Buildings don’t need to breathe, but humans do
We’ve heard the saying “buildings need to breathe” for decades - but this phrase suggests that buildings require leaky walls to ‘breathe’. In a high performance home, a science-based approach recommends that we have airtight walls so that we can control the air, and ‘breathe’ via a balanced ventilation system that can remove contaminants and deliver filtered, comfortable, fresh air to occupants 24 hours a day. To continue the analogy, we breathe with our lungs, not through our skin!
The Pro Clima airtightness system represents the first half of our motto, while the Brink ventilation system represents the second half. When a home is airtight, ventilation needs to be provided via a balanced mechanical system. Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) and Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) do this while using energy from the outgoing air to pre-condition incoming air. HRVs transfer only sensible energy (heat as measured by a thermometer) and, therefore, are typically used for homes in climates where (high or low) humidity is not a concern or some multifamily projects. ERVs condition the incoming air by transferring the sensible energy as well as the latent energy (which refers to the moisture in the air). ERVs are typically used in climates that experience high humidity and/or dry seasons. The Brink FLAIR units are available as an HRV or ERV and in multiple sizes (air volume capacities) to fit various homes with differing ventilation demands.
Airtight wall and roof assemblies eliminate dusty, uncomfortable drafts and allow us to ensure healthy, quality air supply by routing air intentionally through the Brink system. With the Brink system we know where our air is coming from (and thus can filter and condition it), know how much air is supplied, and control where it is exhausted from and supplied to.
The Brink Difference - What Sets FLAIR Units Apart in the Ventilation Market
Brink has been innovating since 1964 and have been leaders in the heat recovery ventilation field over the last 40 years, having produced the first Dutch heat recovery ventilation machine in 1984. The offices and factory are located in Staphorst, Netherlands where the heat recovery cores are produced in-house. They invest heavily in research and development, and have over 250 employees. Brink is known for delivering superior, robust, and high quality products. The units have had many iterations and improvements. 475 brings Brink’s latest FLAIR series to the North American market.
The FLAIR units are Passive House Institute (PHI) certified, which means the efficiencies, power consumption, air leakage, air quality, and noise production (among other figures) are quantified and verified by a third party. The units are top performers with the highest heat and moisture recovery efficiencies in their class, achieving up to 91% heat recovery and up to 77% humidity recovery. Find PHI Certificates in our Brink Technical Support Files.
Innovative Technology for Superior Performance and Enhanced Comfort
Every FLAIR system is delivered fully-equipped with performance enhancing features such a sophisticated standard PCB, an intelligent pre-heater, an automatic bypass valve, and an accurate constant flow regulator (vane anemometer).
The FLAIR units are built to be robust. Access to the unit is from the front side, all major components are replaceable, with the insulated structure remaining airtight and intact, and only one screwdriver needed for disassembly. The units have a very intuitive color touch screen display with a clear menu structure and filter wizard for simple maintenance. Filtration of supply air is done with a fine MERV13 filter (which should be changed regularly) for superior air quality. Exhaust air is processed by a MERV8 filter to protect the core.
The FLAIR units pack powerful performance into an incredibly compact form. The high efficiencies are due to both the skillfully designed core and the sophisticated balancing technology. The core maximizes the time for and surface area where counter-flow heat exchange occurs, while the vane anemometer further enhances heat and moisture recovery by ensuring precise balancing of supply and exhaust air flows (allowing a reasonable core / unit size). The core also has guiding sleeves for long term airtightness, has very low pressure drop across it, and a high thermal efficiency. The fans backward curved blades and next-generation Electronically Commutated Motors (ECM) result in extremely low energy consumption of 0.21W/m³*hr.
Brink FLAIR units include an automatic 100% bypass function, offering shoulder season and summer nighttime “free cooling” without heat recovery. The built-in preheater gives the unit intelligent frost control, protecting the unit. Improvements unveiled with the FLAIR series to the preheater include its larger surface area and aerodynamic design.
While the units are designed to “set it and forget it”, real-time data and settings can be accessed at the color touchscreen display. Additional, optional, controls include: boost switches, RH-sensors, CO2 sensors for demand controlled ventilation, and a TOUCH CONTROL, all of which can all be used with the onboard standard PCB. The standard PCB is also Modbus compatible. The Brink PLUS MODULE furthers sophistication of the system by enabling (W)LAN internet-connectivity and giving access to the Brink App as well as the Brink Home web portal for data collection and trending.
Stocked in North America - Get Started Today
475 has brought Brink FLAIR HRV and ERV systems to homes in North America so you too can flourish with the most excellent air possible. We offer complete “home-run” kits with distribution components ranging from ducts to diffusers and everything needed in-between that are equally as high quality. The “home-run” distribution system allows for easy installation and airtight connections. For a full list of these distribution elements and control options, see Brink Parts List. (Note: not all parts are required for every home. Available unit sizes and options are continually expanding, please inquire for the latest info)
The 475 Brink Team is happy to support you on this journey by offering services from sizing a unit for your project, to creating a ventilation design, running a full system take-off, and producing a quote.
Complete the quote request form below to get started today!
