Decentralized ventilation systems that serve individual stories within a building provide independent climate control. This approach contrasts with centralized systems that manage airflow for an entire building from a single location. As an illustration, a system using multiple, smaller air handlers, each dedicated to one or more floors, rather than a large, central unit, exemplifies this strategy.
Such localized environmental management offers several advantages, including improved energy efficiency through targeted conditioning and reduced ductwork losses. Furthermore, it can facilitate enhanced indoor air quality by limiting the spread of contaminants between different areas. This design philosophy has gained prominence alongside growing concerns about building energy consumption and occupant comfort.