Vortice heat recovery units improving air quality in retirement living apartments

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Vortice has worked with Peterborough-based VentfiltersRus, to successfully install the Vortice Invisible Mini heat recovery system in retirement living apartments. VentfiltersRus undertakes service contract work for multiple retirement living apartments, ensuring that residents benefit from excellent indoor air quality and energy efficient ventilation, with the obvious benefit of lower electricity costs.

The Vort Invisible Mini is a void mounted heat recovery unit, which is a lightweight product and is easily fitted in smaller void spaces.  It offers easy set up and wiring and has an option for a humidity sensor to boost the unit when needed.  The unit has an easy-to-use hard wired controller which gives the user filter status, operation status and set up function. The unit also includes two filters to maintain good indoor air quality and these are easily accessed behind tool free magnetic covers.

Clifton Gordon from VentfiltersRus said:

“We regularly work with Vortice heat recovery units in apartments for retirement living, using both the Vort Invisible Mini and the Vort HR200 BP.  Their compact design and ease of installation and service make them the ideal solution for this sector.”

Short term effects of poor air quality may include fatigue, congestion or headaches and as residents of retirement living apartments may already have weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions, the focus must be on maintaining a good indoor air quality.

VORTICE INSTALLER COURSE HELPS PODIUM PLUMBING ACHIEVE GREAT INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN A SELF BUILD PROPERTY

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Vortice has always prided itself on being renowned as the ‘air experts’ and is passionate about wanting to offer its customers not only the best ventilation solution, but also the best service and after care package. Vortice Area Business Manager Darren Clare did just this with Podium Plumbing to help achieve a great heat recovery installation this year.

Harry from Suffolk-based Podium Plumbing, was looking to install a heat recovery system on his self-build project, but also wanted to understand more about the unit’s commissioning and maintenance. He, along with others, attended the Vortice BPEC course run by the Vortice technical team and Darren Clare at its Burton upon Trent Offices. The Vort Avel 350 had been chosen for the project due to the high heat exchange rate and full filtration of the unit.

Darren commented

“Harry at Podium was really keen to start using heat recovery units, not just on his own house, but also on future projects for clients. He felt it was important that he was as knowledgeable as possible first, so the BPEC course was the ideal initial step for him. We then worked alongside Podium in the design, installation and commissioning of the project. Harry and the other attendees said the results were terrific and they have already specified and used Vortice heat recovery units on other builds.”

HR200 BP UNIT INSTALLED IN 45 PROPERTIES ACROSS TWO SITES IN THE SLEAFORD AREA

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Vortice has supplied heat recovery units for 45 new affordable homes in the Heckington and Sleaford area. The design specification for the homes meant that the unit needed to be installed under the stairs, so, due to its compact dimensions, the Vort HR200 BP unit was an ideal choice.

The HR200 BP is designed to ventilate constantly and this ensures the recovery of up to 93% of the heat which would have otherwise been lost from the property. It offers 100% filtration even in summer bypass mode, ensuring good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) for the tenants all year round.  The unit boasts high energy efficiency levels, reducing the residents’ energy bills, as well as producing low sound levels and providing easy access to filters for maintenance. 

Darren Clare of Vortice commented

“The HR200 BP units were an ideal choice for the size constraints for this project, whilst taking into account the Fabric First Design and Build approach. I worked closely with all the team at RJ Wilson M & E along with our technical team to ensure both a compliant design and a smooth install.”

FLEXIBLE AND HIGH EFFICIENT AIR HANDLING UNIT FROM VORTICE 

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Maximum configuration flexibility, high energy efficiency, easy and quick handling during transport and installation: these are just some of the features of the CTAE air handling unit from Vortice.

In addition, the CTAE series offers an efficient and innovative construction technology that allows it to be included in any building project or production process. The advanced design ensures maximum energy efficiency and reduced operating cost. The sizes of air handling units are virtually unlimited, allowing all requirements to be met with a range of airflow rates from 500 m3/h up to 190.000 m3/h.

The CTAE units represent a tailor-made solution for every commercial and industrial application, from meeting rooms, cinemas, hotels, restaurants and offices to pharmaceutical, chemical and mechanical manufacturing.  


Vortice Sales Director Paul Gunner said:

“The range of air handling units in the Vortice range is extensive, as is the range of suitable control packages. We’re also excited to be able to offer selection software which provides all the technical data, performance sizing and dimensions of the units, helping the installer in the design of the complete system.”

What do the new Building Regulations changes mean for ventilation?

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What do the new Building Regulations changes mean for ventilation?

Let us simplify it for you!

The new Building Regulations comprises of five new Approved Documents, including changes to Part F (ventilation) which will come into effect from 15th June 2022.
The significant update provides an uplift to existing energy efficiency standards for homes and marks a stepping stone towards the introduction of the Future Homes Standard in 2025.

