Breathing Buildings, the pioneer of hybrid ventilation systems, has announced the return of Huw Poppy in his new role as Operations Director. Huw, who originally joined Breathing Buildings in 2011 and previously held the position of Sales Director, brings 20 years of experience in the ventilation sector. He returns with extensive expertise across low-energy ventilation design, project delivery, and on-site technical support.
Widely respected across the industry, Huw has built long-standing relationships with consultants, architects, and contractors. He is also currently the Secretary of the CIBSE Natural Ventilation Group, giving him strong insight into both current best practice and the future direction of ventilation design.
In his new role, Huw will be responsible for strengthening operational performance across product development, technical design, and servicing. He will also work closely with consultants and M&E contractors, providing technical support from initial early design stages through to installation and commissioning.
Commenting on his return, Huw Poppy said:
“Breathings Buildings pioneered hybrid ventilation and has continued to build on an exceptional depth of experience across a wide range of applications from offices to schools. The business has grown significantly since I first joined, particularly in its technical capability and service offering. I am thrilled to have returned to the company at such an exciting time and look forward to supporting consultants and contractors in delivering low-energy ventilation solutions that make a genuine difference to building performance and energy consumption.”
“We are excited to have Huw back with the Breathing Buildings team, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the company and in natural and hybrid ventilation. With significant investment in additional manufacturing capability and a continued focus on innovation, 2026 is shaping up to a very exciting year for the business,” said Alexis Roberts, Channel Marketing Manager at Breathing Buildings.
Since Huw first worked at Breathing Buildings, the company has further invested in its manufacturing and expanded its product range. The company now provides an entire range of ventilation, including natural, hybrid, and mechanical ventilation, ensuring it has the right solution to suit a wide range of commercial applications.
Looking ahead, Huw is set to focus on expanding the company’s product range even further, enhancing its technical design services, and providing ventilation servicing to ensure occupants can benefit from healthy, comfortable, well-ventilated environments. This ensures systems continue to perform at optimum levels throughout their lives, providing energy-efficient ventilation that achieves good indoor air quality and thermal comfort.
Breathing Buildings’ strengths remain firmly rooted in its experienced team, with many employees having more than a decade of expertise in the design, delivery, and commissioning of natural, hybrid, and mechanical ventilation systems. This includes a knowledgeable and capable project engineering and installation team, which is invaluable in helping its clients deliver On Time, In Full (OTIF).
Breathing Buildings’ award-winning Natural Ventilation with Heat Recycling (NVHR®) range is an adaptable solution, offering hybrid ventilation, which uses both natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation in one system design. This is an ideal solution for commercial buildings with high heat gains, such as schools, colleges, leisure centres, offices, theatres, and even churches. Hybrid ventilation is highly efficient and harnesses free heat (and so energy) that has already built up within a space. By installing hybrid ventilation, commercial buildings can maximise health, comfort, and sustainability without having to invest in significant building works, making it ideal for retrofitting or change of use.
Breathing Buildings added to its range of Natural Ventilation with Heat Recycling (NVHR®) systems with its NVHRe, Natural Ventilation with Heat Recycling and Heat Recovery. Marking the next step in hybrid ventilation technology, the key difference between Breathing Buildings’ original NVHR® range and the new innovative Natural Ventilation with Heat Recycling and Heat Recovery (NVHRe), is the addition of a low resistance heat exchanger cell within the unit. This allows the unit to benefit from both heat recycling and heat recovery, reclaiming even more heat than previous models, saving more energy, providing greater occupant comfort, and allowing users to include it within the building energy assessments (SBEM).
However, certain environments, such as gyms, canteens, libraries, landlocked rooms (rooms with no external walls) or spaces requiring fixed extract rates, need mechanical ventilation solutions to maintain consistent air quality and comfort levels. Recognising this need, Breathing Buildings recently expanded its portfolio with its MVHRe commercial heat recovery range so it can provide a full range of ventilation options for all settings. A high-efficiency Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system. With heat recovery efficiency of up to 93%, low energy consumption, and ultra-quiet operation, the MVHRe complements the company’s hybrid ventilation solutions, offering schools a fully integrated, low-carbon ventilation strategy.
Breathing Buildings has adopted the CIBSE TM65 methodology for collecting product data and has completed these evaluations for all its ventilation units, allowing specifiers to accurately evaluate their environmental impact. Meanwhile, Breathing Buildings’ turnkey approach helps everyone; from thermal modelling and system design to site meetings and client demonstrations, tailoring a service to a client’s needs and adding value at every opportunity are important values within the business.
Outside of work, Huw enjoys time with friends and family and is passionate about rugby and food, Huw is keen to reconnect with customers and explore new opportunities across the industry.
For further information on NVHR®, NVHRe, MVHRe, and E-stack ventilation, as well as other products and services offered by Breathing Buildings, visit www.breathingbuildings.com or call us on 01223 450 060.