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Unlocking the potential of air handling unit upgrades
Upgrading older air handling units is not only a smart energy efficiency and environmental decision, but also a strategic investment with rapid returns, says Manuel Swärd, export director West Europe, at IV Produkt
W
ith commercial property owners always looking for ways to support the drive for improved energy efficiency and
sustainability, one of the most cost-effective solutions could involve upgrading the plant room. Since the early 1990s IV Produkt has been
developing, manufacturing, and delivering environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient air handling units (AHUs). Amongst the many things we have learnt along the way is that replacing older air handling units is one of the most profitable sustainability investments possible.
Major opportunity
According to the UK government’s 2024 Non- Domestic National Energy Efficiency Data Framework, around 12% of commercial buildings in England and Wales have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating below E — making them non-compliant with current leasing regulations. Meanwhile, research by the British Property Federation shows that 83% of commercial properties in major cities are rated C or lower, falling short of the proposed minimum EPC standard of B by 2030. These figures highlight a significant challenge
Above: Manuel Swärd, Export Director West Europe, IV Produkt
Right: Placing the reversible heat pump module while replacing an AHU
— but also a major opportunity. As we often focus on generating new energy, we miss the most immediate and impactful solution: saving it. This
is where the plant room plays a critical role. By replacing older AHUs with modern, efficient units, building owners can reduce energy usage dramatically — often recouping their investment in as little as 2 to 5 years, while other sustainability measures, like solar panels, can take 6-10 years to pay back, depending on system size and investment costs.
Nepia House, Newcastle
We recently carried out a partial upgrade at Nepia House, a three-storey office building in Newcastle Quayside. The existing AHU and its DX cooling systems were over 20 years old and highly inefficient. Within a single day, the installation team replaced the old system with an IV Produkt Envistar Flex AHU, equipped with the integrated and defrosting-free reversible heat pump (ThermoCooler HP R454B), Integrated Controls and IV Produkt Cloud connectivity. The results? A reduction of 108,000kWh per
year in energy consumption, equal to 49kWh/ m2 in upgraded areas. At today’s energy prices, the payback period is just 3.3 years. If energy
Left: Nepia House payback and profit profile demonstrating a payback period of just 3.3 years
12 July 2025
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