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The iSLa application for controlling ventilation units is supplemented with a section for installers

In April, we launched iSLa, a mobile application for controlling ventilation units. It gradually completely replaces the separate control panels supplied with the units. In October, the iSLa application will also be completed with an installers section intended for professionals.

iSLa makes tracking notifications and device monitoring independent of your location. From the point of view of the equipment user, it is practical that the adjustments of the ventilation unit can now be made remotely. For example, the home mode can be activated conveniently before returning, so that the indoor climate will be pleasant immediately upon arrival.

In the future, installation and maintenance personnel will be able to implement and monitor ventilation units remotely, which will save both driving kilometres and enable faster customer service. Remote control also brings with it positive environmental effects, as the need for components ordered from Asia and the amount of plastic waste decreases.

Setting up the application is easy

The iSLa application can be downloaded from the Google Play and AppStore application stores.

Equipment users
  • Owners of ventilation units do not need to do anything during the transition
  • The application can be enabled on most units, but it is not necessary
  • The wifi module needed for using the app can be ordered from Enervent Zehnder’s online store at webshop.enervent.com
  • Control panel support and spare part deliveries will continue for years to come
Professionals
  • Access to the section intended for installers is always requested in the application. Note! Application processing takes 1–3 days.
  • More detailed instructions can be found on the Enervent Zehnder website

Contact us and ask more about the iSLa application or Enervent Zehnder’s devices from the seller in your area or from our customer service: +358 207 528 800, enervent@enervent.com

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Enervent Zehnder’s service team solves special situations

Ventilation units are quite independent. When everything works, you don’t even notice their existence. However, the life cycle of the device is long and sometimes a competent service technician is needed for a home visit.

Our trusted technicians Oscar Husman and Robert Kristén handle, among other things, all special situations and are involved in training partner companies both in Finland and in other countries.

Both Oscar and Robert know Enervent’s different device models inside out. Both have a full 17 years in the company’s service and have accumulated a four-digit number of service gigs in Finnish homes. Rarely, if ever, does a device problem arise for which a solution cannot be found immediately.

The best are the customers and the work atmosphere

Oscar and Robert enjoy both their own tasks and Enervent. Robert confirms that no two working days are the same in a row and it is always nice to meet customers “live”. Similarly, Oscar thanks the good work atmosphere. Technical back office and service technicians cooperate seamlessly when solving customer concerns.

– When it comes to ventilation, you might think that summer is the busiest time for us, but the opposite is true. After all, Enervent’s ventilation units have rotating heat exchangers, which are usually not used in the summer. Maintenance needs are noticed more often in the cooler months, says Robert Kristén.

Oscar Husman reminds that in Finland the equipment is already of high quality because building technology and ventilation planning is regulated.

– My job description includes the training of partners’ technicians and installers in other countries as well. Thankfully, building regulations are followed and standard parts are used in the devices in our main market the Nordic countries.

Oscar’s and Robert’s equipment knowledge is also needed from time to time in the warehouse when the distribution of spare parts has increased with the establishment of the online store. Spare parts for the different unit models are assembled and finished in Porvoo before shipment.

What are the most common reasons for a maintenance visit?

Ventilation units are designed for decades of use. Due to the device warranty, commissioning installation should always be done by a competent and technically skilled professional. This ensures that the device works correctly from the start.

The maintenance team reminds us that filters are the single most important maintenance operation. If you forget to replace them, it will cause the unti to malfunction before long and maintenance must be called to the scene.

In older units, individual wearing parts are also replaced. Control modification packages are a functional solution to extend the life of the unit when you don’t want to replace it with a completely new one yet. Dozens of packages are available, and their content depends on the unit model.

Maintenance in all locations

In addition to its own maintenance team, Enervent Zehnder has partner networks in the Nordic countries. For example, there are about 30 experienced maintenance companies in Finland, whose representatives we regularly train. In special situations and whenever necessary, Oscar and Robert travel to help the local maintenance company.

Questions? Our technical support guides and advises: service@enervent.com.

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Good indoor air belongs to everyone

Executive Director Mervi Ahola leads the Finnish Indoor Air Association, which has been actively sharing theme information in Finland for over 30 years. A good indoor climate is the sum of many factors, and new university research on the subject is constantly being conducted. The association is an important link to increase the dialogue between researchers in the construction industry and those who need information.

In the Nordic countries, the level of requirements of building regulations has traditionally been higher than in the rest of Europe. For example, in Finland, they also contain minimums for the ventilation air volume of buildings. It is indeed more difficult to verify the implementation of the practice.

