Evolution of Ventilation Measures and Energy Performance in Buildings with High Ventilation Demands: A Critical Review

Abstract

Ventilation performance has historically been assessed using diverse metrics, ranging from air change rates and contaminant concentrations to occupant perception. This paper traces the evolution of these performance measures across research and practice, highlighting the progression from simple ventilation rate benchmarks to more sophisticated indicators like contaminant removal effectiveness (CRE), air exchange effectiveness (AEE), and age of air. The limitations of conventional metrics—particularly their inability to capture spatial variability, energy implications, and real-time contaminant removal—are critically examined. In addition, the historical evolution of these metrics and the rationale for their adoption is studied, specifically in the context of building codes and standards in the United States. A framework is proposed to categorize performance measures into ventilation rate-based, contaminant-based, air distribution-based, and perception-based groups, facilitating their comparison and selection. This critical review aims to support the development of more effective and context-sensitive ventilation assessment strategies, with implications for future research and building standards.