Demonstration of air leakage reduction program in Navy family housing.

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. The retrofits were designed to be incorporated at the time of change of occupancy, when routine interior maintenance and refurbishing are normally scheduled. The demonstration consisted of measuring the 'before' air leakage rate of each unit by the fan depressurization method. Major air leakage sites were noted. Retrofits were made in about half of the units, and the resulting reduction in air leakage was measured. Air leakage data are presented on a reprenentative sample of 65 units of the housing inventory at Great Lakes.