Sensor-based demand-controlled ventilation: a review.

With sensor-based demand-controlled ventilation ( SBDCV), the rate of ventilation is modulated over time based on the signals from indoor air pollutant or occupancy sensors. SBDCV offers two potential advantages: better control of indoor pollutant concentrations, mid lower energy use and peak energy demand. Based on theoretical considerations and on a review of literature, SBDCV has the highest potential to be cost-effective in applications with the following characteristics: (a) a single or small number of pollutants dominate so that ventilation sufficient to control the concentration of the dominant pollutants provides effective control of all other pollutants ts; (b) large buildings or rooms with unpredictable temporally variable occupancy or pollutant emission; and ( c) climates with high heating or cooling loads or locations with expensive energy. At present, most SBDCV systems are based on monitoring and control of carbon dioxide ( C02) concentrations . There is a limited number of well-documented case studies that quantify the energy savings and the cost-effectiveness of SBDCV. The case sludics reviewed suggest that in appropriate applications, SBDCV produces significant energy savings with a payback period typically of a few years