Background: Smart Ventilation
The smart ventilation approach uses equivalence to optimize intermittent ventilation so that building occupants get the same or a lesser dose of air contaminants as they would receive in a building with continuous ventilation. Smart ventilation controls also for these important ventilation factors.
- Energy consumption,
- Time-dependent energy valuation (TDV),
- Peak power, and
- Preference for clean as opposed to dirty outdoor air when clean air is available.
This flexibility in ventilation control will help California to meet its zero-energy targets cost-effectively without degrading indoor air quality.
Implementation Strategy
The SVACH project team is heavily invested in the science behind the general concept of smart ventilation for ZNE homes. SVACH will bring the concept of smart ventilation through the pre-commercial phase to enable manufacturers to create products that meet regulatory or voluntary programs leading to ZNE homes in California.
LBNL scientists first proposed an approach for intermittent ventilation in 2006. Then they developed a pre-commercial controller (RIVEC) to demonstrate the feasibility of this ventilation approach in 2009. supported by the California Energy Commission Public supported RIVEC. The LBNL team subsequently reviewed the energy-savings potential of equivalent ventilation approaches (2011).
Metrics and Simulations Drive the Technology
SVACH will use data from other research projects to inform the simulations of occupant exposure for new and existing homes. The LBL team will evaluate smart ventilation solutions to determine their energy-and-health-related performance in ZNE homes. Outputs of the project will be these.
- Analysis of options suitable for use by Title 24; b)
- Guidance for the industry on how to use successful smart ventilation options in new and existing ZNE and other advanced homes
- Technical papers for the archival literature.
The project will proceed in two partially overlapping phases. Both phases develop technical solutions and investigate certification approaches to promote smart ventilation in codes and standards.