The HVAC field is a combination of technology and closeness to people

Mervi Ahola of the Finnish indoor air association has practically been dealing with indoor air quality throughout her working career. We asked her to tell us who is responsible for good indoor air. At the beginning of the interview, it is interesting to hear what made her specifically choose the Master of Science in HVAC studies.

– In the beginning I was interested in the combination of technology and closeness to people. Indoor air is practically at its best when you don’t even notice it. In this case, the human influence and the acquired experience and knowledge bring a different dimension to the technology.

– When the topic is discussed, it is good to first verify what is meant by different terms. When talking about indoor air quality, it automatically includes possible pollutants. In addition to cleanliness, the indoor climate also includes thermal conditions. Correspondingly, the indoor environment also covers lighting and acoustics in addition to the above, Ahola elaborates.

At the same time, she emphasizes that ventilation plays a significant role in creating good indoor air, but the condition of the buildings’ structures and maintenance during their life cycle are just as important.

Who takes responsibility for indoor air?

In public discussion, indoor air quality is easily brought up in connection with problems such as mold-damaged buildings.

– This is an emotional topic and articles that gain visibility in the media/social media also affect public opinion. When it comes to best practices, it clearly divides people. Our goal in the association is to produce fact-based information to support solutions. Today, even right down to the consumer level.

Ahola reminds that the association operates impartially and has networked with many different organizations, the business world, and authorities. University research in the construction industry as well as practical property management professionals are represented on the board of the association.

– Yes, good indoor air is a matter for all parties during the property’s life cycle, but ultimately it is the property owner’s responsibility. After all, the responsibility starts with the customer, in other words, what kind of quality level is required. And from there it flows to the desks of the architect and the HVAC designer and on to the contractor. After construction, it is important that essential information about the property is transferred to maintenance, whose task is to ensure that the conditions remain good even during use. In the entire chain, communication between the parties is needed. If mistakes are made during the construction phase, or the right equipment is installed incorrectly, success cannot be achieved, Mervi Ahola sums up.

Ahola emphasizes the responsibility of the entire chain equally. Even the last in the chain, i.e. the user of the property bears his share of the responsibility.

– The lifestyles of the users and residents of the premises naturally affect the quality of the indoor air. In addition, neglecting maintenance measures and necessary maintenance can quickly ruin a well-planned and built entity.

Finnish Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (FISIAQ) is a non-profit Society, that promotes the work for healthy and comfortable indoor air quality and climate.  The Society provides information from research to practice and educates the users and the owners of buildings to maintain a good indoor climate. FISIAQ was founded in 1990 to organize the Indoor Air Conference 1993.

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New employees at Enervent Zehnder

Johan Kaurila started as purchasing and logistics manager in May. Nicolina Mickelsson has strengthened the finance team since August. We asked them to tell us how the first weeks and months have gone in the world of ventilation units.

Johan Kaurila (M.Sc.), Sourcing & Logistics Manager

– Before Enervent, I worked for 11 years in various positions in a company that supplies oil spill control and environmental solutions globally. There, too, I was responsible for, among other things, projects related to logistics and stock. Although I enjoyed myself, more than ten years with the same employer is quite a long time. At Enervent, I was above all interested in the opportunity to test new challenges in a completely different field than before.

– My current job description includes contacting and tendering new and alternative suppliers, as well as the responsibility for drawing and developing the logistics business. I’ve studied finance, supply chain management and logistics, so I’m in the right field. I have also studied to become a sports instructor at a university of applied sciences, which means that I have also worked with various things related to exercise and well-being. In leisure time, sports provide an important counterweight to work.

– The first months have gone well! Especially the ongoing SAP project has kept me busy, and I am learning a lot of new things and methods in it as well. Enervent has a great team and from day one I felt like part of the house.

Johan reports to Mikael Karlsson, who is responsible for the supply chain.

Nicolina Mickelsson (M.Sc.), Financial Controller

– My job description is broad. Among other things, I am responsible for the company’s external and internal reporting. In addition to that, I will also be responsible for the group reporting of our Norwegian sister company Exvent AS. I managed to work in the field of auditing for more than 10 years, of which the last 8 years as a KHT auditor (a Finnish auditor examination) in the capital region. Now I get to see what it’s like to work “on the other side of the table”.

– Enervent interested me because it combines many things. It is important to me to work for a company whose products I believe in. I learned about solutions related to good indoor air when we built our house. We chose an Enervent ventilation unit, so the brand was already familiar. The tasks are versatile, and the international ownership makes the job description even broader. The location is of course also perfect for a Porvoo resident.

