Long-term performance of VAV laboratory ventilation

The objective of the paper is to evaluate the long term performance of the HVAC system in alaboratory building equipped with an advanced fume cupboard technology and a buildingautomation system. The exhaust airflow of the fume cupboard was controlled in terms of sashposition and a control unit. In addition, selected fume cupboards were equipped with presencesensors. The air supply and exhaust flow rates of the laboratory rooms were monitored during two years in normal operation conditions. The data series were presented as cumulative distributions, which enabled comparisons of the air flows between various fume cupboards or laboratory rooms. The performance of the VAV fume cupboard system was compared with a hypothetic fume cupboard with constant exhaust airflow providing the same face velocity as the VAV system. It turned out that saving potential when using the VAV system was about 60%.