Renaissance Salon/Day Spa
Prioritizing healthier indoor air, the Renaissance Salon and Day Spa installed RenewAire ERVs for an energy-efficient and cost-effective ventilation strategy.
Originally published October 15, 2001 | Last updated: April 17, 2026
At a Glance
Project:
Location:
Fond du Lac, WI
Industry:
Personal Care Services
Key Outcomes:
- Healthier, cleaner indoor air
- Energy savings of nearly 1.5 tons (cooling) and 56,000 btu/hr (heating)
Challenges
- Provide clean, healthy indoor air for salon staff and their clients
- Improved health and productivity of employees through increased ventilation
- Find a cost-effective ventilation strategy that complies with stringent codes
Overview
While all poorly ventilated buildings can cause occupant sickness, salons and day spas can present additional health risks to their owners and employees due to the variety and amount of chemicals used every day. Salons and day spas often have some of the most toxic and dirty indoor air quality (IAQ). Cosmetic products and processes emit all kinds of carcinogenic air pollutants like benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde, as well as other pollutants like toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene. For both salon staff and their clients, poor IAQ can have detrimental effects on their health, wellness, productivity, and cognitive function.
Solution
To provide healthier environments for staff and client, building codes often require salons and day spas to increase the ventilation rate indoors via their HVAC systems (0.5-1.0 cfm of ventilation per square foot of space is a common baseline for salons and spas). By bringing in more air into the space, the indoor air contaminants are either diluted or expelled out. However, since this strategy typically increases energy use, finding a cost-effective ventilation system is paramount. For the team at Renaissance Salon/Day Spa in Fond du Lac, WI; this meant installing RenewAire energy recovery ventilators (ERVs).
What makes RenewAire ERVs particularly unique is that they recycle energy in contrast to traditional HVAC systems. Our ERVs recycle energy by reusing the otherwise-wasted energy and humidity from exhaust air to temper incoming outdoor air. This can save up to 65% on ventilation energy costs by lowering demand/load on mechanical cooling/heating equipment.
The Result
By installing a RenewAire EV200 ERV along with an EV450IN and HE900IN, the Renaissance team experienced significant energy savings. The ERVs brought in 900 CFM of fresh outdoor air, and during the winter months, the salon saved 56,000 btu/hr in heating loads. Similarly, the day spa found that in the summer, they saved 1.5 tons on their cooling load!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why do salons require specialized ventilation compared to other retail spaces?
Salons are unique environments where staff and clients are consistently exposed to high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). According to OSHA’s guidelines for nail salons, products used in these spaces can release harmful vapors like formaldehyde and benzene, which are known to cause respiratory irritation and other long-term health risks. Unlike standard retail, salons require higher outdoor air exchange rates to effectively dilute these chemical concentrations.
How does an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) reduce salon operating costs?
Traditional ventilation systems exhaust conditioned air along with the toxins, forcing the HVAC system to work harder to treat incoming air. A RenewAire energy recovery ventilator (ERV) can captures up to 70% of the energy from the outgoing air and transfers it to the incoming fresh air. This recapturing of energy significantly lowers monthly utility bills. At Renaissance Salon, this strategy resulted in a 1.5-ton reduction in cooling load.
To learn more about how ERVs work, visit: Renewaire.com/how-ervs-work/.
Can an ERV help salons meet local building and mechanical codes?
Yes. Building codes, such as those informed by ASHRAE Standard 62.1, mandate specific ventilation rates to ensure acceptable indoor air quality in commercial spaces. A RenewAire ERV provides a balanced ventilation strategy that meets these stringent exhaust requirements for manicure and pedicure stations while maintaining the energy efficiency required by modern green building standards.
To learn more about indoor air quality (IAQ) and how it can affect health, wellness, and cognitive function, please visit: RenewAire’s Indoor Air Quality page.
What are the benefits of improved indoor air quality (IAQ) in salons?
Improving IAQ in a salon environment provides a “triple win” for health, business performance, and building infrastructure:
Sharper Cognitive Function: Research from the Harvard CogFX Study found that workers in buildings with enhanced ventilation and low VOC levels showed 61% to 101% higher cognitive function scores across key areas like strategy, crisis response, and information usage. For stylists, this might translate to better focus and creativity throughout long shifts.
Disease Mitigation: Improved ventilation is a primary defense against respiratory illnesses. The EPA notes that higher outdoor air exchange rates effectively dilute and remove viral particles from the air, reducing the spread of colds, flu, and other viruses among staff and clients.
Infrastructure Protection: High humidity and chemical off-gassing from salon treatments can damage interior finishes and HVAC equipment over time. Balanced ventilation with an ERV manages humidity and removes corrosive vapors, protecting the salon’s physical investment.
Reduced “Sick Building” Symptoms: By maintaining a constant flow of fresh, filtered air, salons can eliminate the “heavy” air that leads to headaches, fatigue, and eye irritation—symptoms often associated with Sick Building Syndrome.
Is an ERV system loud or disruptive to the spa environment?
No. RenewAire ERVs are designed for quiet operation and can be integrated into existing ductwork or tucked away in mechanical rooms. This allows salons to maintain a peaceful, “spa-like” atmosphere for clients while the system silently manages air quality and humidity in the background. Additionally, many salons would qualify to use our smaller and quieter light commercial ERVs like our EV Premium or SL Series.
To install a RenewAire ERV at your salon, please reach our to network of sales representatives: Renewaire.com/find-my-rep/.
How can I order a RenewAire ERV for my salon or day spa?
To order a RenewAire ERV, the best first step is to connect with our extensive network of authorized sales representatives. They can provide a professional assessment of your salon’s specific square footage, existing HVAC infrastructure, and local building code requirements to ensure you select the right unit—whether it’s a larger commercial ERV or a compact, ultra-quiet EV Premium or SL Series model.
Take Action:
Find a Representative: Visit our Rep Locator to find an expert in your area.
Consult Your HVAC Contractor: Many local contractors already work with RenewAire and can manage the installation for you.
Review Product Specs: Explore our Product Catalog to compare models and energy recovery rates.
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