Metal Oxide Semiconductor sensors to measure Volatile Organic Compounds for ventilation control

The application of Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) sensors measuring Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) gains increasing attention in the ventilation community because of their low price and claimed ability to supplement or even substitute CO₂ sensors for demand controlled ventilation (DCV). Even though there are many “Indoor Environmental Quality” meters available on the market, in which these sensors are used, the amount of scientific studies focused on their reliability and applicability is still limited. Moreover, it seems that, although several ventilation producers offer VOC based control, these solutions are not implemented at large scale in the market.
During the AIVC webinar held on 4 September 2018, participants of IEA EBC Annex 68 presented research results, experiences and thoughts related to MOS VOC sensors. The aim of the webinar was to intensify discussion on the topic of low-cost sensors in the ventilation community. 
The focus of the webinar was to introduce research projects focused on providing insight in functionality, behaviour and usability of MOS VOC sensors for ventilation control. This paper summarizes the presentations from the webinar. Section 3 discusses “Can MOS VOC sensors be used for ventilation control?”, presented by Nadja L. Lyng, section 4 “MOS VOC sensors’ properties and suitability for DCV control” by Jakub Kolarik and section 5 “VOC versus CO₂ controlled DCV: A case study” by Jelle Laverge. The main take-aways and perspectives for MOS VOC sensors in ventilation systems are summarised in the conclusion section.