Environment · Brain health technique
Energy/heat-recovery ventilation (ERV/HRV)
Evidence grade: Context Dependent
Whole-home mechanical ventilation that exchanges stale indoor air for filtered outdoor air while transferring heat (and, with ERV, moisture) between the airstreams to keep comfort and energy efficiency. Works continuously on low speed to keep CO₂ and indoor pollutants from building up.
- Practice
- Environment
- Principle
- Protection
- Tactic
- Air Quality Optimization
- Evidence grade
- Context Dependent
- Strength of evidence
- Medium
How to practice Energy/heat-recovery ventilation (ERV/HRV)
Best added during new builds or major renovations. Specify MERV-13+ intake filters, set to run continuously on low, and service filters 2×/year. In older leaky homes, ERV/HRV is optional but helpful for bedrooms and home offices.
The evidence behind Energy/heat-recovery ventilation (ERV/HRV)
Consistent outdoor-air exchange reduces indoor CO₂, VOCs, humidity, and odors, which improves alertness, sleep quality, and respiratory comfort. Building-science data are strong; while dementia endpoints aren’t tested directly, the oxygenation + lower pollutant load pathway is the same one tied to better vascular and cognitive health.
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