A ventilated seat assembly with active air circulation, comprising: at least one structural frame element; a cushion assembly (22, 24) supported by the at least one structural frame element; a conduit network embedded in the cushion assembly (22, 24) configured to direct air to at least one target region of the cushion assembly (22, 24); an air mover coupled in fluid communication with the conduit network; and a controller operable for activating the air mover to cause unconditioned air to flow through the conduit network to the at least one target region; wherein the at least one structural element is a backrest, the cushion assembly is a backrest cushion comprising a spacer mesh component and a foam component, and wherein the backrest cushion includes a lower target region near a lumbar region of the backrest and an upper target region near a headrest region of the backrest; the spacer mesh is positioned in the lower target region and in the upper target region, and wherein the foam is positioned outside of the lower target region and the upper target region; and the conduit network includes a first length of tubing extending from the air mover to the lower target region and a second length of tubing extending from the air mover to the upper target region, each of the first length of tubing and the second length of tubing being embedded in the spacer mesh and having at least one opening for releasing unconditioned air into their respective target region; and/or wherein the at least one structural frame element is a seat pan, the cushion assembly is a seat bottom cushion, the cushion assembly includes a spacer mesh component in the at least one target region and a foam component outside of the at least one target region, and the conduit network includes at least one length of tubing embedded in the spacer mesh component and having at least one opening for releasing unconditioned air into the at least one target region. at least one structural frame element; a cushion assembly (22, 24) supported by the at least one structural frame element; a conduit network embedded in the cushion assembly (22, 24) configured to direct air to at least one target region of the cushion assembly (22, 24); an air mover coupled in fluid communication with the conduit network; and a controller operable for activating the air mover to cause unconditioned air to flow through the conduit network to the at least one target region; wherein the at least one structural element is a backrest, the cushion assembly is a backrest cushion comprising a spacer mesh component and a foam component, and wherein the backrest cushion includes a lower target region near a lumbar region of the backrest and an upper target region near a headrest region of the backrest; the spacer mesh is positioned in the lower target region and in the upper target region, and wherein the foam is positioned outside of the lower target region and the upper target region; and the conduit network includes a first length of tubing extending from the air mover to the lower target region and a second length of tubing extending from the air mover to the upper target region, each of the first length of tubing and the second length of tubing being embedded in the spacer mesh and having at least one opening for releasing unconditioned air into their respective target region; the at least one structural element is a backrest, the cushion assembly is a backrest cushion comprising a spacer mesh component and a foam component, and wherein the backrest cushion includes a lower target region near a lumbar region of the backrest and an upper target region near a headrest region of the backrest; the spacer mesh is positioned in the lower target region and in the upper target region, and wherein the foam is positioned outside of the lower target region and the upper target region; and the conduit network includes a first length of tubing extending from the air mover to the lower target region and a second length of tubing extending from the air mover to the upper target region, each of the first length of tubing and the second length of tubing being embedded in the spacer mesh and having at least one opening for releasing unconditioned air into their respective target region; and/or wherein the at least one structural frame element is a seat pan, the cushion assembly is a seat bottom cushion, the cushion assembly includes a spacer mesh component in the at least one target region and a foam component outside of the at least one target region, and the conduit network includes at least one length of tubing embedded in the spacer mesh component and having at least one opening for releasing unconditioned air into the at least one target region.