Seibu-Giken Energy Recovery Systems

Turn Exhaust Air Into Free Heating and Cooling

Every facility exhausts conditioned air, air you've already spent money to heat, cool, or dehumidify. That energy disappears into the atmosphere while your HVAC system works harder to condition the fresh air coming in to replace it.

Seibu-Giken energy recovery systems capture up to 80% of that waste energy and put it back to work. These advanced energy recovery wheels transfer heat and moisture between exhaust and incoming fresh air streams, dramatically reducing the load on your HVAC systems and cutting energy consumption without compromising indoor air quality.

Solutions

From air handling to energy recovery, our engineered systems reduce costs, improve productivity, and create long-term sustainability.

Solutions for Every Climate Challenge

At SCE®, we don't just supply equipment—we engineer complete climate control systems tailored to your specific challenges. Every solution integrates our patented technologies, proven methodologies, and global partnerships to deliver measurable improvements in efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.

The Energy Waste You're Not Seeing

Most HVAC systems operate on a simple principle: exhaust stale air, bring in fresh air, condition it to the required temperature and humidity. The problem? You're throwing away the energy you already invested in conditioning the exhaust air.

In winter, you're exhausting warm air and heating cold incoming air from scratch. In summer, you're exhausting cool, dehumidified air and cooling hot, humid incoming air with maximum effort. The waste is continuous, expensive, and completely avoidable.

Seibu-Giken energy recovery wheels solve this by transferring energy between air streams.

How It Works:

Full Enthalpy Transfer

Seibu-Giken energy recovery wheels use rotating heat exchanger technology to transfer both sensible heat (temperature) and latent heat (moisture) between exhaust and supply air streams. This is called full enthalpy transfer, and it's far more efficient than systems that only recover temperature.

As the wheel rotates slowly between the exhaust and supply air streams:

In Winter:

  • Warm exhaust air heats the wheel material
  • The heated wheel rotates into the supply air stream
  • Cold incoming fresh air is pre-heated by the wheel
  • Your heating system works less to reach target temperature

In Summer:

  • Cool, dry exhaust air cools and dries the wheel material
  • The conditioned wheel rotates into the supply air stream
  • Hot, humid incoming air is pre-cooled and dehumidified
  • Your cooling system works less to reach target conditions

The result: up to 80% of the energy in your exhaust air is recovered and transferred to incoming fresh air, slashing HVAC energy consumption while maintaining 100% fresh air supply.

Real-World Energy and Cost Savings

When you install Seibu-Giken energy recovery systems, the performance improvements are immediate and measurable:

  • Recovers up to 80% of waste energy from exhaust air, reducing heating and cooling loads
  • Cuts HVAC energy consumption dramatically by pre-conditioning incoming fresh air
  • Reduces peak demand on heating and cooling equipment, lowering capacity requirements
  • Maintains superior indoor air quality with 100% fresh air supply (no recirculation)
  • Lowers operational costs through reduced energy consumption year-round
  • Extends HVAC equipment lifespan by reducing operational hours and thermal stress
  • Improves humidity control through latent heat recovery, not just temperature transfer
  • Delivers fast payback periods through ongoing energy savings that quickly offset capital investment

Applications Across Industries

Seibu-Giken energy recovery systems help facilities with high fresh-air requirements reduce HVAC energy costs while maintaining indoor air quality.
Manufacturing & Production Facilities Pre-condition large volumes of fresh air required for process ventilation without excessive energy consumption.
Food Processing & Cold Storage Recover energy from refrigerated exhaust air to pre-cool incoming fresh air, reducing refrigeration plant load.
Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Maintain strict fresh air requirements for clean rooms and critical environments while controlling energy costs.
Data Centers Pre-cool incoming air using energy from exhaust streams, reducing cooling infrastructure requirements.
Retail & Distribution Control climate in large spaces with high air change requirements without proportional energy costs.

Seibu-Giken is a Global Leader in Energy Recovery Technology

High-efficiency enthalpy wheels engineered for maximum energy transfer
Robust construction designed for continuous operation in demanding environments
Advanced hygroscopic materials that transfer both heat and moisture
Self-cleaning rotation that prevents contamination between air streams
Low pressure drop minimising fan energy requirements
Proven reliability with installations worldwide across diverse applications

Seibu-Giken Energy Recovery Wheels Integrate Seamlessly With:

New HVAC installations designed around energy recovery from the start
Retrofit applications upgrading existing systems for improved efficiency
SCE®'s FREECOOL® systems for combined evaporative cooling and energy recovery
Hybrid heating and cooling systems for year-round optimisation
Building management systems for automated control and monitoring

Complete Energy Recovery Solutions With Full Local Support:

Expert energy assessment
Identifies waste energy and quantifies the recovery potential within your facility
Custom system design
Integrates energy recovery into your facility’s specific HVAC requirements
Professional installation
Ensures correct commissioning and optimal performance from day one
Comprehensive operator
Equips your team to operate and maintain the system effectively
Service Level Agreements
Keeps your system maintained, monitored and performing reliably
Three-year warranty program
Protects your investment and includes an annual SLA renewal
Local parts and service
Provides local support backed by SCE®'s climate engineering expertise
Performance verification
Measures actual energy savings and return on investment

The Business Case for Energy Recovery

Seibu-Giken energy recovery systems prove you don't have to choose between fresh air and energy efficiency. You can have both, while dramatically reducing operational costs and environmental impact. In facilities with high fresh air requirements or large temperature differentials between indoor and outdoor conditions, the payback can be even faster.

  • Energy savings from day one of operation
  • Reduced capital requirements for smaller HVAC equipment (when designed into new builds)
  • Lower ongoing maintenance costs through reduced HVAC operating hours
  • Improved system reliability through reduced thermal cycling and stress
  • Measurable ROI typically achieved within 2-4 years depending on facility size and usage
  • Ongoing savings that compound over the 15-20+ year lifespan of energy recovery systems

Ready to recover waste energy and cut HVAC costs?

Let's discuss your air handling requirements and design a system that delivers the performance, efficiency, and reliability your operation demands.
Contact

info@sc-engineering.co.za | +27 (0)11 568 4440

info@sc-engineering.co.za
+27 (0)11 568 4440

Head Office

120a Buckingham Avenue,
Craighall Park,
Johannesburg,
2196

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