Ventilation and Air Quality

Experience unmatched comfort in your home or business with HEP's expert heating, air conditioning, and ventilation services in Athens. Our dedicated team combines innovative technology with a commitment to energy efficiency, ensuring that every space benefits from optimal temperature control and superior air quality. Whether it's a sweltering summer day or a crisp winter morning, we provide reliable and precise climate management tailored to your unique needs.

At HEP, we believe that excellent indoor air quality is key to a healthy, productive environment. Using modern techniques and state-of-the-art equipment, we design and install systems that not only regulate temperature but also purify the air, reducing allergens and pollutants. Trust in our local expertise and personalized service to transform your indoor atmosphere into a haven of comfort and well-being.

HEP: Specialists in Heating, Air-Conditioning, Ventilation and Air-Quality Solutions in Athens

Athens combines historic architecture with modern urban growth, a mix that creates unique challenges for indoor comfort. Balancing heat in summer, dampness in winter, traffic pollution and pollen from nearby hillsides demands more than a standard HVAC setup. HEP focuses exclusively on heating, air-conditioning, ventilation and air-quality services that match the specific climatic pressures of Attica. The company’s technicians engineer, install and maintain systems that keep residences, offices, retail venues, cultural institutions and light-industrial facilities healthier, quieter and more energy-efficient throughout the year.

The Athens Climate and Its Impact on Indoor Air

Athens experiences hot, dry summers with Saharan dust intrusions, warm springs abundant in airborne allergens, and cool, humid winters when ventilation often drops as windows stay closed. This shifting profile means:

• Contaminants accumulate quickly indoors
• Temperature differentials trigger condensation and mould
• Energy demand spikes when poorly balanced systems fight each other
• Comfort deteriorates when humidity stays outside recommended 40-60 %

HEP’s integrated ventilation and air-quality work targets these concerns by assessing each property’s thermal envelope, infiltration rates and occupant habits, then tailoring a strategy that maximises fresh-air exchange without wasting energy.

Comprehensive Ventilation and Air-Quality Services Delivered by HEP

End-to-End Project Management

From the first airflow measurement to the last maintenance check, HEP handles every phase in-house. Clients receive one coordinated plan instead of juggling multiple contractors. Each service stage feeds real-time data into the next:

1. Site survey and airflow diagnostics
2. System design and load calculations
3. Precision installation with commissioning protocols
4. Scheduled tune-ups and continuous performance monitoring

Core Service Categories

• Ventilation system design for new builds and retrofits
• High-efficiency air-handling unit (AHU) installation
• Ductwork reconstruction and sealing
• Mechanical extract and supply balancing
• HEPA and activated-carbon filtration integration
• Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) for biological control
• Whole-house heat-recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy-recovery ventilation (ERV)
• Smart controls and indoor-air sensors

Heating and Cooling Synergy

HEP never treats ventilation and HVAC as separate islands. Properly balanced airflows directly affect heating and cooling loads. By synchronising fan speeds, damper positions and refrigerant cycles, the company’s engineers reduce energy consumption while stabilising temperature and humidity.

Tailored Solutions for Diverse Building Types

Residential Apartments and Villas

Older Athenian flats often rely on rudimentary exhaust fans. HEP upgrades these units with silent inline duct fans, airtight grilles and low-profile HRV systems that fit into limited ceiling spaces. For villas in the suburbs, larger ERV units paired with ducted heat pumps maintain comfort without opening windows during high-pollen days.

Commercial Offices and Co-Working Spaces

Open-plan offices accumulate carbon dioxide quickly. HEP’s demand-controlled ventilation modulates airflow based on CO₂ and volatile-organic-compound (VOC) readings, preventing afternoon fatigue while trimming energy bills. Variable air-volume (VAV) terminals distribute conditioned air precisely to densely occupied zones and meeting rooms.

Retail and Hospitality Venues

Shops, cafés and boutique hotels along Ermou, Kolonaki and Plaka attract heavy foot traffic. Door sensors trigger boost-mode ventilation when occupant counts surge. High-capture filtration removes street dust, exhaust fumes and cooking odours, keeping merchandise fresh and guests comfortable.

Healthcare and Laboratories

HEP configures positive-pressure isolation rooms, negative-pressure contamination areas and laminar-flow clean benches in line with ISO-14644 and WHO standards. HEPA filtration, UVGI lamps and redundant fan arrays secure critical air changes per hour (ACH) with built-in resilience.