So what are the main changes?

The system names have changed

 Systems 1, 3 and 4 have been removed. The systems are now known as:

  • Natural ventilation with background ventilators and intermittent extract fans (formerly system 1)
  • Continuous mechanical extract ventilation (formerly system 3)
  • Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (formerly system 4)

There has been structure changes to the documents

  • There is a new regulation – Approved Document O – Overheating
  • ADF has now been split into volume 1 – Dwellings and Volume 2 – Buildings other than Dwellings
  • All compliance guides are now obsolete and incorporated into the approved documents
  • A Home User Guide for new dwellings should be provided

Background ventilation has changed

  • Background ventilation is now worked out as equivalent area (mm2)
  • Continuous Mechanical Extract trickle vents should now provide 4000mm2 EA in each habitable room (previously 2500mm2 FA)
  • For existing homes all replacement windows should be fitted with trickle vents

Design air permeability has changed

The guidance has split homes into two categories – Less Airtight Dwellings and Highly Airtight dwellings. Highly airtight dwellings have to achieve one of the following:

a. A design air permeability lower than 5m3/(h/m2) at 50Pa.

b. An as-built air permeability lower than 3m3/(h/m2) at 50Pa

Rates have increased for bedrooms

  • The ventilation rate for the bedrooms has now increased
  • Additions for additional occupants on ADF2010/13 has been removed
  • Still take the higher of the two calculations as the whole dwelling ventilation (trickle) rat

The new Building Regulations approved documents can be found here:

Should you require any further information on these changes one of our technical team would be happy to assist and offer guidance and advice. Simply email  or call on 01283 492949 today!

The VORTICE air solutions brochure can be found here Air Solutions Brochure 

Making your home healthier with Heat Recovery Ventilation

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Making your home healthier with Heat Recovery Ventilation

Did you know that the average person spends 90% of their time indoors and indoor air can be up to 50 times more polluted than outdoor air?

VORTICE offers a whole collection of heat recovery units specifically designed to assist with good air quality and filtration whilst ensuring the best of energy efficiency features. Government advisors have been reiterating the important role that ventilation plays in our health during the recent pandemic and the VORTICE heat recovery systems can certainly impact upon the quality of indoor air in the home.

So what is Heat Recovery?

A continuous mechanical ventilation unit with heat recovery (MVHR) (often referred to as a domestic heat exchanger) is usually positioned in a loft or cupboard space. An integral heat exchanger sends warm fresh air to the ‘dry’ rooms (living room, bedrooms etc.) via duct work and extracts the stale warm moist air from ‘wet’ rooms (bathrooms, kitchen, en-suites etc.) through a second set of duct work.

This will however only work if your home is suitable, and by suitable VORTICE means that the building needs to be well insulated and as airtight as possible. The fewer air leaks in the fabric of your home, the better the heat recovery unit will work.

What are the benefits of Heat Recovery?

MVHR is becoming a very popular ventilation option for many homes due to the air tightness of new dwellings. There are a raft of benefits to installing an MVHR unit but these can only be achieved when the installation has been carried out correctly. Here are some of the benefits of installing an MVHR unit:

  1. Cost savings
  2. Lowering heating bills
  3. Creating a fresh air path throughout your home
  4. Eliminating excess moisture out of the building

“In many homes, installing an MVHR system has major benefits. MVHR will supply your home with fresh air while also recovering heat that is usually lost and creating a healthier living environment as well as savings on your heating bills” – Jennifer Quinn Marketing Manager

Design and Install

VORTICE has put together a 10 point MVHR checklist for installers and contractors to go through to ensure the system is being installed correctly. Check out the MVHR checklist here

Whilst it is important to have a unit that is incredibly efficient, the system is only as good as the design and installation. Without these crucial elements the unit may fail and become ineffective, resulting in costs to repair.

Filtration

MVHR systems require 2 filters (1 for intake and 1 for extract). These filters protect the system’s heat exchanger and fans from blocking up with dust and other airborne particles and debris. This results in a significant improvement in the internal air quality of a home. 

VORTICE offers different grades of filters which capture particles of different sizes. It is imperative the filters are cleaned every 3 months and replaced every 12 months to ensure optimal performance of the system.

To see the range of heat recovery units VORTICE offers see our heat recovery brochure here.

