A ventilation solution for modern high efficiency homes

On the outskirts of Warkworth, a high-end residential estate is under development, where a small village full of luxurious homes that takes inspiration from the quaint, colourful hamlets that dot the Italian countryside, will emerge.

Dubbed Rockford Point, the development encompasses a 7.2 hectare area, offering a mix of quality single-lot homes and village units — and at the heart of the project is a philosophy of well-considered urban design and sustainable building.

The village will combine a classic Italian feel with modern features — open spaces, high ceilings and a minimalist architectural aesthetic.

Since they will be high performance homes, the brief called for thermally efficient builds — so the Rockford Point houses are set to feature built-in SIPS panels and will make use of thermally efficient German joinery.

This in turn called for a good quality, efficient and easily implemented ventilation solution that not only complements the design, but adds value to each property — all while keeping air clean and fresh.

This is where solutionair came into the picture. In collaboration with the architect of the project, the heating and ventilation specialists at solutionair designed a solution by strategically placing decentralised ventilation units in rooms and areas where fresh air ventilation is required.

Massimo Biscuola, the CEO of solutionair, says there were several things to reconcile when considering the subject of ventilation at Rockford Point.

“The inefficiency of opening windows and doors to vent each space, the proximity of the houses to each other, privacy, and potential levels of external noise — all of this meant that the development needed an efficient mechanical ventilation solution that could take care of internal pollutants 24/7,” says Massimo.

“And, given the cathedral ceilings specified by the architect, we did not have the option of installing a ducted ventilation system.

“The solution we have proposed is the Italian-made REC-DUO, a decentralised through-wall ventilation system that works with the design of each space,” says Massimo.

“The REC-DUO units are installed in each room based on usage and volume — and can be linked to other units via Bluetooth to create convective air movement inside the space.”

And it wasn’t just the desirable features inherent in the solution that made the REC-DUO units attractive — it was also the ease of installation and maintenance.

“It’s the ease of installation, the stylish Italian design, the installation kit designed by solutionair to meet the NZ Building Code,” says Massimo.

“These features make it stand out. The unobtrusive installation also complements the simple design of the village, a requirement the developer stated in his brief.”

Of course, the REC-DUO also excels at its primary function: delivering excellent performance and heat recovery. It has a very high efficiency decentralised ceramic core with heat recovery up to 90%.

This makes it ideal for residential applications such as Rockford Point — medium-to-high density living projects which are coming under more scrutiny in light of the recent Building Code changes.

Massimo says the ventilation ensures that air remains healthy — and residents don’t even need to let fresh air in from the outside to keep their homes fresh and dry.

“The REC-DUO adds a high level of comfort inside each space without the need to open doors and windows,” he says. “It’s essentially a 24/7 ventilation solution controlled by the user, based on need and demand.”

“It ticked every box for the Rockford Point development.”

Learn more about solutionair and its offerings.