Abstract
This research investigated the energy efficiency of decentralized ventilation (DV) systems in cold weather conditions in comparison to centralized ventilation (CV) systems, focusing on three locations in Norway. The study found that DV systems with higher heat recovery unit (HRU) efficiency consumed less thermal and fan energy due to shorter air distribution pathways, utilizing a hybrid natural ventilation strategy in mild climates, and simpler space zoning for ventilation. This study proposes to determine a suitable ventilation system for adapting to cold climate. These methodologies are presented in three major parts: 1) ventilation energy demands of DV and CV systems in Norway, 2) performance of the heat recovery unit in the DV system, and 3) numerical analysis of the total ventilation energy demand of the DV system in cold climates using occupant ratio and existing measured data.The results showed specific time periods when it is ideal to use a fan-assisted NV system in cold climates, and in local conditions, 4–20% per year could benefit from a fan-assisted NV system using DV technology. A DV system with 0.7 HRU efficiency can save up to 14.5% of total HVAC energy compared to a CV system. The HRU heating efficiency played a crucial role in thermal ventilation energy demands in cold weather, while the cooling efficiency had no significant effect on energy demands. However, if a hydronic heating and cooling coil is added to the DV system, it consumes more than 9.08% of energy than using a pump. The energy-saving performance of the DV system decreases significantly if its HRU efficiency is below 50%, and there is no real advantage of using the DV system over the CV system in such cases. Nonetheless, the DV system can be utilized in various working conditions to conserve energy, such as different occupancy ratios, individual room space zoning, and indoor air pollution rates.
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