Daikin Europe N.V. has launched the VKM-JM, a next-generation decentralised ventilation unit for commercial applications. The unit combines fresh-air treatment, humidity control and heat recovery in a single system for offices, retail and hospitality buildings.
VKM-JM offers airflow capacities from 500 to 1,000 m³/h (approx. 294 to 588 cfm). It includes heat recovery, humidity management, pre-cooling or heating, filtration and automatic airflow adjustment, supporting installation in space-constrained environments.
The unit uses an integrated DX coil and humidifier to post-treat outdoor air and control supply-air temperature and humidity. A paper heat exchanger recovers thermal energy and moisture from exhaust air. Compared with the previous generation, VKM-JM provides up to 10% higher enthalpy efficiency and up to 74% total heat recovery for VKM50 at high fan speed in heating mode.
The system includes night-time free cooling through bypass operation and can be equipped with an optional CO2 sensor for demand-controlled ventilation based on actual CO2 levels. Automatic airflow adjustment selects the proper fan curve and maintains target airflow despite changes in duct resistance, reducing commissioning time.
VKM-JM connects directly to Daikin VRV IV and VRV 5 systems. The launch expands Daikin’s VRV 5 R-32 portfolio, which uses R-32 refrigerant, aligns with the EU F-gas phase-down trajectory and supports building certification schemes such as BREEAM, LEED and WELL through lifecycle transparency with EPDs.
“Commercial projects require HVAC solutions that perform not only in design, but also in installation and operation,” said George Dimou, Section Manager Commercial DX Products. “With VKM-JM, we combine air treatment, control and integration in one unit, helping to reduce system complexity while maintaining consistent indoor conditions.”
