The article considers possible ways to increase energy efficiency of ventilation systems in residential buildings via replacing natural ventilation by means of mechanical systems with heat recovery of exhaust air. A feasibility study has been completed covering the application of the central zone and single apartment mechanical air-handling ventilation units with respect to social and planning solutions approved in the course of renovation of residential buildings under Volgograd specifics, which showed that the single apartment systems are not economically viable for use with smaller apartments in terms of number of rooms and overall area (economy housing).

Keywords: energy saving, natural ventilation, the mechanical central zone ventilation system, the single apartment ventilation system, recovery, a planning solution for a building, economic feasibility