A field study was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of air leakage sealing techniques for reducing air infiltration in houses. Presealing and postsealing air leakage tests were performed upon 82 single detached houses inWinnipeg or southern Manitoba. All houses were placed under a negative pressure, and leakage sites were identified using smoke pencils. Windows and doors were weather-stripped and other unintentional openings caulked and sealed using specified materials and techniques.
The Department of Defense has an ongoing program to conserve energy at its installations. One method of energy conservation in residential units is the reduction of excessive air leakage by appropriate retrofits. Under the sponsorship of the Office of Navy Family Housing, a demonstration of air leakage reduction was undertaken at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Twoprocedural documents were prepared in draft form: a manual for use by supervision and a handbook for the on-base mechanics doingthe air leakage retrofits.
Seven federal buildings ranging in size from 1900 to 48000 m2 of floor area were pressure tested to determine the airtightness of the building envelopes. These tests are part of a larger project to evaluate the thermal integrity of the envelopes of federal buildings. The buildings were pressurized using the air-handling equipment in the buildings and a constant-injection, tracer gas technique to measure the airflow through the fans. In addition, selected windows in some of these buildings were pressure tested separately to determine the airtightness of individual components.
The airtightness of 82 passive solar homes located throughout the United States was studied using tracer gas measurements of air infiltration and pressurization testing. The air infiltration measurements employed the tracer gas decay technique in a low-cost mode employing air sample bags and off-site infiltration determination. The infiltration rates measured under natural conditions ranged from about 0.05 to almost 2 air changes per hour (ACH). The pressurization test results ranged from 1 to more than 30 ACH at 50 Pa, with an average of about 10 ACH.
Data from detailed tracer concentration decay and induced pressurization measurements were obtained in tests of duplex and row apartments at Norfolk, Virginia and Pensacola, Florida to accurately determine air leakage characteristics of selec
Work has been in progress for several years on the revision of Byggeforeskrifter (Norwegian Building Regulations), and the new chapter 54 sets quantitative requirements for the air tightness of sections of a building and the building as a whole. In this project, good and bad solutions are illustrated and an effort is made to show the importance of good workmanship. The commonest types of leakage were identified by examination of Leca pipes.The conclusion drawn from the investigations was that Leca pipes should be surface treated to prevent large air leakages.
Air qulaity measurements along with airflow rate measurements of air conditioning system were conducted in an office building occupied by workers with clerical activities. Contaminamts measured were CO2, SPM (suspended particulate matters) NOx and airborne bacteria. Indoor CO2 and SPM levels were found to be quite high, 1,600 ppm (CO2) and 0.25mg/ m3 (SPM), respectively, at their maximum and exceeded Japanese Standards The cause of the high concentration was found to be air leakage in the outdoor air intake duct. The air leakage rate was estimated applying mass-balance model of CO2.
The session on measured air infiltration rates in residences showed that the situation has changed drastically since the first symposium on air infiltration in 1978. Whereas in 1978 little measured data or pressurization data, or both, exist. This session contained excellent papers that summarised the state of the existing data on air infiltration.
Approximately 40% of the energy consumption in Sweden is utilized in the heating of buildings. In order to reduce the amount of energy utilized for heating purposes, more stringent thermal insulation requirements for buildings were introduced.
Draughtproofing the windows and external doors of UK dwellings can be an effective and relatively inexpensive means of comfort and reducing heat loss by natural ventilation. In most situations, draughtproofing is unlikely tocause any deterioration in the quality of indoor air. There are however a number of simple checks which should be made prior to installation to ensure that the ventilation requirements of the dwelling and its occupants are satisfied.
Login