Reducing the carbon footprint of buildings

Approximately 10% of the CO₂ emissions in the US arise because electricity needs to be generatedto run heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Another 18% comes from burning oil and natural gas used for space heating. Consequently, if one could make HVAC systems more efficient, one could substantially reduce CO₂ emissions and simultaneously save money.

Dioxide is developing sensor technology designed to help reduce the energy needed for HVAC systems. Presently buildings are ventilated with outside air to keep the inside air fresh and odor free. The ventilation runs all of the time even when the ventilation is not needed. This wastes energy because the outside air needs to be heated or cooled. Dioxide is building sensors to measure the indoor air quality and determine how much ventilation is needed. A fan controller will then be used to adjust the ventilation rate accordingly. Less electricity and natural gas will be needed for the HVAC system, which lowers energy bills and reduces the carbon footprint of the building.