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Evaluation of the performance of demand control ventilation system for school buildings located in the hot climate of Saudi Arabia

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Abstract

The advantages of the demand control ventilation system (DCV) have been widely discussed in previous research studies. However, the literature has not addressed the benefits of DCV on controlling indoor CO2 concentration and minimizing cooling energy consumption for school buildings located in extremely hot climates. Therefore, this paper contributes to the development of DCV and mechanical ventilation systems through a comprehensive evaluation of these systems to maintain acceptable indoor air quality (IAQ) while minimizing cooling energy demands for school buildings located in the harsh hot climate of Saudi Arabia. The evaluation is based on a calibrated whole-building energy model and validated IAQ predictions using field data obtained from a school case study in Jeddah. The results of this research study confirm that hourly and sub-hourly monitoring of indoor CO2 concentration is required to ensure optimal design and operation of the ventilation systems in schools. In addition, the analyses indicate that a 13% increase in cooling energy end-use can result for any additional 0.1 students/m2 density increase in the classrooms. However, the energy penalties related to ventilation needs can be reduced by up to 25% using DCV instead of conventional mechanical ventilation systems for school buildings located in Saudi Arabia’s hot climate.

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Acknowledgements

This project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah (No. KEP-1-135-41). The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks DSR’s technical and financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Architectural Engineering Department, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia

    Alaa Alaidroos

  2. Faculty of Architecture and Planning, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Ayad Almaimani, Ammar Dahlan & Rahif Maddah

  3. Building Systems Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA

    Moncef Krarti

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  1. Alaa Alaidroos
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  2. Ayad Almaimani
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Correspondence to Alaa Alaidroos.

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Alaidroos, A., Almaimani, A., Krarti, M. et al. Evaluation of the performance of demand control ventilation system for school buildings located in the hot climate of Saudi Arabia. Build. Simul. 15, 1067–1082 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-021-0854-z

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