ᐅ Which ventilation system is suitable for a new build (dog boarding facility)?

Hello everyone!

My partner and I are planning to open a new dog boarding facility and are currently in the design phase for our new building. At the moment, we are operating our business in an older building.

We are planning a (Swedish-style) house with approximately 160 - 180m² (1,722 - 1,938 sq ft) of living space. At least KfW 70 standard. The construction companies we are considering right now are: Talis Haus, Merlin Haus (Fjorborg), Vierck Wooden Houses, Berg Swedish Houses, and a local carpenter who also offers complete construction services.

For heating, we are currently considering a ground source heat pump with ground collectors. However, I still have a few appointments with specialists coming up.

Now to my question:

We usually have between 10 and 25 dogs in care. Especially during the wet season, this leads to quite high indoor humidity. I think a ventilation system makes sense here, also to reduce the somewhat unpleasant smell of wet dogs...

From what I have read, a ventilation system with heat recovery doesn’t make much economic sense.

Does anyone have tips for us, or are there manufacturers that are particularly recommended? At the first two heating specialists I consulted, I unfortunately had the impression they just wanted to sell me whatever would bring them the most profit...

Best regards and thanks,

Florian

Hello,

inselbewohner schrieb:
...Regarding heating, we are currently considering a ground source heat pump with horizontal collectors. ...
We always have between 10 and 25 dogs in care.

This hardly seems like normal residential use.

inselbewohner schrieb:
...From what I have read, a ventilation system with heat recovery does not make much economic sense.

What alternative would there be to effectively manage moisture (mold) and the significant odor? Clearly, much higher air exchange rates than in normal residential use are required here. Most standard home builders would likely be overwhelmed by this. Furthermore, it is essential to include these higher air exchange rates in the heating load calculation (effective thermal air volume flows)!
Precisely here, a controlled mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery would make sense!

inselbewohner schrieb:
...Does anyone have tips for us, are there manufacturers that are particularly recommended?

Manufacturers come second! The primary focus should be on the required sizing of the heating and ventilation systems. Only once the performance parameters are known should the choice of manufacturer and equipment be made.

inselbewohner schrieb:
...With the first two heating contractors I visited, I unfortunately felt that they just wanted to sell me whatever earns them the most money...

This is inherent to the system and therefore not unusual or really subject to criticism.
Best regards

€uro schrieb:

What other options are there to address moisture (mold) and significant odors? Clearly, higher air exchange rates are needed compared to normal residential use. Most standard house builders are likely not prepared for this. It is also essential to include these increased air exchange rates in the heating load calculation (effective thermal airflows)!
This is exactly where a controlled ventilation system with heat recovery makes sense!

Thank you for the response.

As a non-expert, my thought was:
Based on the prices I found online for ventilation systems, a system with heat recovery costs about €7,500, and one without heat recovery about €2,500. The heat recovery saves me about €150 per year in heating costs — from my perspective, the extra €5,000 does not seem worthwhile (assuming my numbers are correct).

Our main goal is good air quality and preventing mold, so I thought a ventilation system without heat recovery would be the right choice for us.

inselbewohner schrieb:
..My thought as a layperson was:
Based on the prices I found online for ventilation systems, a system with heat recovery costs about 7500€ without heat recovery about 2500€.

That is already a misconception, as prices depend on the system configuration and the operating parameters to be achieved. As long as these are unknown, it remains speculation or looking into a crystal ball.

inselbewohner schrieb:
.. The heat recovery saves me about 150€ annually in heating costs – from my point of view, the additional 5000€ cost is not worth it (assuming my numbers are correct).

Well, to calculate this precisely, you would at least need the required air volumes, climate parameters, the building’s energy status (heating load), and so on.
Anyone who bases a significant investment decision on assumptions or estimates is often setting themselves up for costly mistakes.

inselbewohner schrieb:
.. We mainly want good air quality and no mold formation, so I thought a ventilation system without heat recovery would be the right choice for us.

Personally, I would reconsider the overall concept. For 25 dogs, the cost per cubic meter of enclosed space (residential building) would be too high for me. It also seems that professional advice and planning are lacking.

Best regards.

Hello Florian,

inselbewohner schrieb:
My partner and I are planning to open a new dog boarding facility and are currently in the planning phase for our new build.

inselbewohner schrieb:
We are planning a (Swedish) house with approximately 160 - 180m² (1722 - 1937 sq ft) of living space. At least KfW70 standard... From what I have read, a ventilation system with heat recovery is not really economical. Does anyone have tips for us, or know of any manufacturers that are especially recommended?... I would of course be happy to have a constructive exchange of ideas with others!

Even though the good euro may sometimes seem a bit polemical to individuals, its point is not entirely wrong; engineers (regardless of their background) tend to have a rather narrow perspective at times.

On the topic – Swedish houses are admittedly not really my area; I come from conventional house construction. On the other hand, due to increasingly airtight houses and energy saving regulations, we do install ventilation systems there as well. The range of systems is huge, and a “pure” heating engineer is definitely not the most suitable contact. It is advisable to reach out to a company specialized in ventilation systems and their installation.

Currently, we often install demand-controlled exhaust ventilation systems from manufacturers such as Lunos, Aereco, Helios – ventilation technicians frequently recommend combining products from two of these providers. For a quote, they need floor plans with an exact designation of the use of each room. With the cutouts in the precast ceiling, core drillings, electrical work and roof ventilation tiles, costs for a typical single-family house of about 130m² (1400 sq ft) come to approximately €2,800 to €3,200 (without) heat recovery, which, when comparing costs and benefits, really does not make much economic sense.

Best regards

Hello,

Bauexperte schrieb:
...without heat recovery, which economically really does not make much sense when you weigh costs against benefits.

Such general statements are the cause of many, sometimes irreversible, wrong decisions.

Kind regards