HVAC and ventilation

Explore hvac and ventilation in plain English, with practical context, common distinctions and questions to ask before work starts.

Start with the entries below. They are part of a growing reference library, not an exhaustive technical specification or a substitute for specialist assessment.

Getting into refrigeration and air conditioning

Refrigeration and air-conditioning work installs, maintains and diagnoses systems controlling temperature. It brings together mechanical, electrical and refrigerant knowledge. A complete occupational route is different from a limited product course or F-gas certificate; neither alone proves every design, installation and diagnostic skill needed for the work.

Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR)

MVHR is a ventilation system which extracts stale air and supplies fresh air through a heat exchanger. It recovers some heat from the outgoing air without simply recirculating the extracted air into living rooms.

MVHR installation

MVHR means mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. It extracts stale air and supplies filtered outdoor air through a heat exchanger that recovers some heat from the outgoing airstream. It is a ventilation system, not an air conditioner, and it should not be confused with a simple bathroom extractor fan.

Last editorial check: 8 November 2026.