated by arena operations and equipment. Adequate outdoor air ventilation plays an important role in supporting a healthy and comfortable environment for athletes, spectators, and facility staff.
Continuous Seasonal Operation
Arenas often operate for extended hours throughout the ice season, making ventilation and humidity control a significant energy demand. Energy recovery can help reduce the load associated with conditioning outdoor air while supporting efficient arena operation.
The Refrigeration Context
Refrigeration systems represent a major component of an arena’s overall energy use and are often paired with other efficiency strategies throughout the facility. Air-to-air energy recovery complements these efforts by reducing the energy required to condition ventilation air and helping support overall facility performance.
One Manufacturer, Multiple Recovery Technologies
Innergy tech offers a comprehensive range of air-to-air energy recovery technologies, including energy recovery wheels, sensible and enthalpy plate exchangers, and heat pipes. For ice arenas and sports complexes, the recovery approach can be matched to the facility’s ventilation and humidity-control strategy.
- Energy Recovery Wheels (I4, I4R, I4-D): Rotary energy recovery devices designed for total-energy recovery on outdoor-air and exhaust-air streams. Options include a field-installed sectional wheel (I4R) and a passive dehumidification wheel (I4-D), supporting a range of ventilation and moisture-control applications.
- Heat Pipes (Thermogain): Passive thermosiphon devices with no moving parts and no external power required. Supply and exhaust airstreams remain physically separated, making heat pipes a compact, reliable option for sensible energy recovery. A U-shaped configuration is available for dehumidification applications.
- Sensible Plate Exchangers: Fixed-plate, sensible-only recovery with no moving parts and physically separated airstreams. These devices are often selected when moisture transfer is not desired.
- Enthalpy Plate Exchangers (IPE6-PM): Total-energy fixed-plate exchangers featuring a washable polymer membrane for applications where both sensible and latent energy recovery are desired.
Recovery Technology Fit
Benefits & Value Drivers
Offsets a Continuous Ventilation Load
Arenas require continuous ventilation to support humidity control and indoor air quality. Air-to-air energy recovery transfers energy between exhaust and incoming outdoor air, helping reduce the load associated with conditioning ventilation air.
Supports Indoor Air Quality Goals
By reducing the energy required to condition outdoor air, energy recovery can support the ventilation strategies used to maintain a healthy and comfortable indoor environment.
Humidity-Control Options
Enthalpy devices recover both heat and moisture, while passive dehumidification wheels and U-shaped heat pipe configurations are available for moisture-control applications.
Technology Matched to the Space
Because Innergy tech offers energy recovery wheels, plate exchangers, and heat pipes, the recovery approach can be tailored to the needs of different areas within an arena or multi-use sports complex.
Complements Facility Energy Strategies
Air-to-air energy recovery can complement other building efficiency measures by reducing the energy required to condition ventilation air and supporting overall facility performance.
Certified Performance Data
Innergy tech provides certified performance data to support equipment selection and specification.
Recovery Technology for Every Space in the Complex
Wheels, plates, and heat pipes from one manufacturer — matched to the ice sheet, the stands, the turf, and everything in between.