What advantage do energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) provide in commercial HVAC systems?

Energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) play a significant role in enhancing the efficiency of commercial HVAC systems by recovering and reusing energy from exhaust air. This process involves transferring heat and moisture between the incoming and outgoing airstreams, which allows ERVs to precondition the incoming fresh air. For example, in cooling seasons, the exhaust air can help cool and dehumidify the incoming air, reducing the load on the cooling system. Conversely, during heating seasons, the outgoing warm air can aid in warming the incoming air.

This energy recovery leads to lower energy consumption since the HVAC system does not need to work as hard to condition the incoming air, contributing to overall energy savings. Furthermore, by recovering energy, ERVs help maintain indoor air quality without compromising the efficiency of temperature control, making them a valuable addition to commercial HVAC systems.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary function of ERVs. While they may contribute to air quality improvement, that is not their main purpose, and they do not typically reduce installation costs or directly enhance cooling capacity. Their design is specifically aimed at improving energy efficiency, which makes option C the most accurate statement regarding the advantages of ERVs in commercial HVAC settings.