Scaling sustainable HVAC innovation with SOLIDWORKS | Airlich x PLM Group

Every day, buildings use massive amounts of energy – nearly a third of all global consumption. HVAC systems are among the biggest energy consumers in modern buildings. Vast amounts of air are heated, cooled, and replaced. This drives up both operational costs and carbon emissions. But what if that air didn’t need to be replaced in the first place?

The Danish clean-tech startup Airlich is challenging the fundamentals of how buildings are ventilated, introducing a new approach that transforms indoor air from a cost driver into a sustainable asset.

A new way to think about indoor air

Airlich is built on a simple but ambitious idea: Rethink how we heat, cool, and ventilate buildings.

At the center of this vision is EcoGain, a patented technology designed to clean and reuse indoor air instead of constantly replacing it.

“EcoGain is a novel technology that efficiently purifies indoor air from particles, viruses, bacteria, and VOCs, using atmospheric chemistry.”

By enabling buildings to reuse a larger proportion of indoor air, EcoGain reduces the need for energy-intensive heating and cooling while improving air quality at the same time. It is a retrofit solution that reduces HVAC energy consumption by up to 45% and extends the life of existing systems without heavy renovation or replacement.

Engineering a complex system into a scalable product

Turning this technology into a real, scalable product was no small task. The EcoGain system combines multiple advanced steps mimicking nature’s atmospheric cleaning processes. All working together to purify air efficiently.

Rasmus Jølck, CEO at Airlich, explains:

“In order to purify the air efficiently, we need to treat the air using high-intensity UV light. Secondly, we remove particles using modern electrostatic precipitators. Finally, in order to get a complete purification of the air, we use heterogeneous catalysis.”

Bringing these processes together into a manufacturable system required extensive mechanical engineering and a way to test, refine, and scale designs efficiently.

From prototype to production with SOLIDWORKS

Airlich needed to move fast while designing a sophisticated product in a regulated space. To bridge the gap between concept and commercial product quickly, they relied on SOLIDWORKS from the very beginning.

“Part of the development journey when you make large units like we’re doing here is of course going from early prototypes to large-scale commercial viable products,” Rasmus says.

“SOLIDWORKS has played a very important role in that, bringing a high level of flexibility, going from small decentralized units to a larger centralized structure.”

With SOLIDWORKS, the team could design and refine complex mechanical structures before moving into production reducing risk and accelerating development.

This was especially important in a setup where manufacturing is outsourced and depends on precise, production-ready designs.

“Our core manufacturing facilities are all outsourced, but all our partners, of course, use sheet metal tools to create the structures that we need in order to build our EcoGain products.”

Building for scale from day one

As a startup, choosing the right tools early was critical – especially as time and funding are limited.

“The Startup Program is, of course, super helpful when you are a newly established startup,” Rasmus says.

“Being able to use SOLIDWORKS as one of the best softwares available for CAD from day one has helped us a lot because it allows us to use the software we want to use also in a scaling situation.”

The discount of the Startup Program has helped Airlich manage burn-rate in a cost-conscious phase in the company development. And by building their product on a strong digital foundation from the start, they positioned themselves to scale without needing to rethink their engineering environment later.

Simulating performance before production

They particularly highlight functionality, user-friendliness, and ecosystem support as drivers for their choice of SOLIDWORKS. Looking ahead, simulation specifically will play a big role in optimizing performance in the future.

“A very important tool for us going forward will be SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation to do CFD simulations of various mechanical designs before we go into the production phase,” Rasmus explains.

This enables the team to test airflow, performance, and design variations digitally reducing the need for costly physical iterations.

A solution that delivers both sustainability and savings

EcoGain is not just about cleaner air, it’s about transforming building performance.

“In order to pave the way forward for a more green, more sustainable future, we need to optimize the way we run existing buildings.”

By reducing energy consumption and enabling air reuse, the system lowers both emissions and operational costs.

At the same time, it improves indoor environments for the people inside.

“EcoGain also improves indoor air quality, meaning that the air within the buildings that tenants breathe on a daily basis will be improved,” Rasmus highlights.

“… and that will have a massive influence on their cognitive performance and their overall well-being.”

The win-win of cleaner air and lower energy bills

With the right tools and support in place, Airlich has been able to focus on what matters most: Bringing a new generation of sustainable HVAC solutions to market. Rasmus elaborates:

“Having access to SOLIDWORKS through PLM Group has been a game changer because we’ve been able to innovate from day one in the best software available and PLM Group has been super supportive throughout that process,” Rasmus says.

Airlich’s ambition goes beyond a single product. They envision a built environment where buildings are not only energy efficient but also actively contribute to making the indoor environments, we all live and work in better for us.

“Our vision is to create a greener, more sustainable future, both for the people, but also for the planet.”

EcoGain represents a shift in how buildings operate where sustainability and health on one side, and cost efficiency on the other side are no longer trade-offs, but part of the same solution.

“It allows for greener, sustainable buildings with a healthier indoor environment, but at the same time, it also reduces operational costs for the building owner, and that’s a perfect match,” Rasmus concludes.