Membranes with high water vapour permeation rates find use in many applications, including protective clothing, dehydration, and humidification. One interesting application is in energy recovery ventilation for building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) improves building energy efficiency by transporting heat and water vapour using a membrane exchanger. In the exchanger, building incoming and outgoing air streams are passed over opposing sides of a membrane, through which heat and moisture are transferred. This effectively 'recycles' the energy utilized to condition building air. High-efficiency HVAC ERV systems have the potential to save over 65% of energy associated with the conditioning of outdoor air in buildings [1]. At the same time, these devices help improve indoor air quality in buildings. Membranes for these devices must have high vapour permeation rates, and be selective for water vapour over other gases and contaminants that may be present in the outgoing indoor air.
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