HRV for schools and universities: Helty Flow120 for the redevelopment of the University Hub in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia

Indoor air quality in universities: why HRV is essential

Ensuring high indoor air quality in schools and universities is now a key design priority. In environments such as classrooms and study rooms, the accumulation of CO₂ and pollutants can compromise concentration, wellbeing and cognitive performance. For this reason, Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) is an essential solution to ensure indoor comfort and provide proper air exchange in educational environments.

It is within this framework that the project carried out in February 2026 at the University Hub in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, takes place, where a widespread decentralised HRV system for university classrooms was implemented. The project, managed by the distributor ENKO group s. r. o., involved the installation of 140 Helty Flow120H Pure units, designed to ensure healthy and comfortable environments even under high occupancy conditions.

A new vision of living: light, efficiency and healthiness

In the redevelopment of school and university buildings, one of the most critical aspects is system integration. In the case of Banská Bystrica, the need to work on an existing building made the use of decentralised HRV essential, as it is simpler to design and install compared to centralised systems, and also more cost-effective in terms of maintenance.

The project included the installation of 140 wall-recessed Helty Flow120H Pure units. These solutions, ideal for almost “invisible” integration in any context, enabled:

• horizontal installation under the window
• fast and non-invasive interventions (ideal for retrofit)
• discreet architectural integration (units “concealed” within the wall)
• reduced installation time and site complexity.

A particularly effective solution for bringing ventilation into classrooms without altering the building structure.

Smart and automatic school ventilation thanks to CO₂ sensors

One of the key strengths of the project is the integration of CO₂ sensors for monitoring air quality in classrooms. The installed Helty HRV units allow:

• continuous monitoring of CO₂ levels in educational environments
• automatic adjustment of ventilation
• airflow modulation based on occupancy and actual needs.

This enables smart ventilation in schools, ensuring consistently healthy air while avoiding energy waste, thanks to the enthalpy heat exchanger, which recovers up to 88% of the heat from extracted air to pre-heat incoming fresh air.

The benefits of HRV in schools and universities

In the case of the University Hub in Banská Bystrica, the installation of 140 decentralised Helty Flow120 units is aimed at improving the quality of indoor environments used for education. In a university setting characterised by high classroom occupancy, the introduction of a high-filtration HRV system with heat recovery ensures continuous and controlled air exchange, helping to keep CO₂ levels and indoor pollutants under control.

The adoption of decentralised HRV systems in schools provides tangible benefits:

• improved indoor air quality (IAQ)
• reduction of CO₂ levels in classrooms
• greater comfort for students and teachers
• environments more conducive to learning
• optimised energy consumption.

Decentralised HRV for classrooms: high airflow rates and top performance

The design requirements of a university building call for high-performance systems. Helty Flow120 decentralised HRV systems, with airflow rates up to 120 m³/h, proved to be the ideal choice in this case thanks to their versatility and modularity. Continuous dual-flow technology with heat recovery also improves energy efficiency, reducing heat losses and ensuring thermo-hygrometric comfort.

Helty decentralised HRV: the ideal solution for ventilation in educational buildings

The Banská Bystrica project demonstrates how Helty decentralised HRV is an effective solution for the redevelopment of schools and universities.

Thanks to:

simple and non-invasive installation
smart air quality sensors
high ventilation performance

it is possible to significantly improve the healthiness of educational environments, without complex structural interventions.

Project Sheet – University Hub Banská Bystrica

Project: University redevelopment – classroom ventilation
Location: Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
Period: February 2026
Distributor: ENKO group s. r. o.
HRV system: Helty Flow120H Pure
Number of units: 140
Application: concealed decentralised HRV with CO₂ sensors installed under the window.

The product mentioned in this article

Flow120

Recessed wall-mounted HRV, compact and silent. Air exchange up to 120 cubic meters per hour. Automatic free-cooling.

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