Air Handling Units for Business - Heat Recovery and Upgrade

SEAI's Air Handling Units grant offers up to 30% funding, to a maximum of €25,000, to replace or upgrade existing air handling units in mechanically ventilated buildings, incorporating heat recovery and high-efficiency fan technology. It is open to all businesses, the agricultural sector, public sector bodies, community groups and charities looking to cut ventilation-related heating and electricity costs.

Grant range: Up to €25,000
Funding level: 30%
Support type: Grant
Last checked: 3 Sept 2026

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About this scheme

The Air Handling Units grant helps businesses reduce energy waste in mechanically ventilated buildings, where older units exhaust heat to the atmosphere rather than recovering it. The grant supports replacing an existing unit with a new combined supply-and-extract system with integrated heat recovery and more efficient fan technology, which can cut ventilation-related heating costs by up to 75% and reduce electricity use. Where a full replacement isn't feasible, due to system design or space restrictions, the grant can instead support retrofitting heat recovery or high-efficiency fans to the existing unit. Funding covers up to 30% of costs, to a maximum of €25,000, with the exact value depending on building type, size and technical selections. SEAI recommends engaging a chartered building services engineer to assess the building, and separate funding of up to 50% towards this assessment is available under the Technical Assistance measure of the Building Energy Upgrades Scheme.

Who can apply

Open to all businesses, the agricultural sector, public sector bodies, community groups and charities
The building must contain an existing supply and extract (mechanical ventilation) system; refer to the Company Information Form for eligible systems
Grant can be used to replace an existing air handling unit with a new combined supply and extract system with integrated heat recovery, or to retrofit heat recovery/high-efficiency fans to existing units where a full replacement is not feasible (e.g. due to system design or space restrictions)
Exact grant value depends on building type, building size and the technical selections made in the application
No documentary upload or review process is required at application stage
Separate funding of up to 50% is available towards the cost of a chartered building services engineer assessment, via the Technical Assistance measure of the Building Energy Upgrades Scheme (not part of this grant's own maximum)

How to apply

Register on the SEAI Application Portal (returning businesses can log in with their existing username and password).
Select 'Business Energy Upgrades' from the drop-down list.
Follow the application steps; there is no requirement for documentary upload or a review process at this stage.
On submitting the application, an automated 'Letter of Offer' is received within minutes.
The applicant is free to start the works immediately.