The BrHEAThe System: a ventilation solution for super-tight homes
Diagram of breathe
The BrHEAThe System was developed to ensure good indoor air quality in the type of small, energy efficient homes that are becoming more common in Alaska. By combining heating and ventilation into a single delivery system, BrHEAThe ensures that whenever a home is receiving heat it is also receiving fresh air. It has become a standard heating system for some villages and housing authorities looking to create healthy, affordable homes for their residents.
While the modern focus on energy efficiency has lowered fuel costs for many homes, it has also created indoor air quality problems. Because homes are more airtight than ever before, there is less air exchange between stale indoor air and fresh outdoor air. That means mechanical ventilation is critical to get rid of extra humidity as well as pollutants generated inside such as carbon monoxide and PM 2.5.
How it works
The BrHEAThe system relies on an heat recovery ventilator (HRV) to bring in fresh outdoor air and exhaust stale indoor air. After fresh air passes through the heat exchanger inside the HRV, additional heat is injected into the airstream from a boiler, warming the air to a comfortable temperature to distribute throughout the home. Because both heat and ventilation are delivered simultaneously, it prevents cold drafts that people often complain about from their ventilation systems.
Another advantage of BrHEAThe is that it can accommodate a variety of HRVs and boilers, which allows contractors to use appliances they are familiar with. This is especially important in rural Alaska, where new technologies can be very difficult to maintain. BrHEAThe also incorporates a filter box that can purify outdoor air that might contain exhaust fumes or wildfire smoke.
This technology has been adopted in more than ten villages across climate zones. The ideal house for BrHEAThe will be not only small and airtight but also have an open floorplan that allows air to circulate freely. In the right situation, BrHEAThe is a great solution to the indoor air quality problems that affect a large percentage of homes in Alaska.