Ventilation for Smoke, Odor, and Air Quality Control
Ventilation is one of the most commonly recommended solutions for controlling smoke, odors, and indoor air contaminants, and in many cases it is required by building codes and industry standards. But while ventilation is powerful, it is not always practical—or sufficient—on its own. Understanding where ventilation works, and where it falls short, is the key to designing an air quality solution that actually performs.
Save $25,000 / $50,000 / Or MORE !
THE $70,000.00 LIE
HVAC contractors and engineers will often tell you that you need to install an expensive ventilation system or a DOAS unit. A DOAS (Dedicated Outdoor Air System) treats 100% of the incoming fresh air separately from the building’s heating and cooling systems. In practical terms, it takes all the air you have already paid to heat or cool and exhausts it outside, then requires you to spend more money to condition the replacement air coming back in.
On the surface, this is correct; however, the code this requirement comes from (IMC Chapter 4) also includes a provision that allows a portion of that outside air to be replaced with properly filtered, recirculated air. That one detail changes the economics of the entire project.
LakeAir has helped cigar lounges reduce ventilation costs by as much as $70,000.00. I have the owner’s phone number from one of these projects—if you are serious, you can call him and verify the results yourself.
North Star Cigars - $70,000 Savings
The City of Blaine, Minnesota, was not enthusiastic about a cigar lounge opening within its limits. New municipal codes were adopted that made it extremely difficult—and nearly financially impossible—to move forward with a project like this.
When the owner of North Star presented his plans to local general and HVAC contractors, they saw an opportunity. The proposal came back at over $200,000 for a ventilation-based solution.
Looking for another option, the owner contacted Randy Bush at LakeAir and asked a simple question: “Is there a way to make this affordable?”
Randy joined the project meetings and walked the team through what the codes actually allow. In the process, it became clear the original approach was not the only path. The initial team was replaced, and after working through two revised designs, the project moved forward using the LakeAir strategy.
The plans have now been approved by the city. As of this writing, drywall is going up, and the lounge is scheduled to open in late spring 2026.
After reviewing all costs, the savings on ventilation alone totaled over $70,000. In addition, projected savings in maintenance and operation are approximately $9,600 per year, including all filter costs.
This is not a sales pitch. These are the real numbers behind opening a cigar lounge.
If you’re serious about understanding what this could mean for your project, call me. I’ll personally connect you with the owner so you can hear it directly.
How Much can you Save? - Up to $54.60 per sq ft
Every smoking room is its own animal. No two projects are exactly the same, and actual costs will vary based on several factors:
- Regional cost of equipment
- Labor rates for installation
- Power costs (typically $0.10–$0.30 per kWh)
- Difficulty of installation
- Unique municipal requirements
- Engineering costs
We have researched real-world projects across the country and developed the following planning averages:
DOAS System
Average Equipment Cost: $15.47 per CFM required
Annual Electricity Cost: $2.06 per CFM
Annual Filter Cost: $0.44 per CFM
DOAS Warranty Parts 1 year Compressor 5 year
A DOAS system is a solid solution. It can deliver approximately 25 air changes per hour, with operating sound levels in the range of 50–58 dB(A).
Total Cost:
≈ $18.00 per CFM
≈ $75.60 per sq ft
LakeAir System
Average Equipment Cost: $3.65 per CFM required
Annual Electricity Cost: $0.30 per CFM
Annual Filter Cost: $1.00 per CFM
LakeAir Warranty Lifetime (with regular filter maintenance)
The LakeAir system also delivers approximately 25 air changes per hour, with operating sound levels in the range of 46–54 dB(A).
Total Cost:
≈ $5.00 per CFM
≈ $21.00 per sq ft
What That Means
Typical savings:
≈ $13.00 per CFM
≈ $54.60 per sq ft
If you are ready to Save Thousands of dollars, call Randy Bush @ 262-632-1229
Want to see your numbers? Visit the Contractors Guide Calculator web page
What Ventilation Really Means in Practice
Commercial spaces are required to provide ventilation based on occupancy. ASHRAE, one of the leading authorities on HVAC design, recommends up to 20 CFM (cubic feet per minute) per person in a typical commercial space.
In a smoking establishment, that number increases significantly. The International Mechanical Code (IMC) commonly requires 60 CFM per occupant. That means a space with an occupancy of 100 people may be required to provide 6,000 CFM of ventilation.
And that’s where the numbers start to matter.
The 60 CFM per person requirement is not designed to create an elevated smoking experience—it’s a baseline for compliance. It also does not account for ceiling height or room volume. In some cases, it may perform well. In others, it falls short of the environment you are trying to create.
The bottom line: IMC requirements should not be treated as the final word on how your smoking lounge is designed—they are the starting point.
Where Ventilation Falls Short
While ventilation is effective in theory, several real-world challenges limit its usefulness.
High Operating Costs
Conditioning large volumes of outside air requires substantial energy. Over time, utility costs become a major burden. For example, an 8,000 CFM DOAS system can cost approximately $16,500 per year to operate.
