Buildings consume roughly 40% of the energy produced in the U.S. according to the Alliance to Save Energy. Half of that energy is used for heating and ventilation. With over 60% of the country’s energy coming from fossil fuels, buildings, and treating the air in buildings, in particular, are contributing to the introduction of greenhouse gases into the environment. Portland-based Ventacity Systems’ mission is to curtail that trend by reducing energy consumption in buildings while making them healthier through the introduction of high-performance ventilation products.
Founded in 2015, Ventacity produces a line of high-efficiency ventilation systems that outperform the competition. Additionally, their innovative heat recovery technology helps buildings become healthier by improving indoor air quality. The company has a number of products on the market that transform traditional ventilation solutions including the Smart Building Gateway (SBG), which provides continuous ventilation monitoring from any internet connection. Using SBG, facility managers and contractors can gain instant, live access to the ventilation management system and determine whether it’s operating at optimal efficiency and improving air quality.
Founder and CEO Sal D’Auria started the company with a vision to save the planet while transforming the ventilation systems sector.
“The vision that I had is that we have a number of challenges in our world, and one of the key challenges is about energy, greenhouse gasses, and the idea of building technology that helps save energy and the planet,” said D’Auria, an entrepreneur and physicists. “Buildings consume too much energy, and we want to change that. So, if we can make a difference there, we are making a difference across the energy sector.”
Ventacity Systems operates labs in Corvallis, Oregon, where their ventilation products are produced, and Silicon Valley, where their state-of-the-art software is developed. The company is based here in Portland, where it has been a resident of the Portland State Business Accelerator since 2017.
“The Business Accelerator is a great environment with so many interesting things going on from nano-particles to rocket science. It’s a great addition to the startup community in Portland,” says D’Aurio.
In the future, D’Aurio hopes to expand Ventacity Systems by developing more products and recruiting more PSU students. For now, he takes pride in the impact that his company has made on his customers and the environment.