Demand Based Ventilation & Energy Savings

Ventilation systems in most buildings continue to operate at fixed or minimally scheduled rates, regardless of actual occupancy or indoor air quality. The result is over-ventilation, unnecessary fan energy use, and wasted heating or cooling of outside air that isn’t needed. With demand based ventilation (DBV), building operators can shift to a more intelligent strategy: ventilating just enough, when it’s needed.

This presentation will explore the fundamentals of DBV — from how occupancy, CO₂, humidity, and other indoor air quality signals can dynamically adjust ventilation rates, through to the control architectures that make it possible. Attendees will gain insights into the energy savings potential of DBV, which in many cases can cut ventilation-related energy use by 20–50%, while still maintaining healthy indoor environments.

George Wylie will then introduce how Delta Controls’ O3 multisensing platform and Red5 controllers enable DBV through integrated sensing, distributed intelligence, and flexible BACnet-native control. Real-world architectures, control strategies, and case examples will be discussed, showing how zone-level sensors and controllers can coordinate with central air handling units to reduce energy consumption without compromising air quality or comfort.

The session will also address key challenges such as maintaining minimum ventilation standards, sensor calibration, commissioning, and integration with legacy systems. Finally, best practices and lessons learned will be shared to help designers, operators, and building owners confidently implement DBV strategies that improve sustainability, occupant comfort, and ROI.