Energy recovery ventilator
7 of 9 from A no-fuss solar-powered building
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A view inside the compartment that houses the building's mechanical systems, which can be accessed from the outside. Very well-insulated homes use a heat-recovery ventilator or an energy-recovery ventilator, which is pictured here. These systems circulate indoor air and bring in fresh outdoor air. They are efficient because they heat the incoming air that is being exhausted outside. An energy-recovery ventilator goes one step further and adjusts the humidity using a dessicant inside the unit.
Also stored in the compartment are the hot-water storage tanks, seen on left, that hold the water heated by the rooftop solar thermal panels.
September 21, 2009 4:00 AM PDT
Photo by: Martin LaMonica