Light-Industrial Workshops

Small manufacturing hubs in the Piraeus corridor emit welding fumes, solvents and particulate matter. HEP installs point-source extraction hoods linked to roof-mounted centrifugal fans, combining local exhaust with general dilution ventilation that meets Greek occupational safety regulations.

Detailed Breakdown of Key Ventilation Components

Ductwork: The Circulatory System

Sub-optimal ducts leak up to 30 % of airflow, forcing fans and compressors to work overtime. HEP fabricates rectangular or spiral galvanised steel sections, seals joints with water-based mastic, and insulates external runs with mineral wool. Where space is limited, flat-oval ducts preserve ceiling height while sustaining laminar flow.

Air-Handling Units and Fans

• EC (electronically commutated) motors for variable speed control
• Backward-curved impellers for low noise
• Integrated heat exchangers achieving up to 90 % sensible recovery

Filtration Layers

1. Pre-filters (G4–M5) capture coarse dust and hair
2. Fine filters (F7–F9) target pollen and urban PM₂.₅
3. HEPA H13 or H14 where sterile conditions are required
4. Activated carbon beds for odour and chemical adsorption
5. Optional photocatalytic modules for VOC breakdown

Control and Monitoring

HEP deploys BACnet-compatible controllers, wireless CO₂ sensors and cloud dashboards. Clients track temperature, relative humidity, particulate matter and filter pressure drop in real time, allowing predictive maintenance that prevents downtime.

The Step-by-Step Process Behind Every HEP Project

1. Diagnostic Evaluation

Certified technicians measure existing airflow, temperature stratification and pollutant concentrations. Tools include thermal imaging, anemometers, particle counters and direct-reading gas sensors.

2. Custom Engineering

A mechanical engineer models the building in energy-simulation software, analyses Greek Building Regulation (KENAK) compliance and drafts duct routes that minimise bends. Equipment capacity is right-sized to avoid short cycling and excessive fan power.

3. Precision Installation

• Laser-levelled duct hangers
• Vibration-isolating mounts under AHUs
• Airtight access panels for filter replacement
• Sealed wall penetrations to block unplanned infiltration

4. Commissioning and Balancing

HEP verifies design airflow at every grille, calibrates dampers and documents static pressure. Acceptance testing ensures temperature spread and humidity ratios meet targets right from day one.

5. Ongoing Maintenance

Scheduled visits include:

• Filter inspection and replacement
• Motor bearing lubrication
• Belt tension checks
• Control firmware updates
• Bacteria culture testing in critical areas

Data gathered feeds into continuous optimisation, keeping systems at peak performance through Athens’s changing seasons.

Benefits of Professional Ventilation and Air-Quality Work

Healthier Occupants

• Reduction of asthma triggers, allergens and pathogens
• Lower absenteeism in workplaces
• Enhanced cognitive function via stable CO₂ levels

Energy Efficiency

Balanced airflows mean air-conditioning units and boilers no longer compete with air leaks. Heat-recovery modules reclaim up to 90 % of outgoing thermal energy, translating into substantial utility savings for property owners.

Structural Durability

Controlled humidity prevents condensation on cold surfaces, stopping mould, rot and corrosion that undermine building integrity.

Acoustic Comfort

EC fans, acoustic linings and well-sealed ducts reduce operational noise. In residential blocks, this translates into quieter bedrooms and living rooms, while in offices it fosters focused work.

Environmental Responsibility

Lower energy consumption reduces carbon emissions. High-grade filters limit indoor pollution, contributing to broader urban air-quality goals.

Signs a Building in Athens Requires Ventilation Intervention

• Persistent odours despite regular cleaning
• Visible mould on walls, ceilings or window frames
• Condensation on glazing during winter mornings
• Excessive dust buildup even after frequent housekeeping
• Occupants complaining of headaches, fatigue or dry eyes
• Temperature differences of more than 2 °C between rooms
• Noise or vibration from fans indicating mechanical stress

Early recognition of these indicators allows HEP to recommend targeted upgrades that restore comfort before costly issues escalate.

Advanced Technologies Employed by HEP

Heat-Recovery and Energy-Recovery Ventilators

In dense urban zones where opening windows means letting in traffic noise and smog, HRV and ERV units provide continuous fresh air. Aluminium or enthalpy cores exchange heat and, in ERV models, moisture between outgoing and incoming streams, achieving balanced ventilation without energy penalties.

UV-C and UVGI Integration

Short-wave ultraviolet light damages microbial DNA. HEP places UV-C lamps downstream of cooling coils and within return plenums, rendering mould spores and bacteria inactive. This technology is particularly beneficial in healthcare, food-service areas and gyms.

Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO)

Titanium-dioxide-coated surfaces activated by UV-A lamps catalyse oxidation of VOCs into benign compounds. PCO modules installed in air-handlers treat odours from furnishings, cleaning agents and cooking.

Ionisation and Bipolar Plasma

Needlepoint bipolar ionisers generate positive and negative ions that agglomerate fine particles, making filters capture them more easily. The result is lower PM₂.₅ levels and improved respiratory comfort.

Smart Sensors and IoT Platforms

Wireless sensor networks report environmental metrics to HEP’s analytics servers. Algorithms detect anomalies such as rising pressure drops or humidity spikes and trigger preventive maintenance alerts, avoiding downtime and preserving indoor-air quality.

Sustainable Materials and Practices

HEP selects materials with low embodied carbon and minimal off-gassing:

• Zero-VOC mastics and sealants
• Formaldehyde-free insulation
• Recyclable metal ductwork
• FSC-certified wooden return-air plenums when requested

Installation crews employ waste-segregation protocols, recycling scrap metal, cardboard and plastic packaging. Old equipment is dismantled and routed to authorised recyclers to prevent landfill accumulation.

Regulatory Compliance and Certification

Greek regulations under the framework of European EN standards govern ventilation rates, energy performance and indoor-air quality. HEP ensures full compliance with:

• KENAK (Energy Performance of Buildings Regulation)
• EN 16798 series for ventilation and energy efficiency
• ISO 16890 filter classification
• EN 1886 for air-handling unit construction

Where clients pursue LEED, BREEAM or WELL Building certifications, HEP’s documentation supports credit accumulation in energy, indoor environmental quality and innovation categories.

Case Study Highlights (No Client Names or Sensitive Details)

Urban Apartment Retrofit

A 70 m² third-floor apartment near Omonia Square suffered from summer overheating and winter dampness. HEP installed a ceiling-mounted HRV with 200 m³/h capacity. CO₂ sensors modulate airflow, and an external temperature bypass prevents unnecessary heat exchange during cool nights. Resulting indoor relative humidity stabilised at 45 % year-round, and occupants reported clearer breathing within two weeks.

Heritage Office Upgrade

A neoclassical building in Syntagma required invisible intervention to preserve architectural integrity. HEP ran flat-oval ducts above suspended wooden ceilings and employed micro-grilles painted to match plaster surfaces. A VRF system linked to an ERV handles heating, cooling and balanced ventilation without intruding on listed façades.

Light-Industrial Plant Solution

A electronics assembly unit in the outskirts battled soldering fumes. HEP installed fume extraction arms over workstations plus a central AHU equipped with electrostatic precipitators and activated-carbon filters. Continuous monitoring verified pollutant concentrations remain well below Hellenic occupational limits even during peak production.

Long-Term Maintenance Paradigm

Predictive Over Preventive

Traditional maintenance follows calendar schedules that can miss early warning signs. HEP’s sensor-driven maintenance predicts component fatigue, filter clogging, or refrigerant charge drift. Service crews intervene just in time, reducing both downtime and over-servicing costs.

Training and Knowledge Transfer

HEP includes client staff in walk-through sessions that cover:

• Filter change procedures
• Control panel navigation
• Emergency shut-down protocols
• Basic troubleshooting

By empowering onsite personnel, minor issues are resolved swiftly, and call-outs are limited to complex tasks.

Health and Safety Culture

Technicians carry personal protective equipment appropriate to each site: respirators during duct cleaning, fall-arrest systems for roof-level fan work, and insulated tools when dealing with electrical feeders. Risk assessments precede every project phase, ensuring compliance with Greece’s Occupational Health and Safety Act and the EU Machinery Directive.

The HEP Difference: Integrative Thinking and Local Expertise

Athens’s urban canyon effect, regional dust events and fluctuating humidity mean cookie-cutter solutions rarely succeed. HEP’s deep familiarity with local microclimates, combined with advanced modelling and cutting-edge technologies, delivers systems that remain robust across Mediterranean summers and damp winters alike.

Uncompromising attention to air sealing, balanced flows, and filtration ensures indoor environments support health, productivity and relaxation. Through ongoing monitoring and data-driven maintenance, HEP commits to continuous performance, not just one-off installation. The result is a measurable uplift in air quality, thermal comfort and energy efficiency for homes, businesses and institutions across Athens.

By selecting HEP for heating, air-conditioning, ventilation and air-quality work, property owners secure a holistic partner devoted to safeguarding occupant well-being and optimising building performance for the long term.