How Smart Buildings Use IAQ Sensors to Reduce Energy Use—Without Compromising Health

As buildings become more connected and energy costs continue to rise, facility managers face a difficult balance:
 how to reduce HVAC energy consumption without creating stuffy rooms, CO₂ spikes, or uncomfortable workspaces.
 The answer increasingly lies in real-time indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring.

Modern offices, schools, and commercial buildings no longer rely on fixed ventilation schedules. Instead, they are turning to data-driven ventilation models systems that respond to what the building needs, moment by moment.

 

 

 

Why IAQ Sensors Are Reshaping HVAC Strategy

Traditional HVAC systems operate on timers, not conditions. This often leads to two costly outcomes:

  • Over-ventilation when occupancy is low
  • Under-ventilation when CO₂ rises due to crowded spaces

Both situations waste energy and reduce comfort.

 

IAQ sensors solve this by providing live visibility into what is happening in each room, including:

  • CO₂ levels
  • Temperature and humidity
  • PM2.5 and PM10
  • Occupancy-related air quality trends

With these insights, building teams can shift to demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) as a strategy where airflow is adjusted only when the room needs it.

 

Case Study: How a Modern Office in Shenzhen Cut Energy Use by 18% Using Aeropulse IAQ Data

When a newly renovated six-floor office in Shenzhen adopted a hybrid work model, the facility team quickly noticed a pattern:
 the ventilation system continued running at full capacity, even during long stretches of low occupancy.

This led to:

  • unnecessary energy consumption,
  • uneven comfort across the building, and
  • repeated CO₂ spikes during busy afternoon meeting hours.

 

The Aeropulse Approach

Aeropulse deployed a network of Aeronode A100 and A200 CO₂ monitors, placing devices strategically in:

  • meeting rooms
  • open-office floors
  • training rooms

All units streamed continuous IAQ data including CO₂, PM levels, temperature, and humidity into the Aeropulse Dashboard for centralized analytics.

Within just two weeks, clear patterns became visible:

  • Morning occupancy was consistently low, yet HVAC fans ran at maximum airflow.
  • Afternoon meeting blocks produced short but intense CO₂ spikes.
  • Certain rooms required steady ventilation, while others remained largely unused.

 

Smart Ventilation Optimization

Using Aeropulse insights, the facility team adjusted its HVAC management:

  • Shifted to demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) based on CO₂ thresholds.
  • Reduced baseline ventilation during low-occupancy hours.
  • Enabled automatic airflow boosts when CO₂ exceeded 900 ppm.
  • Deactivated ventilation in empty rooms using occupancy-related CO₂ patterns.

 

The Results (3 Months After Deployment)

Metric

Before Aeropulse

After Aeropulse

Improvement

HVAC runtime

100%

72%

–28%

Average CO₂ spikes

1,450 ppm

780 ppm

Healthy & WELL-aligned

Monthly energy cost

baseline

–18%

Significant savings

Occupant complaints

Frequent

Rare

Comfort improved

This case demonstrates how targeted IAQ data allows buildings to ventilate where needed, not everywhere, while boosting air quality at the same time.

 

Why CO₂ Is the Cornerstone of Smart Ventilation

CO₂ is one of the most reliable real-time indicators of human presence.
 When CO₂ rises, the building knows occupancy is increasing; when it drops, airflow can be reduced.

Optimizing ventilation around CO₂ levels delivers:

  • Lower HVAC workload
  • Fewer stale-air periods
  • Better alignment with WELL and ASHRAE recommendations
  • Higher occupant comfort and productivity

It is a simple metric but one with powerful implications for energy efficiency.

 

Building a Smarter, Healthier Future with Aeropulse

Aeropulse IAQ monitors and dashboards enable buildings to transition from static ventilation schedules to responsive, data-driven operations.

By combining accurate sensing with intuitive analytics, teams can:

  • reduce energy costs,
  • prevent air quality issues before they escalate, and
  • create healthier, more efficient workplaces.

For collaboration opportunities or deployment support, you may contact the Aeropulse team.