Demand control ventilation (DCV) with dedicated outside air

Buildings require a certain amount of ventilation, or outside air (OA), in order to ensure good indoor air quality. Typically the required amount of ventilation is calculated using the building’s maximum occupancy.

Buildings, however, are rarely at full capacity, which means more outside air is supplied than necessary, resulting in unnecessary energy spent heating and cooling that air. DCV reduces OA based on the number of people in the building. Building energy codes now require DCV in some spaces. But there are several cost effective ways to use this energy conservation measure beyond those required by code.