Innovative Ventilation SOLUTION for NarrowboatS
CORE and Bath Canal Craft are working for a sustainable future on the canals
CORE Energy Recovery Solutions recently supplied its innovative heat and humidity recovery solution, the ERV-366-H090-S-F with formable polymer membrane technology, to the British company Bath Canal Craft. This revolutionary enthalpy exchanger is designed to provide more efficient and sustainable ventilation for traditional canal narrowboats.
About Bath Canal Craft
Bath Canal Craft is the UK’s leading supplier of luxury wide-beam and narrowboats. Each vessel is meticulously tailored to meet the unique needs and preferences of their clients, combining practicality with style.
Founded by a team with extensive experience in boatbuilding, Bath Canal Craft has quickly established itself as a leading boatbuilding company. The company prides itself on its bespoke service, ensuring that each boat reflects its owner’s lifestyle and vision.
With a dedicated team of marine specialists, Bath Canal Craft delivers high-quality, bespoke vessels that stand out for their craftsmanship and attention to detail. Based near Bath, the company continues to innovate in sustainable and luxurious boating.
Strict regulations as a challenge
Bath Canal Craft’s boats were faced with the challenge of adapting their ventilation systems to comply with the outdated “Boat Safety Scheme” (BSS) regulations. These regulations require numerous open vents at high and low levels in the cabin to ensure adequate ventilation. However, the use of forced ventilation (advection) via heat exchangers is not currently specified and may be considered non-compliant. Additionally, traditional canal boats experience large temperature variations, being too cold in the winters and too hot in the summers, necessitating effective climate control throughout the year.
In addition to the ventilation issue, the company has to overcome other challenges in connection with the BSS regulations. Normally, the roof of such boats has open vents, called mushroom vents. Bath Canal Craft aimed to create a sustainable boat as much as possible. So, they covered the complete roof with solar panels, preventing the use of mushroom vents. Now, the aim is to achieve the minimum needed ventilation with a reduced number of vents and a advection system using CORE enthalpy exchangers.
Despite these regulatory hurdles, Bath Canal Craft successfully installed two F-ERV 366 enthalpy exchangers in their narrowboat. The formable membrane of the F-ERV 366 enhances heat and humidity transfer, significantly improving overall efficiency. This innovative enthalpy exchanger allows for controlled ventilation, increasing the number of air changes per hour and enhancing the combustion efficiency of open flame appliances. This minimises carbon monoxide production, ensuring a safe and healthy environment on board.
Ventilation for narrowboats leads to immediate positive impact
The installation of the F-ERV 366 passed the official Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) inspection and meets all required safety and performance standards. Following this approval, Bath Canal Craft launched their new narrowboat in 2024.
Initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The F-ERV 366 and the advection system increased the air exchange rate by 200%, achieving up to ten air changes per hour, far exceeding what can be achieved by the existing regulations. This has significantly improved the onboard environment, providing efficient and controlled ventilation.
Thanks to the F-ERV 366, immediate positive changes were measurable on the boat. Despite its compact size, the enthalpy exchanger had a substantial positive impact on the boat’s ventilation system. The humidity levels were maintained at a comfortable 50%, compared to 70% often encountered in boats without the enthalpy exchanger of CORE. This improvement was particularly noticeable in the wet room and galley, where high humidity levels are common.
Future prospects for sustainable canal boating
Bath Canal Craft are confident that this technology will pave the way for wider acceptance and regulatory updates, benefiting all new and existing narrowboats. The successful integration of the F-ERV 366 could lead to a more sustainable future for canal boating. Additionally, the enthalpy exchanger will be used in electric boats, further expanding its application.
Innovative ventilation for eco-friendly narrowboats
The collaboration between CORE Energy Recovery Solutions and Bath Canal Craft showcases how innovative technology can disrupt traditional industries and promote sustainable solutions.
The F-ERV 366 enthalpy exchanger with formable membrane represents a significant step towards more efficient and environmentally friendly ventilation for narrowboats.