Demand controlled ventilation by room CO2 concentration: a comparison of simulated energy savings in an auditorium space

Abstract The investigation models the energy saving which can be made if the ventilation rates supplied to an auditorium located in a U.K. urban environment are controlled in response to CO2 concentration. Ventilation profiles based on CO2 concentration levels, generated from a step-by-step integration pre-processor, are supplied to a dynamic thermal simulation computer program which models a space with fluctuating occupancy levels. The simulations suggest that heating energy savings of as much as 50% may be achieved where auditoria currently using 100% fresh air ventilation systems are retrofitted to incorporate CO2 controlled ventilation.