performance-based

Efforts must be made to promote the use of efficient ventilation systems in buildings with the aim of reducing energy demand, as ventilation is a major source of energy loss. Nevertheless, the implementation of efficient ventilation systems is frequently constrained by regulations. It is therefore essential that governments and regulatory bodies facilitate and even encourage the use of appropriate solutions through the introduction of performance-based regulations. 

Ensuring an indoor environmental quality that is acceptable to the majority of users, while also being energy efficient is a challenge. In addition, both user demands and the climate change are making it even more difficult to ensure good indoor environmental quality. One of the solutions to combat climate change is free cooling systems, such as ventilative cooling. 

Smart ventilation which provides air renewal thanks to its variable airflows adjusted on the needs can improve both indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy performance of buildings. However, such performance gains should be quantified with performance-based approaches. In this paper, we propose to extend the performance-based approach with a robust methodology to rank the ventilation systems performance. Such a methodology could be used in a decision-making tool at the design stage of buildings.