North America Dedicated Outdoor Air System Market (2025 - 2033) Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Capacity (Up To 20 Tons, 20-50 Tons, Above 50 Tons) By Application (Commercial, Residential, Industrial), By Equipment Type (Packaged DOAS Units, Custom-Built DOAS Units), By Country, And Segment Forecasts

North America Dedicated Outdoor Air System Market Summary

Additionally, the growing focus on occupant health, post-pandemic ventilation upgrades, and the integration of Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS) with smart building automation systems are accelerating market expansion across office complexes, educational facilities, and healthcare environments.

With the rise in healthcare construction projects, particularly in the U.S., DOAS installations are increasingly specified to ensure precise humidity management, particulate filtration, and contamination control standards essential for patient safety and compliance with health regulations. These systems also support continuous ventilation and pressure control in critical environments such as operating rooms and isolation wards, aligning with evolving healthcare design standards for infection prevention and energy efficiency.

Market Concentration & Characteristics

The North America Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) market exhibits moderate concentration, dominated by leading HVAC manufacturers such as Carrier, Daikin Applied, Trane Technologies, Johnson Controls, and LG Electronics, which collectively command a substantial regional share. Domestic specialists, including AAON, Greenheck, and Addison HVAC, maintain strong competitive positions through expertise in dehumidification, air-handling, and custom-engineered ventilation systems tailored to local climate needs. The market exhibits a high degree of technological innovation, with continuous advancements in energy recovery systems, modular unit design, and digital building integration, which support improved system efficiency and ease of installation.

Innovation in the North America dedicated outdoor air system industry is increasingly centered on smart connectivity, IoT-enabled controls, and enhanced air purification, reflecting a rising demand for real-time performance monitoring, adaptive ventilation, and sustainable operations. These developments are strongly influenced by North America’s evolving building efficiency and air quality standards, which emphasize low-energy, high-performance HVAC solutions. Regulatory and customer pressures are jointly driving the adoption of DOAS technologies that enable precise ventilation and humidity management while reducing operating costs and emissions.

In North America, mergers and acquisitions remain a key strategic approach, as major HVAC corporations expand their portfolios through the acquisition of niche ventilation and air-handling specialists. This consolidation trend enhances product diversification and lifecycle service capabilities but also raises entry barriers for new players. Regulatory frameworks, particularly ASHRAE standards and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) efficiency mandates, remain central to product design and adoption. Service substitutes are limited due to DOAS’s unique role in decoupled ventilation and humidity control. End user concentration remains moderate to high, primarily driven by the commercial, educational, and healthcare sectors, which rely heavily on DOAS for maintaining air quality and occupant comfort.

Drivers, Opportunities & Restraints

Rising demand for improved indoor air quality (IAQ), energy efficiency, and occupant comfort, combined with a surge in commercial construction and renovation activities, is driving the growth of the North America Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) market. The ability of DOAS to provide dedicated outdoor air independent of primary HVAC systems has made it increasingly preferred for applications in offices, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and industrial spaces.

Despite growing awareness and regulatory support, the DOAS market faces restraints associated with complex integration into existing HVAC frameworks, particularly in retrofit or renovation projects. Because DOAS units decouple ventilation from heating and cooling operations, incorporating them into legacy systems where these functions are typically combined often requires extensive ductwork redesign, airflow rebalancing, and control system modifications. These adjustments add both technical and financial complexity to installation. Furthermore, high upfront installation costs, limited mechanical space in older buildings, and the need for specialized maintenance expertise continue to pose barriers to scalability, particularly in cost-sensitive commercial and institutional segments.

A key opportunity for the North America DOAS market arises from the global momentum behind green building initiatives and net-zero energy programs. Governments and private developers are increasingly aligning construction standards with frameworks such as WELL Building Standard, BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), all of which emphasize advanced ventilation, energy recovery, and indoor environmental quality. DOAS technologies, which include integrated energy recovery ventilators (ERVs), digital air quality monitoring, and smart control systems, directly support these sustainability goals.

Equipment Type Insights

The packaged DOAS units segment held the largest revenue share of 72.4% in 2024, driven by their ease of installation, standardized design, and suitability for a wide range of commercial applications. The strong adoption of packaged DOAS units is fueled by their cost-effectiveness, quick deployment, and ability to meet ventilation and indoor air quality (IAQ) requirements across diverse commercial spaces. Additionally, the growing emphasis on energy efficiency and compliance with building codes has further accelerated the demand for packaged DOAS solutions.

The growth of the custom-built DOAS segment is driven by the rising adoption in large-scale projects, where precise airflow and humidity control are critical, such as healthcare facilities, laboratories, and data centers. Their flexibility in configuration and ability to integrate with advanced building management systems (BMS) enhances suitability for specialized HVAC applications requiring high efficiency and customization. Custom-built DOAS solutions also support complex ventilation demands in projects pursuing green building certifications, offering enhanced energy recovery and optimized control strategies. As demand for tailored HVAC systems grows across critical environments, this segment is expected to register steady long-term expansion within the North American market.