– The first weeks have gone well, and everyone has been very nice. Even though I’ve only been here a few weeks, I already feel like part of the group. I had heard that the best thing about Enervent is the nice people and the good team spirit, and that is true.

Nicolina reports to Monica Strandell, who is responsible for finance and HR.

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Development as a red thread – 35 years in the technology spotlight

In February it was 35 years since Tom Palmgren started working at Enervent Zehnder. During this time, the development of ventilation units has progressed by leaps and bounds. But chance had its hand in the game when Tom ended up in the business.

When an energy engineering student from Loviisa was thinking about the topic for his diploma thesis in the late 1980s, he took out the telephone directory for his county. Combinent was at the beginning of the alphabet and CEO Robert Hägg answered the call. The phone call was the start of a more than 30-year career in ventilation technology.

From a thesis to a working career

Just a few years before Tom called, Hägg, an entrepreneur in the metal industry, himself a technology-enthusiastic innovator, had manufactured the first ventilation units.

– At the first meeting, I immediately received a proposal for the topic for my final thesis. I studied HVAC engineering as a specialization option and at Combinent I focused on the rotary heat exchanger in my work. Tom says that his entire career began somewhat by chance with the study of heat recovery with rotary heat exchangers.

He has been in several different positions, the common thread in his career has always been development.

– In the beginning I was doing product design and electrical and automation design. I have also been involved in sales and made offers. Sometimes technical support has been needed in the customer interface. After all, accounting has never been assigned to Tom.

Growth and internationalization

In the early 2000s, Combinent’s name became Enervent. Tom moved to the position of technical director when Ensto, an international family company in the electrical industry, bought the ventilation manufacturer from Porvoo.

– The business had grown steadily, and production was separated from product development under Ensto. Then it also became my responsibility to monitor the regulation at both national and EU level. Related to that, my duties include quality issues and certifications as well as monitoring of standardization work, Tom lists the job description today.

Advances in technology

It is easy for Tom Palmgren to name the most important milestones from a technology perspective.

– The company’s success is based on the right choice of strategic technology, i.e., switching to the rotary heat exchanger. The next significant change was the development of digitalization, the change from AC fans to DC fans and the transition to heat pump technology. In this way, we made our units more energy efficient than before, which is an important competitive advantage even today.

During the last ten years, development has been rapid and customer oriented. Among other things, digital connections to various property management systems and development of mobile solutions have been an automatic continuum. In addition, the effect of the regulations will become increasingly important in product development.

What made you stay with the company for so long?

– Managers and owners have always had an encouraging attitude towards new development ideas and their testing. This has also been realized in recent years as part of the Zehnder Group. The most important thing, of course, is the good spirit in the working community that has been preserved despite growth and changes.

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iSLa remote control app for Enervent Zehnder ventilation units

Enervent Zehnder has launched a mobile app that controls ventilation units. The development of the new mobile solution is an automatic continuation of the company’s 40 years of product development. Today, most people have a smartphone or tablet at their disposal and with the iSLa mobile app, it’s easy to control the ventilation also remotely.

Mikael Karlsson, who is in charge of the supply chain at Enervent Zehnder, says that customers have for some time called for the ability to monitor and adjust the ventilation equipment regardless of their own location. However, he points out that, as a rule, all Enervent Zehnder equipment are self-controlled.

– Our ventilation units operate independently, and they and continuously measure environmental conditions such as indoor humidity. The control panels are mainly needed for commissioning the ventilation machine, for changing the operating mode, and for taking care of maintenance reminders or random errors. The new application receives all notifications completely independent of your location, says Karlsson.

iSLa will gradually replace the separate control panels that are supplied with the machines. Originally control panels replaced the control switches that used to be earlier attached to the machines.

– The most significant change compared to the previous solution is that iSLa app serves ventilation units with both eAir and eWind controls. To use the application, a wifi module is required, which is supplied with the new ventilation units, says Mikael Karlsson.

iSLa minimises component demand and plastic waste

The app will help reduce the need to order components from Asia and at the same time reduce plastic waste. Enervent Zehnder will launch a dedicated section to application for installers in late summer. When remote monitoring of the ventilation becomes possible thanks to the application, it will reduce the need for on-site maintenance visits.

Mikael Karlsson confirms that owners of ventilation equipment do not need to do anything during the transition.

– The control panels will be left out of the deliveries during this year. However, support and spare parts deliveries will continue for many years to come. If you wish, you can contact customer service to ensure that the app is available for your older device. iSLa, like other apps, can be downloaded from the Google Play and AppStore app stores.

