Heating Ventilation By Hill York

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Save Energy by Installing or Retrofitting an Advanced Mechanical Ventilation System

There are so many innovative strategies available to increase the energy efficiency in your building today it can be hard to decide which ones to employ. One set of strategies that sometimes get over looked are the advances in mechanical ventilation systems. A demand-controlled mechanical ventilation system using CO2 sensors can reduce energy use caused by over-ventilation while maintaining adequate indoor air quality in your building.

How Does a Demand-controlled Mechanical Ventilation System Work?

Demand-controlled mechanical ventilation works by varying outside air intake based CO2 levels inside a space at any given anytime. There are two main componentsâ€CO2 sensors that monitor indoor air and a ventilation ducting system that regulates the amount of fresh air admitted into the building. A number of CO2 sensors are discretely installed throughout the space. These sensors can report to a computer-based building-management system (BMS) that can control and monitor your building’s mechanical and ...
... electrical equipment including its’ ventilation ducting system. The BMA adjusts the amount of fresh air coming through the ventilation ducting based on information from the CO2 sensors.

Building codes require a certain amount of fresh air ventilation in a space. To comply most buildings allow a fix rate of outdoor air in regardless of the number of people in the building at a given time. As a result there is often much more out door air entering a building than is actually needed. This leads to a waste of energy due to over heating and cooling especially at times of low occupancy like nights and weekends. A demand-controlled mechanical ventilation system will adjust ventilation based on occupancy. Since occupants exhale CO2, the BMS can estimate the number of occupants at a given time and ventilation rates can be measured and controlled accordingly. A mechanical ventilation system can also sense and control ventilation based the presence of pollutants like volatile organic compounds, respiratory-size particles, and carbon monoxide.

Benefits of a Demand-controlled Mechanical Ventilation System
Improves indoor air quality by adjusting ventilation if CO2 levels rise to rise too high

Saves energy by heating, cooling, and dehumidifying only the ventilated air needed

Improves humidity control by limiting unnecessary amounts of humid outdoor air intake that can compromise the health and comfort of building occupants

Saves floor space

Quiet operation

Easy to install

The best return on installing a demand-controlled mechanical ventilation system can be expected in humid climates like South Florida. They are also a great investment in buildings where occupant density varies greatly in off hours like schools, office buildings and large stores. Whether you’re considering a retrofit or are planning new construction a demand-controlled mechanical ventilation system is easy to install and can produce a return on your investment in a short period of time.

* Information on Mechanical Ventilation System Strategies provided by U.S. Department of Energy.