An overview of the R-2000 home program design and installation guidelines for ventilation systems.

This paper outlines the development of guidelines for the design and installation of ventilation systems installed in energy efficient homes constructed under the R-2000 Home Program of Energy, Mines and Resources Canada. The guidelines represent one of the first initiatives to develop comprehensive requirements for the design and installation of mechanical ventilation systems for residential buildings in Canada. The guidelines outline requirements for a continuous supply of ventilation air to dilute and therefore control contaminants produced from dispersed sources in a home (e.g. occupants and building materials), an additional capability for periods of high humidity or contaminant production. The guidelines and also specify that contaminants and odours in kitchens and bathrooms must be removed at their source and exhausted directly to the outside. The ventilation system must be designed and installed so that it does not contribute to an increase in the pressure difference across the building envelope above specified levels. Requirements for providing makeup air , if required, are specified to avoid backdrafting o f combustion appliances and reduce the entry of soil gases into the building. Ventilation ai r must be distributed throughout the house and introduced to occupied zones in manner that does not cause discomfort to occupants.