Heat recovery air handling unit with reduced-carbon design
29 May 2026
Claimed to be its most sustainable heat recovery air handling unit to date, VES has launched Ecovent Midi, which delivers reductions in both embodied and operational carbon, without compromising airflow performance or regulatory compliance.
The unit has been engineered to reduce embodied carbon through material selection and structural design. Using independently verified CIBSE TM65 methodology, it achieves up to a 62% reduction in embodied carbon in size 4 and 54% in size 5 compared with previous designs. These reductions are due in part to the use of XCarb steel, which is produced using electric arc furnace technology, recycled steel content and renewable energy sources.
Alongside material choices, Ecovent Midi incorporates a more compact construction to reduce overall material mass and associated carbon impacts linked to manufacture, transport and installation. The design is a way to lower resource use while maintaining functional performance.
The unit includes a counterflow plate heat exchanger with reported thermal efficiency of up to 90%. It also uses EC fans, low specific fan power and BlueSense controls to support demand-led ventilation and reduced operational energy use. The system should remain compliant with relevant UK standards including Building Regulations, BB101 and BB93.
