Which device captures heat from building exhaust air and transfers it to fresh air entering the building?

Which device captures heat from building exhaust air and transfers it to fresh air entering the building?

• A. HRV
• B. AHU
• C. Dehumidifier
• D. Fan coil

Answer: (A)

Heat is captured from the air leaving a building and transferred to the incoming fresh air using a heat exchanger in a Heat Recovery Ventilator. The two air streams pass through separate channels connected by the exchanger, so heat moves from the warm exhaust to the cooler outside air without mixing the air streams. This preheats the fresh air before it enters and reduces the heating load, improving energy efficiency while still bringing in outdoor air for ventilation. This function is specific to a heat recovery device. The other options serve different roles: an air handling unit is a broader system for moving and treating air but doesn’t inherently recover heat from exhaust to intake; a dehumidifier removes moisture; a fan coil heats or cools air via a coil, not by transferring heat between exhaust and incoming air.

Heat is captured from the air leaving a building and transferred to the incoming fresh air using a heat exchanger in a Heat Recovery Ventilator. The two air streams pass through separate channels connected by the exchanger, so heat moves from the warm exhaust to the cooler outside air without mixing the air streams. This preheats the fresh air before it enters and reduces the heating load, improving energy efficiency while still bringing in outdoor air for ventilation. This function is specific to a heat recovery device. The other options serve different roles: an air handling unit is a broader system for moving and treating air but doesn’t inherently recover heat from exhaust to intake; a dehumidifier removes moisture; a fan coil heats or cools air via a coil, not by transferring heat between exhaust and incoming air.