The Problem With a Mild-Climate SRE Number
Most ERV spec sheets lead with one efficiency number, tested at a mild outdoor temperature. That number tells an installer or specifier very little about how the unit performs on the day it actually matters — the coldest design day of the year. In Canada and the northern US, that day is well below freezing, and a ventilator that hasn't been tested there is an unknown at exactly the point where the building code and the occupants both need an answer.
The fix isn't a bigger number. It's a number tested at the temperature the project will actually see.
The EXINDA Breeze ICMBCOFF1AYS
The Breeze ICMBCOFF1AYS is a side-port residential ERV built for whole-home balanced ventilation in houses and multifamily projects. It ships with three standard speed points — 42, 90 and 130 CFM — and the fan platform can be field-adjusted up to 170 CFM at 0.4 in. w.g. when the duct design and commissioning support that duty, so one unit covers a range of dwelling sizes without a model change.
Tested at the Temperature That Matters
HVI lists this unit at 86% Sensible Recovery Efficiency at 0°C and 67% at −25°C — the Very Low Temperature Test, run over 72 hours at the cold end of HVI's certification program. That second number is the one worth checking on any ERV before specifying it for a cold-climate project, and it's often the number missing from a spec sheet.
- HVI Listing 2005500
- Certified to UL 1812 (safety) and CSA C439 (performance) under CSA Certificate 80227354
- Auto-balancing airflow control
- Recirculation defrost for continued operation at low outdoor temperature
Installation Notes
At 9.4 in. thick, the unit fits tighter mechanical spaces than a standard-depth ERV cabinet. A mirror-image configuration is available for installations where duct routing runs from the opposite side. Both matter more in retrofit and multifamily corridor installations than the headline efficiency number does.
What to Send for Project Evaluation
To confirm this is the right unit for a project, EXINDA needs the location and design outdoor temperature, dwelling type, required design ventilation rate, and the intended mounting location. Full engineering documents aren't needed at this stage.
See the Breeze 42–170 CFM product page for full specifications, or contact EXINDA to start a project evaluation.
