Fresh outdoor air is essential for healthy indoor environments, but conditioning that air accounts for a significant share of a building’s energy consumption. Demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) optimizes this balance by supplying outdoor fresh air only when and where it is needed.
Combined with variable air volume (VAV) systems, CO₂-based demand control dynamically delivers the required amount of fresh air to each building zone. CO₂ sensors in HVAC systems indicate occupancy-related demand while reducing the energy required for heating, cooling and dehumidifying.
This approach supports compliance with the ASHRAE 62.1 Ventilation Rate Procedure (VRP), which determines outdoor air requirements based on both occupant density and floor area.
In Europe, similar ventilation concepts are defined in EN 16798-1, which describes occupancy-based ventilation and demand-controlled airflow strategies that are also based on CO2 measurement for achieving indoor air-quality and energy-efficiency targets.