Application Insights

The commercial segment led the North America dedicated outdoor air system industry, accounting for the largest revenue share of 78.3% in 2024. This share is attributed to the increasing emphasis on indoor air quality (IAQ), occupant comfort, and energy-efficient building operations, supported by stringent ventilation standards and sustainability goals. Rising commercial construction and renovation activities across North America, particularly in the office, education, and healthcare sectors, continue to drive widespread DOAS adoption.

Expansion in manufacturing, warehousing, and process-critical industries fuels demand for controlled ventilation and humidity management, thereby fostering market growth. These facilities increasingly require DOAS integration with energy recovery and smart monitoring features to maintain environmental consistency and energy savings across complex industrial infrastructure.

Capacity Insights

The up to 20 tons segment held the largest revenue share of 60.6% in 2024, underscoring strong demand for small- to medium-capacity Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS) across commercial and light industrial applications. This capacity range is particularly effective for offices, retail outlets, schools, and healthcare facilities, where maintaining controlled ventilation and humidity is essential for occupant comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ).

The 20 to 50 tons segment is supported by expanding deployment in medium to large commercial facilities, reflecting its optimal balance between performance and affordability. This capacity range effectively serves multi-story buildings such as schools, offices, and retail complexes that require greater airflow, humidity control, and zoning flexibility than smaller systems, without incurring the high capital costs associated with industrial-scale units. Its versatility and efficiency make it well-suited for projects where maintaining consistent ventilation and energy performance is a priority.

Country Insights

U.S. Dedicated Outdoor Air System Market Trends

The U.S. dominates the North American dedicated outdoor air system market due to its extensive regulatory landscape, which emphasizes energy efficiency and indoor air quality, particularly in the commercial and healthcare sectors. The large geographic diversity necessitates a wide range of HVAC solutions, and states like California, with its strict environmental mandates, are key drivers for DOAS adoption. Major industry players, such as Carrier and Daikin, have concentrated their efforts here, reinforcing the U.S. position as the market leader in North America.

Mexico Dedicated Outdoor Air System Market Trends

The Mexico dedicated outdoor air system market is the fastest-growing regional segment, driven by rapid urbanization, increasing industrialization, and government-backed energy efficiency programs. The rising demand for ventilation upgrades in the commercial, institutional, and residential sectors drives the adoption of DOAS. Additionally, growing awareness of indoor air quality standards and sustainable building practices is further encouraging the integration of advanced air-handling solutions across new and retrofit projects.

Key North America Dedicated Outdoor Air System Company Insights

Some of the key players operating in the market include Johnson Controls and LG Electronics Inc.

• Johnson Controls designs, manufactures, and offers solutions that enhance the operational efficiencies of buildings and various systems related to the automotive industry. The company supplies building control systems, automation, HVAC equipment, seating and interior systems, and integrated facility management services. It operates through four business segments and has a global presence.

• LG Electronics Inc. is a globally operating company involved in consumer electronics, home appliances, and air solutions. LG Electronics has a strong global presence with 152 subsidiaries spanning Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. The company invests heavily in research and development, with significant expenditures aimed at sustaining competitive advantage and expanding product offerings

Recent Developments

• In April 2025, Johnson Controls announced its decision to divest its HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) solutions business for light commercial and residential buildings, including its stake in the Johnson Controls-Hitachi joint venture, to Bosch for USD 8 billion. This transaction marks a strategic move by Johnson Controls to streamline its business portfolio, while enabling Bosch to nearly double its HVAC sales, expand its Home Comfort Group workforce to over 26,000 employees, and strengthen its presence across the U.S. and Asia markets.

• In July 2025, Greenheck Fan Corporation expanded its DOAS product line with the RV-220 model, offering up to 29,200 CFM airflow, 50-100 tons packaged DX cooling, and 2,000 MBH indirect gas heating. Moreover, the model features R-454B refrigerant and a space-efficient footprint for standard flatbed shipping. The company now offers capacities ranging from 800 to 29,200 cfm and 3 to 100 tons of cooling, with new options such as power exhaust and energy recovery expected to be launched soon. 

North America Dedicated Outdoor Air System Market Report Scope

North America Dedicated Outdoor Air System Market Report Segmentation

This report forecasts revenue growth at the country level and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2021 to 2033. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the North America dedicated outdoor air system market report based on capacity, application, equipment type, and country:

• Capacity Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2021 - 2033)

  • Up to 20 Tons

  • 20-50 Tons

  • Above 50 Tons 

• Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2021 - 2033)

  • Commercial

    • Retail Shops

    • Offices

    • Healthcare Facilities

    • Hospitality

    • Schools & Educational Institutions

    • Laboratories

    • Data Centers

    • Others

  • Residential

  • Industrial

• Equipment Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2021 - 2033)

  • Packaged DOAS Units

  • Custom-Built DOAS Units

• Country Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2021 - 2033)

  • U.S.

  • Canada

  • Mexico