Ventilation & Indoor Air Quality
ERV, HRV, filtration and whole-home ventilation strategies integrated with your home's overall mechanical system.
We design fresh air, exhaust and filtration alongside heating and cooling — so the entire system works together.
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Whole-home ventilation
Heating and cooling are only part of a home's mechanical system.
Modern homes — especially new construction, major remodels and tighter building envelopes — often need a deliberate strategy for bringing in outdoor air, exhausting stale air and maintaining comfortable indoor conditions.
3rdGen designs ventilation as part of the home's complete mechanical system. Depending on the project, that may include energy recovery ventilation, heat recovery ventilation, filtration, dedicated exhaust and fresh-air distribution.
The objective is not to add another piece of equipment. It is to make the building breathe intentionally.
System function
Design intent
Fresh Air
Controlled introduction of filtered outdoor air.
Exhaust
Removal of stale air from bathrooms and other appropriate spaces.
Filtration
Filtration selected around system airflow and equipment requirements.
Distribution
Fresh air delivered intentionally throughout the home.
Integration
Ventilation coordinated with heating, cooling and controls.
Commissioning
Airflow and equipment operation verified at completion.
System design
01
ERV systems introduce filtered outdoor air while exhausting stale indoor air and recovering energy between the two air streams. They are particularly valuable in tighter homes where uncontrolled leakage can no longer be relied upon for ventilation.
02
HRV systems provide balanced mechanical ventilation while recovering heat from outgoing air. Equipment selection depends on the building envelope, climate and overall mechanical strategy.
03
Filtration can be integrated with ducted HVAC equipment or dedicated ventilation systems. We evaluate filter efficiency alongside airflow and static-pressure requirements rather than treating filtration as an isolated accessory.
04
Fresh air needs to reach the spaces where people live. We coordinate duct routing, manifolds, supply locations and exhaust locations to distribute ventilation intentionally throughout the home.
Design-build coordination
01
Review architectural plans, envelope strategy, occupancy, HVAC design and project goals.
02
Determine the appropriate fresh-air, exhaust and filtration strategy for the home.
03
Evaluate ERV, HRV, filtration and distribution options based on the project rather than forcing a single solution.
04
Plan mechanical-room space, duct routes, ceiling conditions, exterior penetrations and grille locations before construction makes them difficult.
05
Install the system and verify airflow and operation before handoff.
Why integration matters
Outdoor air is introduced deliberately instead of relying only on infiltration through the building envelope.
Supply and exhaust quantities are coordinated so the ventilation system operates as designed.
Incoming and recirculated air can be filtered according to the requirements of the mechanical system.
Ventilation is designed alongside the heating and cooling equipment rather than added after the system is complete.
Equipment location, airflow and duct design all influence how quietly a ventilation system performs.
Grilles, duct routes, penetrations and equipment locations are coordinated with the finished home.
Project types
Controlled ventilation is easiest to integrate while the project team still has access to framing, ceilings and mechanical space.
Planning a renovation? See how we coordinate ventilation with HVAC for Remodels & Additions .
For a ground-up home, begin with New Construction HVAC so ventilation is resolved before rough-in.
High-performance ventilation
A successful ventilation system begins before equipment arrives on site.
We coordinate airflow requirements, equipment location, duct routing, manifolds, intake and exhaust locations, controls and architectural conditions as part of the mechanical design.
This is especially important with dedicated whole-home ventilation systems where small routing decisions affect the finished architecture.
Fresh-air and exhaust requirements established around the building.
ERV or HRV equipment selected according to project conditions.
Supply and exhaust locations coordinated room by room.
Duct routing, penetrations and mechanical space resolved before installation.
Premium systems
For custom homes and high-performance projects, 3rdGen can design and install premium dedicated ventilation systems including Zehnder.
Zehnder systems can use centralized manifolds and dedicated distribution tubing to continuously deliver fresh air to living spaces while removing stale air from bathrooms, laundry rooms and other designated areas.
These systems are particularly well suited to projects where ventilation performance, quiet operation and architectural integration are priorities.
Our approach
01
Understand the house, construction scope and mechanical objectives.
02
Establish fresh-air, exhaust and filtration requirements.
03
Select equipment and determine distribution, duct routing and controls.
04
Coordinate mechanical requirements with framing, architecture and other trades.
05
Install equipment, ductwork, manifolds, grilles and controls.
06
Verify system operation and airflow before completion.
FAQ
Common questions about whole-home ventilation, ERVs, HRVs and filtration.
Not necessarily. The appropriate ventilation strategy depends on the building envelope, existing ventilation, construction scope and project objectives. Newer and tighter homes are often stronger candidates for dedicated mechanical ventilation.
Both provide controlled ventilation while transferring energy between outgoing and incoming air. An ERV can transfer heat and some moisture, while an HRV primarily transfers heat. The right choice depends on the building and mechanical design.
No. ERVs and HRVs provide ventilation. Heating and cooling equipment is still responsible for maintaining indoor temperature.
Yes. Major remodels can be an ideal opportunity because walls, ceilings and framing may already be accessible for dedicated ventilation ductwork.
Sometimes. Some systems can interact with portions of a conventional HVAC system while others perform better with dedicated ventilation ductwork. We determine the arrangement based on the specific project.
Yes. Zehnder is one of the premium whole-home ventilation platforms we can incorporate when appropriate for the project.
Potentially. Filter upgrades depend on the existing equipment, duct design, available static pressure and physical space. We evaluate those conditions before recommending a filtration strategy.
Project Inquiry
Thanks — your project details are on their way to 3rdGen. We’ll review them and follow up about the next step.
