air permeability

Airtightness is presented through various expression according to the standards and measurement methods of each country. To compare the airtightness of buildings of different sizes, ACH50 and air permeability are mainly used to express the airtightness.

Worldwide, the demand for airtightness tests of tall buildings with a height of approximately 100 m is increasing. This report provides information on the planning and measurement concept for testing the entire building as a “single-zone” and presents the results and findings of the airtightness tests. The test set-up and the tests as such are based on the Passive House Institute's Guide to Measuring Tall Buildings [5] which includes recommendations that go beyond the ISO 9972 standard.

Purpose of the work

This work presents multiple in-situ measurements of building components airtightness using a direct component testing. Its purpose is to highlight advantages, drawbacks and limitations of the method compared to other methods for measuring in-situ the airtightness of building components (e.g. the indirect method).

Method of approach

For approx. a year ago, the following was submitted to the Certification Committee, and no response is still seen. Especially the problem of the pressure at which Pa the measurement should start is seen as a criticism, and yet it has not been possible to find a reasonable explanation for the change.

Dear committee at ISO 9972,

I miss an explanation, of the change that came from EN 13829 to ISO 9972

Purpose of the work

Purpose of the work

The overall buildings leakage results from the sum of the individual contribution of its components. Quantifying this contribution would be of major importance for building designers that intend to improve building enclosures for airtightness optimization. Typically, building components airtightness is tested in laboratory but several examples of a different in-situ performance are reported in the literature. Therefore, this work aims at assessing the air permeability of several building components using in-situ blower door tests.

The airtightness of buildings is important for several reasons, such as being a prerequisite for low-energy buildings and for a healthy indoor air quality (without i.e. mould or radon). The airtightness of buildings can vary over time and investigations are made on these variations due to moisture induced movements in wooden constructions, and subsequent consequences, using both measurements and numerical simulations.

ATTMA, the Air Tightness Testing & Measurement Association has introduced mandatory lodgement for all members, representing over 140 companies and over 350 test engineers across the UK. This presentation will give an oversight as to how we have made lodgement mandatory, the software we are using and finally some statistical analyses showing where the UK is at the moment with average Air Permeability (AP50) results.