what is a vav in hvac

A VAV (Variable Air Volume) system is a type of heating, ventilating, and/or air-conditioning (HVAC) system that supplies air at varying levels or volumes to meet the heating and cooling loads as well as the ventilation rates required by the space. VAV systems use flow control to efficiently condition each building zone while maintaining required minimum flow rates. The primary goal of any HVAC system is to provide comfort to building occupants and maintain healthy and safe air quality and space temperatures. VAV systems supply air at a variable temperature and airflow rate from an air handling unit (AHU) . The most simple form of a VAV box is the single duct terminal configuration, which is connected to a single supply air duct that delivers treated air from an air-handling unit (AHU) to the space the box is serving. A VAV terminal unit, often called a VAV box, is the zone-level flow control device. It is basically a calibrated air damper with an automatic actuator.