What is waste heat recovery in buildings?

Waste heat recovery (WHR) in buildings is the process of capturing and reusing heat that would otherwise be lost during building operations from HVAC exhaust, industrial processes, server rooms, cooking equipment, or hot water drainage and redirecting it to meet other thermal energy needs within the building.

Common Sources of Waste Heat in Buildings

  • HVAC exhaust air from ventilation systems
  • Chiller and refrigeration equipment condenser heat
  • Hot water drain from showers, dishwashers, and laundry
  • Data centre and server room heat
  • Commercial kitchen exhaust
  • Boiler flue gases

Key Waste Heat Recovery Technologies

  • Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV) and Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV): Transfer heat from exhaust air to incoming fresh air in HVAC systems
  • Drain Water Heat Recovery (DWHR) systems: Capture heat from hot drain water to pre-heat incoming cold water
  • Heat Exchangers: Transfer heat between fluid streams without mixing them
  • Co-generation (CHP) systems: Simultaneously generate electricity and useful heat from a single fuel source

Waste heat recovery is a practical and proven strategy to dramatically improve building energy efficiency without major changes to systems. For commercial buildings, hospitals, hotels, and data centres in India, WHR technologies offer significant financial returns and help achieve ambitious net-zero energy targets.

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