Reviews current and past air infiltration research related to low-rise residential structures. Discusses measurement techniques, case studies, techniques for detecting and reducing air infiltration in new and existing houses, occupant effects on air change rates and indoor air quality. Two appendices give respectively over 100 references and a print-out of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's air infiltration bibliography.
Reports research undertaken to find the effect of a continuous sheathing board and skirting on the infiltration rate in a mobile home. Two mobile homes were tested, one equipped with sheathing board, and one caulked at structural joints.
Reports study of the natural ventilation in elementary tall office buildings has been made using the analogy between the flow of air through a building and the passage of an electric current through a circuit of resistances. The prime motive forces, those of wind pressure and stack effect are detailed, and experimental values for these and other parameters related to the building are outlined.
Reports air leakage measurements made in a mobile home using sulphur hexafluoride as a tracer gas. The home was located in an environmental chamber where it was possible to measure and control the temperature outside the home. The effect on infiltration rate of inside-outside temperature difference, simulated wind, installation of storm windows, opening of doors and operation of the furnace for was investigated. Also reports pressurization measurements which showed that the installation of storm windows had little effect on air leakage.
Describes the basic relation between pressure difference and air flow rate across an opening under steady state conditions. Taking the ventilation system into account, the pressure difference pattern across building enclosures andthe air leakage characteristics of exterior walls, interior separations and various service shafts must be understood, but at present little of this information has been available for actual buildings. Presents new data on the air leakage characteristics and natural ventilation rates for sound insulating houses.
Describes a model for calculating the energy losses caused by ventilation and uncontrolled leakage of air in buildings. Discusses leakage characteristics of building envelope and duct system, the effects of wind and stack effects. Gives general picture of the calculation model.
An air to air heat exchanger is only of value if one can control the movement of air into and out of the house. Suggests measures for reducing air leakage. describes construction of an air to air heat exchanger. Finds that heat exchanger can be used to control humidity in houses. Suggests use of a solar collector to preheat the cold outside air entering the heat exchanger.
Describes air infiltration measurements made in three apartment houses in the Chicago area using SF6 as a tracer gas. Two were in tenement districts and one was suburban. Data were collected in selected apartments in each building, and these data were used to estimate the infiltration rate for the entire building.
Reviews past research in air infiltration, discussing various models. Proposes research agenda. Gives anotated bibliography. Describes commercial and residential models. Gives test results and a summary of the models.
Notes dangers of incomplete theoretical models distorting technical progress. Cites as example determination of U-value in estimating energy losses through building envelope. Concentrates on considerable energy loss caused by air infiltration, in addition to heat transmission. A step towards a better understanding of total energy flow through building envelope is a method of calculating air leakage. Describes calculation results for a house which show that air tightness is an important property of the building envelope which cannot be neglected.
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