supply

In France, the control of ventilation system at commissioning is mandatory in the context of the Effinergie + label and the measurement of airflows in residential houses is mandatory since 2017 in this label. The Promevent project (2013-2016) was aiming at improving the reliability of those controls. Guidelines have been issued for visual inspection of system, airflow measurements at air terminal devices (ATD) and ductwork airtightness measurements.  

One of the two air distribution systems serving the office rooms of a 25-year-old large office building was balanced in autumn 2002. The supply and extract air flow rates of 173 office rooms were measured before and after balancing. Before balancing, the air flow rates varied considerably from room to room and many of the office rooms were over pressurised. The average extract air flow rate in the whole of the building was 20.7 L/s.person and the standard deviation 11.0 L/s.person. The aim of the balancing process was to meet the design values dating from 1978.

Capture hoods are the most common measuring method for volumetric air flows from exhaust. The hoods have been continuously improved in order to prevent some deviations from calibrated values. In most cases a satisfactory accuracy can be achieved by this measuring method.