Outdoor Air Quality Issues
Ventilation brings in whatever is outside. With increasing levels of wildfire smoke, smog, and other pollutants, outside air is not always clean. Humidity, odors, and contaminants are introduced directly into the space along with that air.
Building Limitations
Many facilities simply cannot support the ductwork, roof penetrations, or system size required for high-CFM ventilation. Even when it is possible, installation can become complex and expensive. In the North Star project, adding the required ducting would have been extremely difficult.
Inefficiency for Smoke and Odor Control
Ventilation dilutes contaminants—it does not remove them at the source. In environments with continuous smoke or odor generation, dilution alone often struggles to keep up.
A Smarter Approach: Air Purification
This is where air purification becomes a critical part of the solution.
Instead of relying solely on outside air, air purification systems continuously clean and recirculate the air already inside the space. By capturing smoke particles and adsorbing odors at the source, purification systems reduce the load placed on ventilation systems.
This allows you to:
- Improve Air Quality More Effectively
- Reduce Amount of Outside Air Required
- Lower Energy and Operating Costs
- Create a More Comfortable Environment
Ventilation and Purification Working Together
The most effective systems don’t choose one or the other—they combine both. Ventilation addresses fresh-air requirements and code compliance. Air purification handles the heavy lifting of removing smoke, odors, and airborne contaminants. Together, they create a balanced system that is both compliant and practical.
LakeAir Solutions can SAVE you OVER $50,000.00
A LakeAir HEPA air purification system is so efficient that it can be substituted for Fresh Air Ventilation. We have proven this in a number of real-life applications.
Our units use high-efficiency particulate filtration combined with advanced carbon and specialty media to capture both smoke and odor at the source. This allows businesses to maintain clean, comfortable air without relying entirely on costly outside air systems.
Whether you are designing a new space or improving an existing one, LakeAir systems can be integrated alongside ventilation to deliver real-world performance.
ASHRAE & the IMC on Difficult Ventilation Situations
While ASHRAE and the authors of the International Mechanics Code might like to see every air quality situation solved with ventilation, they are realists and have made exceptions to these recommendations. In ASHRAE’s standard 62.1(2012b) they “allow that filtration and air cleaning, together with recirculation, can be used as a substitute for a portion of outdoor air ventilation. This is conditional upon detailed analysis of contaminant sources, rates of contaminant removal by air-cleaning systems.” In most cases bringing this information to the attention of a municipalities’ inspectors is enough to get an allowance.
If the quote from ASHRAE does persuade your inspector, point them to International mechanical code 2021. In chapter 4 on ventilation, the code spells out that the use of recirculated air that is filter shall NOT be prohibited. The very code they quote, allows you to use proper filtration. This hidden gem is found in the note “b”, in the line for smoking lounges. Here is a full explanation of note “b” :
Note b in Table 403.3.1.1 of the International Mechanical Code (IMC) specifically addresses ventilation requirements for smoking lounges. It states:
“Mechanical exhaust required and the recirculation of air from such spaces is prohibited. Recirculation of air that is contained completely within such spaces shall not be prohibited (see Section 403.2.1, Item 3).
This means that:
- Mechanical Exhaust: Smoking lounges must have a mechanical exhaust system to remove air from the space. This system should be designed to effectively remove smoke and other pollutants generated by smoking.
- No Recirculation to Other Spaces: Air from smoking lounges cannot be recirculated back into other parts of the building. This prevents the spread of smoke and other pollutants to non-smoking areas.
- Recirculation Within the Lounge: Recirculation of air within the smoking lounge itself is generally allowed, as long as it is properly filtered to remove contaminants. However, this should be done in accordance with Section 403.2.1, Item 3 of the IMC.
The goal of these requirements is to protect the health and safety of building occupants by preventing the spread of smoke and other harmful pollutants from smoking lounges to other areas of the building.
Important Requirements
Make-Up air and ventilation in general may be governed by different local laws and codes. It is best to always to check what rules may apply to your business location. Three common rules that you should always take into consideration.
1: Keep Intake and Exhaust vents at least 10 feet apart. It makes no sense to bring fresh air into a space to immediately exhaust it back outside.
2: If untreated, make-up air is allowed, the volume should not exceed the existing HVAC system’s total ability to treat. For example, if your existing HVAC is designed to treat 10,000 cubic feet of air, you cannot add untreated makeup air that would cause the HVAC load to exceed 10,000 cubic feet.
3: In almost every case, the smoking room must be kept under negative pressure to prevent polluted air from entering a non-smoking space. This includes offices and retail spaces in the same business.
If you need help understanding how these codes, rules and regulations my effect your project, please call our CEO Randy Bush (262) 632-1229.
LakeAir Ventilation Products
LAC MUA-900
- 900 CFM Make-Up Air Unit
- Duct Adapters 12 / 10 / 8 inch
- On Board WIFI / WIFI @ Switch
- 150 – 900 CFM
- Galvanized / Black / White
$1450.00 – $1650.00
Power Vent 24 x 24
- 1000 CFM Power Vent
- Duct Adapters 12 / 10 / 8 inch
- Variable Speed
- WIFI or Switch Controlled
$850.00 – $900.00
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