VENTILATE PURIFY AND SANITISE – ADVICE FROM VORTICE AS LOCKDOWNS ARE LIFTED

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VENTILATE PURIFY AND SANITISE – ADVICE FROM VORTICE AS LOCKDOWNS ARE LIFTED

As the UK population slowly regains the freedoms it yearns for, advice from ventilation systems supplier VORTICE is to ventilate, purify and sanitise to maintain good indoor air quality at home and at work and avoid the transmission of germs and viruses in indoor spaces

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Marketing Manager Jennifer Quinn reveals the company’s thinking in the first of a series of podcasts from VORTICE in conjunction with BusinessNet Explorer. Over the next few months, Jennifer will cover topics such as continuous mechanical ventilation, heat recovery systems, sanitisation using UV-C ultraviolet light and hygiene products such as hand dryers and soap dispensers. Each podcast will appear on this page as it is broadcast.

FOOTBALL CLUB EMBRACES VORTICE AIR PURIFIER FOR CHANGING ROOMS AND PRESS ROOM

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Italian football club Udinese Calcio, currently in Serie A, has installed the DEPURO PRO range of air purifiers and sanitisers by their main sponsor VORTICE in its Statio Friuli stadium in Udine, North East Italy.  The air purifiers are used in the locker rooms, the entrance to the commercial area as well as in the press room of the Dacia Arena.  This is part of the efforts to make playing at and visiting the club as safe and hygienic as possible.

The DEPURO PRO EVO with photocatalysis module kills up to 99.995% of pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, by removing and killing them, thus ensuring people’s health and safety, constantly maintaining a good indoor air quality.  Tested and certified by the University of Milan in co-operation with the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences of the Luigi Sacco hospital in Milan, the DEPURO PRO EVO is being utilised in a number of health and sports facilities, places of worship, schools and commercial buildings as the world continues to tackle COVID-19.

Marketing Manager Jennifer Quinn said

“Air quality has never been so high on the agenda as it is today and we are delighted that Udinese are using the DEPURO PRO range of purifiers in their facilities. This shows how important air quality is to both Udinese and VORTICE and how imperative it is for the club to maintain good indoor air quality for both staff, players and visitors.”

Industrial Fans with EC Technology

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Industrial Fans with EC Technology

VORTICE are continuing their development process on their existing product range of axial and centrifugal fans including, material handling, smoke rated and ATEX. VORTICE are now pleased now to include in their range a new series of EC Plug fans produced by VORTICE group company Casals Ventilation.

What is EC Terminology

What does EC stand for?

It means Electronically Commutated combining AC and DC Voltages. The motor is essentially a brush less DC motor and the technology onboard the fan provides the ability to supply the fan with an AC supply. The onboard electronics transforms and rectifies this to the DC supply that drives the permanent magnet external rotor motor .

EC External Motor Technology

  • The external rotor design allows for a compact design. The EC external motor is driven by a brush less DC motor with permanent magnets included in the rotor body and the electronics are housed in the stator and incorporate hall effect sensor .
  • The Fan is AC 230V single phase input and the three phase 400V 50/60Hz

ENKLEFAN EC RANGE

The ENKLEFAN EC range incorporates 6 sizes in single and three phase input offering a control by 0-10V or PWM (Plus width modulation)

The Enkelfan EC range offers

  • 100% speed control and can provide a constant volume etc dependent on the system requirement and can be controlled by either 0-10V DAC or PWM signal
  • Airflow from 450m3/h to 7000m3/h and Pressure to 550 Pascals with diameters up to 450mm
  • Fully assembled construction with inlet ring and mounting arms to provide an ease of installation in an efficient out of the box product
  • Temperature operating range from -20c to 60c

Applications Include

  • Refrigeration
  • Air filtration
  • Air handling units
  • Air Purifiers
  • Replacement of inefficient belt drive fans in air handling units with multiple fans in a wall/grid offering an improved efficient solution and providing redundancy back up etc      

VORTICE would be happy to work alongside you for specific applications and to work together to produce a fan to the requirements of the installation. Should you want to know more about the ranges of industrial fans we offer please visit out website at www.vortice.ltd.uk to download our full product catalogue or email

NEW DEPURO PRO AIR PURIFIER IN USE IN TWO NHS HOSPITALS

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NEW DEPURO PRO AIR PURIFIER IN USE IN TWO NHS HOSPITALS

The new DePuro Pro air purifier has been successfully installed in two NHS hospitals in Essex as part of their fight against the spread of Covid-19.  The twelve units have been installed in three dental rooms and nine treatment rooms in a project to improve the air quality in the hospitals and increase patient turn-around in a clean and safe environment.

The DePuro Pro unit comes in two sizes, it is a plug and play set up and uses two HEPA 14 filters which retain up to 99.995% of particulates including virus, bacteria and droplets within the air.

Dean Hill and Mark Coutts from Essex based contractors TH Electrical said:stated that:

“We worked alongside VORTICE to specify the DePuro Pro to effectively clean and purify the air in these hospitals. As we know from the science, good indoor air quality is vital to the fight against the spread of Covid-19 and we’re delighted that these units are already starting to make a difference after only two weeks of being used.”