house

Reports field monitoring program by the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory to assess the potential impact of reduced ventilation of indoor air quality. Three houses, designed to be energy-efficient, were monitored using a mobile laboratory. Parameters measured included infiltration rate, CO2, CO, NO2, NO, O3, SO2, HCNO, total aldehydes and particulates.

Reports the use of thermography for evaluating the effectiveness of a number of different retrofit measures carried out on single family dwellings in Twin Rivers. Discusses the use and limitations of thermography. Gives thermograms of parts of the houses before and after retrofit. Finds thermography is an effective tool for evaluating these retrofit measures which decreased the energy consumption by about 25%.

Reports investigation whose object was to devise a quick and simple method for checking the airtightness of a whole building. Describes pressurization of building and gives results from 20 single family houses and five multifamily buildings. Finds that the majority of the multifamily buildings investigated conform to requirements in the regulations and about one half of single family houses satisfy the requirements stipulated for the transitional period.

Reports results of measurements of the environmental radiation inside Norwegian houses. Three types of measuring equipment were used: a scintillation rate meter specially designed for low intensity measurement, a geiger counter with a rate meter, and an ionisation chamber. The average doserate in air due to environmental radiation was found to be 87 mrad/year insidehouses with outer walls of wood. 115 mrad/year for buildings with outer walls of concrete and 129 mrad/year for buildings with outer walls of brick.

Reports the results of three programmes of measurements of ventilation carried out in one-family houses, which in most cases were of the 'council house' type. The first programme measured ventilation rates using tracer gasin two houses room by room. Wind speed and direction were recorded but no general relation between ventilation and wind was found. The second measured ventilation rate in individual rooms in a house under six different wind conditions. The third measured ventilation rates in three identical homes.

Discusses actual ventilation rates in small houses and the requirements of Swedish building regulations. States that regulations do not take a total view of the energy balance in small houses, and pay no regard to the interplay between different forces.< Discusses a newly built 1.5 storey house as an example. Outlines problems in ensuring a low air change rate.

Investigation has shown connection between radon content in mines and lung cancer in miners. Radon is also present in building structures. Presents measurements carried out inNorwegian houses and discusses consequences of radiation doses absorbed in human lungs as well as biological effects of background radiation. Diagram illustrates concentration of radon in concrete, brick and wood. Analyses factors which affect radon content, particularly barometric pressure and ventilation rates.

Describes technique for measuring the volume of air leaving a house through the loft. Two tracer gases are used; nitrous oxide is released in the house and carbon dioxide in the loft. The mean concentration of N2O in the loft gives the volume of house air infiltrating the loft: and the mean concentration of CO2 gives the ventilation rate of the loft itself.< Gives two examples of the use of this technique and gives loft ventilation rate as a function of wind speed for one house.

Gives instructions for constructing a super-insulated house. Describes installing insulation, vapour barriers, shutters and an air-to-air heat exchangers. Outlines ways in which heat islost from a house and the problems of conventional structures.

Describes portable apparatus used to measure the air leakage of houses. A fan is used to exhaust air from the house and the air flow rate is measured. The air flow rate and corresponding pressure difference across the building can then be used to evaluate the relative air tightness to the house. The fan pressurization test equipment is portable, inexpensive and simple to operate. Describes test procedure and gives a few examples of house characteristic curves.