– We are proud of our product development. Remote control will have a positive environmental impact.

For more information: Mikael Karlsson, Supply Chain Manager, mikael.karlsson@enervent.com

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A home where it is easy to breathe

When Maria Klemetz and Janne Käpylehto were looking for a new home for their family, they had a clear goal in mind. The hope was to find a house built before 1950 near the Old Town of Helsinki. The area is known for its old houses with cosy gardens. The couple had time to inspect a dozen or so properties before they found the right one.

– We were desperately looking for a suitable house on the Käpylä-Kumpula-Toukola axis. The task was not easy, as we both need our own workspaces at home. Our home wasn’t even for sale when we first saw it a couple of years ago, says Janne Käpylehto.

– From the outside, the three-storey house had a suitable personality and diversity, which made an immediate impression on both of us, confirms Maria Klemetz.

What made the house special?

– When we finally got to see the building from the inside, it was even better than we expected. By then, the functionalist house, which had already seen its best days, had last been renovated in the 1980s. But we immediately recognized several fantastic structural solutions: wide windows, tall windows, arched windows and an impressive 6.5-meter room height in the entrance hall.

An old house is an adventure

Klemetz’s and Käpylehto’s own backgrounds made it easier to plan the renovation. The architect and technology innovator had a clear vision of how to restore the middle-class home from 1939 to its former glory, but at the same time also suitable for everyday life in a modern family with children. In addition, they wanted to use traditional building materials as much as possible.

– It was clear from the beginning that we don’t want structures that don’t breathe in our home. Frankly, we wanted to avoid all plastic as much as possible, explains Käpylehto.

The division of labour was clear, Maria Klemetz took over the responsibility as main designer. The people who carried out the renovation were found through the couple’s own network and with the help of neighbours and recommendations.

As always when carrying out renovations, surprises were not avoided this time either.

The extensive surface renovation, which was supposed to take a few months, turned into a two-year work camp and the budget was tripled. The family also managed to grow during this time. But the result is exactly what was hoped for – a home where it is easy to breathe.

Indoor climate solutions on the residents’ terms

The house had gravity ventilation characteristic of the construction period, which we wanted to preserve. It was clear from the start that we needed a different kind of solution for the bedrooms.

– In my work, I had already gotten to know different ventilation solutions, so we knew that there are many different options, confirms Maria Klemetz.

The couple found suitable units from Zehnder through traditional Googling. The ComfoSpot 50 was chosen for several reasons. It is easy for Janne Käpylehto to list the qualities that weighed heavily in the scales during the election. According to him, even a water-circulating radiator sounds more than the ventilation units in the bedrooms.

– ComfoSpot 50 is so quiet that it could also be installed close to the bed. The appearance was of course also important, i.e., the fact that the unit’s indoor and outdoor unit can be masked. You can practically forget about the unit’s existence, as the automation adjusts the flow rate by itself. The only thing you need to do is change the filter. The indoor air in the bedrooms has been healthy since the installation and I have told many people that it feels like sleeping outside in a tent, summarizes Käpylehto.

Zehnder ComfoSpot 50 is a room-specific ventilation unit with heat and moisture recovery and continuous supply and extract air flow. It is intended for ventilation of individual rooms in both renovation and new construction projects. The unit has an enthalpy heat exchanger as standard equipment, which guarantees high heat and moisture recovery. The Zehnder ComfoSpot 50 can be equipped with various external wall panels or a window module, which means that the unit’s supply and extract air duct can be almost imperceptibly embedded in the window frame.

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Enervent Zehnder’s anniversary year – 40 years as a trendsetter in ventilation technology

The year 2023 is a double anniversary year for Enervent Zehnder. Our company turns 40 this year and in Norway we have marketed ventilation units under the name Exvent for 20 years.

Today, Enervent Zehnder is part of the Zehnder Group. The globally active group improves the quality of life by offering innovative indoor climate solutions. However, few people know that our own story began with payment difficulties at a customer of a company in the metal industry.

Parts for ventilation units as payment of invoice

Our history is an excellent example of entrepreneurial spirit, the desire to develop technology and understand customer needs. It all started in 1983 with a metal company called Combinent. The founder Robert Hägg received from the customer parts for a ventilation unit as compensation for an invoice instead of money, and he became interested in the technology in the field.

After studying the options in more detail, Hägg decided to be the first in Finland to start manufacturing units with rotary heat exchangers. The continuous and steplessly adjustable operation of the rotary heat exchanger is still the best solution for most households in terms of ventilation and energy efficiency.

