Increased attention to the reduction of energy consumption in buildings and greater awareness of the need to maintain acceptable standards of indoor air quality have led to the development of new or revised standards of building airtightness and ventilation requirements. In this review of the existing standards of twelve countries, an attempt has been made to compare their main features and criteria. In many cases, direct comparison is not possible because of different ways of expressing the significant parameters.
Treats a research study by the Danish Building Research Institute to develop a comprehensive set of design details for the use of bricks in a highly insulated cavity wall and building methods that could easily be followed by contractors. Illustrates photographically and describes the detached house which resulted from the project. Illustrates structural details diagrammatically. The energy consumption of the house is less than a quarter of older houses of similar size. Explains the design details to avoid thermalbridges and the application of modular coordination.
The R-values of permeable insulation systems are generally determined in test apparatus designed to assure one-dimensional heat transfer and to assure no air intrusion effects. Such classical R-values are used to help describe insitu heat-tra
Examines the causes of condensation problems and ways of reducing or eliminating them. Deals with diffusion through the building envelope, mechanical dehumidification and ventilation. Considers condensation inside cavities and roof spaces.
The author examines the influence on thermal comfort of the air flow inside wall air spaces, on the assumption of a stabilized periodical condition. In these particular conditions an increase of the circulating thermal flow always involves a lowering of the reduction factor, and this increase is greater thelower are the thermal inertia characteristics of the outer wall. Displacement values are found to be mainly influenced by the physical characteristics of the outer wall.
Makes an inventory of different outside wall structures and details their construction with respect to heat losses. Notes that in some countries, little consideration is made of energy losses and that Building Regulations in Sweden are strictest.
Describes details of wall and foundation designs that have been used in constructing super-insulated houses on the Canadian prairies. One trend has been the development of the double framing system in which two sets of wall studs are used one
Reviews new regulations and their consequences for external wall structures. Considers energy savings, air tightness requirements, U-values, air movement and zone division, heavy and light structures, building classification according to room temperature, incidental heat gains from insolation.
Investigates the effect of energy-saving measures by selecting a large number of multi-family and single-family swedish houses where such measures have been carried out. Energy saving methods include insulation of external walls and attics, triple glazing windows, and installation of radiator thermostatic valves. Concludes that these modifications have, in average, led to anticipated savings when they have been modified individually. Also considers moisture problems arising in retrofitted houses, and the effectiveness of different types of weatherstrips in energy conservation.
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