Higher installation and operating costs limit this application. Bringing unconditioned, humid ventilation air into a building has many obvious negative impacts on indoor air quality, comfort, and HVAC system operation. ERV s for conditioning ventilation air typically use desiccant or refrigeration methods. This provides savings in both capital investments and operating costs. Lights in commercial buildings produce large quantities of heat.
Heat recovery allows controlled and efficient use of that heat.
The wet method of heat recovery uses aluminum reflector housings that contain integral water channels. Water pumped through those channels absorbs the heat produced by the lights. This warm water then circulates through a heat pump or a heat exchanger to provide space heating or to warm incoming air. The heated air can then be distributed to cooler perimeter zones or recirculated through the central HVAC system. Recovering heat from lights is usually feasible only with new construction where high intensity lighting is required.