English

States that many health complaints attributed to tight buildings (tight building syndrome) may be alleviated by slightly lowering the thermostat. Discusses the ISO draft proposal DP7730 which defines comfort limits in buildings for occupants according to several comfort parameters.

Discusses the requirements of a first class weatherseal. Concludes that silicone rubber is the most effective material. Swedish research shows that silicone resists deformation and cracking better than other weathersealing materials, and that a thin wall tubular seal gives the highest resistance to air and water infiltration. Agrement Board tests show that this type of seal reduces air infiltration through a window from more than 40 m3 air/hour to less than 1m3 at a test pressure of 600Pa.

Describes the benefits of draughtproofing as a cost effective means of energy conservation with a low pay-back period. The Draught Proofing Advisory Association is trying to raise standards by the introduction of a new Code of Professional Practice. It is also approaching the government with regard to including draughtproofing within its Home Insulation Scheme.

A rational method is presented to determine the locations within a building where the highest average concentrations of contaminants may occur. Using this procedure, the number of sampling points necessary for indoor air quality (IAQ) evaluation of a building is reduced to a minimum. Thus the time and cost necessary for building evaluation and analysis can be decreased. Experimental measurements made in a research house are presented to validate the method.

A comprehensive theoretical framework is presented, based on the use of moments of concentration histories ie multiplying concentration readings by time of reading and then integrating with regard to time. The concept can be used to characterize either the diffusion of the supplied air or a contaminant released within the room. Results are presentd from about 50 measurements demonstrating the usefulness and practical applicability of the approach for assessing air quality in ventilated buildings. Different experimental procedures have been explored and are discussed.

Describes the retrofitting of 2 1930's semi-detached houses with insulation, draught-stripping, double glazing, heating controls and heat pumps. Measures performance and finds results compare with expectations. Simulates the heat gains equivalent to a family of four. Heat losses were slightly lower than predicted. Air leakage was also low.

DEscribes the ventilation system which supplies outdoor air into the living room and extracts air in the kitchen and bathroom as a function of measured air humidity. Explains how air pollution by carbon dioxide and odours from occupants is associated with the production of water vapour. The only pollutants not so associated are in the kitchen and WC, which can have supplementary air evacuation.

Decribes how the 19 floor 76m high Arts Tower at Sheffield University is having its energy use characteristics investigated. Illustrates a typical floor plan. Describes and illustrates a component pressure testing rig todetermine the infiltration coefficients of the vertically sliding windows. Treats the criteria determining the rig design and the air flow measurement procedure. Treats tests on windows where the sealant did and did not appear defective, the overall values of window coefficients, testing of a weatherstripped window, the payback period for weatherstripping the windows.

Describes the general methodology for ventilation measurements by tracer gas, using decay, constant concentration and constant emission methods. Defines ventilation efficiency and the ways in which it can be experimentally determined. Gives the results of a series of lab measurements to determine the accuracy of the decay method under different conditions, and the efficiency of some mechanical ventilation systems.

Describes the monitoring of 15 low energy houses built by Manchester City Council. Conservation measures include insulation, internal draught lobbies to exterior doors, draughtproofed windows and doors and tight building envelope, window ventilators with extract fans. Monitoring consists of a continuous recording of a limited number of basic parameters, and an intermittent recording of a larger number of variables at shorter time intervals. The monitoring apparatus yields electronically recorded digital data which is processed by computer.