Genvex units bring heat, fresh air & hot water to award-winning scheme

Space heating, hot water and ventilation to the dwellings is provided by Genvex Combi 185 compact service units, which combine heat recovery ventilation and an air-to-water heat pump, and were supplied by Total Home Environment.

Consisting of a terrace of three dwellings, these passive house units are part of a larger mixed development of affordable and open market housing developed by Hastoe Housing Association, and lie within the North Norfolk area of outstanding natural beauty. “As there was no gas in the area, we were asked to install our compact service unit to not only provide heat recovery ventilation, but via the integral heat pump, all the heating and domestic hot water requirements to each of the houses,” Clarissa Youden of Total Home Environment told Passive House Plus.

She said that early monitoring indicates performance is as anticipated with heat load hovering around 8W/m2, temperature at a constant 21C, indoor carbon dioxide averaging 650ppm and relative humidity averaging 55%. The North Norfolk coast has a significant proportion of second homes, which has driven housing costs beyond the reach of local people, and passive house was specified by Hastoe as a means of addressing fuel poverty in the area.

The Genvex Combi 185 is a Passive House Institute certified combined heat recovery ventilation unit with air-source heat pump. Youden said it can provide heat recovery ventilation at all times, even when the heat pump is delivering hot water, and has a COP (coefficient of performance) of 4.5, according to Total Home Environment. It is an all-in-one compact unit, meaning the system’s components are integrated. Genvex systems are distributed in Ireland by Origen, Ecosystems Ireland & Ashgrove.

A video profile of the Burnham Overy Staithe project, with enthusiastic reports from residents, is also available below.