Ventilation performances in French dwellings: results from field observations and measurements.

This paper presents a recent field measurement study undertaken in 1999 on 73 recent Frenchdwellings. The study presented the opportunity to assess the conformity and the performancesof the dwelling ventilation systems and to assess the impact of infiltration on airchange rates.The following aspects were analyzed : (1) the type of ventilation facilities in the dwellings ;(2) the defaults in the installed systems and in their operation ; and (3) the measured air flowrates, as compared to the French standard required levels. For each dwelling, we investigatedthe infiltration air exchange contribution as compared to the total air change rate. For this, onsite depressurization tests were performed on each dwelling with the blower door technique. With a first measurement, we assessed the sole air leakage rate, while with asecond test, we measured the total air change rate (including air flow through ventilation airinlets). Comparison of results led us to assess the infiltration air contribution into the total airexchange rates. The results of the study show a significant proportion of defaults in ventilationsystems, in terms of conformity as well as in terms of global performance. Besides, airflowrate assessments reveal a significant contribution of air infiltration when compared to the totalairchange rates.