Strong investment in product development

Our business has steadily grown and internationalized, and the owners have changed, but production has remained in Porvoo, Finland. There is more that hasn’t changed. Energy efficiency in ventilation has been at the core of Enervent Zehnder’s product development for four decades. All product development still takes place in our own premises, where the climate laboratory that performs continuous tests is also located.

The picture shows our technology manager Tom Palmgren and one of the first units in the LTR series in the late 1980s. Our most famous product is Pingvin, which was introduced to the market in 1995 and gained the status of a legend, of which updated versions were sold for no less than 24 years.

At the beginning of the 2000s, we were looking for a solution to combine heat pump and ventilation. The result was the patented Pelican HP, which was released in 2007. Last year we introduced the ventilation unit Enervent Svea, whose characteristics, thanks to advanced fan technology, correspond to units in a larger size category. With the Cooler module, we made it even better.

A festive year characterized by work

We celebrate the anniversary throughout the year and invite our various stakeholders to visit Porvoo. If you want to put together a group from your own company, you can contact Andrei Leventcov, who is responsible for export sales, via email.

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Enervent Zehnder increased its turnover and improved its profitability

The Porvoo-based ventilation technology manufacturer Enervent Zehnder increased its turnover and improved its profitability in 2022. The company expects exports to grow further in 2023, when it can sell to new countries through its parent company Zehnder.

– There are many reasons behind the growth. The general awareness of the importance of indoor climate is growing, the requirements for energy efficiency are emphasized even more and the products must have advanced functions. Finnish manufacturing is also appreciated, says Thomas Söderholm, Managing director of Enervent Zehnder.

– The year 2022 surprised us in a positive way. Our turnover increased and profitability improved. According to forecasts, housing construction will decrease in 2023 in all Nordic countries, but we will respond to that by investing in renovation construction, above all energy renovations. In addition, our latest product Svea Cooler, which was launched at the Finnbuild fair last October, provides a new type of solution for household cooling needs. It combines cooling with ventilation, says Söderholm.

Strategic role as an expert on northern climate within the Zehnder Group

The year 2023 is a double anniversary year for Enervent Zehnder. The company has manufactured and sold ventilation units for 40 years. This year also celebrates the fact that the company’s ventilation units have been marketed under the name Exvent in Norway for 20 years. The business is becoming more and more international as the integration with Zehnder Group, which has been the owner since 2018, continues, says Söderholm.

The product development of the ventilation units is done in the company’s own premises in Porvoo, where there is also a climate laboratory that performs continuous tests, to imitate the northern climate. Thomas Söderholm confirms that the company sees significant growth opportunities during the anniversary year.

– Zehnder bought us because of our expertise in the northern climate. In this role, we can develop products for a much wider area than before. We currently regularly export our products to 14 countries. This year we will be integrated to Zehnder’s ERP system, so we can increase unit sales to the group’s global sales network. Among the roughly 70 countries there are several countries with cold climates. The Nordic countries will of course remain our key markets, says Söderholm.

More information:

Thomas Söderholm, Managing director, Enervent Zehnder Oy, +358 40 764 9559, thomas.soderholm@enervent.com

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Enervent Zehnder’s ventilation units work without problems even at freezing temperatures

The importance of a good indoor climate is particularly emphasized during the winter months, when we spend a lot of time at home and indoors. Enervent Zehnder’s ventilation units have been specially designed for the northern climate and varying weather conditions have been considered in our product development from the beginning.

Our units are designed to cope with large differences between indoor and outdoor temperatures. The most important thing is to remember to use the unit according to the instructions in all situations. The dimensioned air volumes should not be changed, even if it is very cold outside. When used correctly, the units do not freeze even if the humidity in the extract air rises temporarily.

In addition, the technology solution we chose – the rotary heat exchanger – is a known energy-efficient alternative.

During the winter months, the humidity decreases

In winter, heating dries out the indoor air and it is important that ventilation devices balance the humidity. When the temperature drops below 0 °C, the rotary heat exchanger recovers some of the moisture in the extract air, so that the indoor humidity remains at a healthy level.

Clean filters ensure fresh air

Our units work best when the user remembers to change the filters regularly. It is recommended that the filters in the ventilation unit be replaced at least every six months. Now is a good time to make sure new filters are ordered for the unit for the cold winter months.

The energy-saving eco mode

Our ventilation units have an energy-saving eco mode. Its purpose is to minimize the ventilation unit’s electricity consumption and maximize heat recovery, without impairing the ventilation. Using the eco mode may temporarily cause a feeling of draft on cold winter days, but at the same time provides savings in operating costs.