A Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) system is an essential element in an airtight home.

The airtight quality of a thermally efficient house prevents heat escaping and cold air from outside entering the property. However, ventilation is vital for a healthy internal environment. Removing stale air, condensation and pollutants and supplying fresh filtered air into a space, MVHR systems are now a crucial component in self-build homes.

The MVHR system is comprised of an air-handling unit, usually installed in an attic space or plant room, and ducting. The ducting draws the stale air from each room and replaces it with fresh air from outside.

The unit recovers heat from the outgoing air and transfers it to the incoming air. This system delivers low-cost warmth throughout the home, reducing energy usage, as well as removing humidity and improving the indoor air quality. The MVHR system in our new show home has been installed by Robbens, a trusted supplier whose quality products have been used in numerous Scandia projects.

The Robbens team also provided the MLCP (multi-layer composite pipe) press-fit systems for our first fix plumbing. Consisting of an oxygen-tight aluminium core sandwiched between two layers of plastic, these composite pipes are perfect for the vast majority of plumbing and heating applications.

The smooth hygienic inner plastic layer ensures that incrustation build-up and limescale are not a problem, and the aluminium core reduces the chances of thermal expansion. Thermal expansion can be a real issue when unsecure push-fittings are used, as is the case with the vast majority of plastic pipe installations in the UK. The major disadvantage of using metal pipes at the moment is their wild price fluctuations; there has been a steep increase in copper prices, rising almost 100% in the past twelve months alone. Plumbing systems using MLCP also have around 30% fewer joints than a traditional copper installation and when used in conjunction with mechanically press fittings, vastly reduces the potential for dreaded leaks. MLCP combines the advantages of both plastic and metal pipes, whilst also eliminating the disadvantages of both.