Making VAV Great Again

Variable air volume (VAV) systems were "the next best thing" when they were developed in the 1970s and soon became the de facto system of choice for commercial buildings and the baseline system for energy standards such as ASHRAE Standard 90.11 and California's Title 24.2 Over the following decades, new system types were created in an effort to surpass the energy efficiency and comfort control performance of VAV systems and become the "next, next best thing." These systems include underfloor air distribution, chilled beams, variable refrigerant flow, and in-slab radiant.