Air Leakage testing of Commercial Buildings - NEBB

1 Air Leakage testing of Commercial BuildingsColin GengeRetrotec IncEverson WA, Cause of air Leakage Problems Sites Benefits Ventilation Air barriers Locate and seal leaks Measure leaks Case StudiesMulti Fan manual available freeColin GengeColin GengeUSACE Manual freeColin GengeVariation in pressure over 11 winter daysStack Pressure + Holes = LeaksStack EffectWarm air risingCold air fallingPrimary Boundaries for cold climates14 windows open at -25 Cinset shows open windowBenefits of airtightness 1 CFM 75/ft2 Addedenergy costImpacton , severeBenefits of airtightness 4 Impact of Air Tightness Typical Multi-Unit Residential 05101520253035No Ai r LeakageVe r y Ti g h tTi g h t Lo w AverageTi g h t AverageTi g h t Hi gh Average*Leak yVery Leaky,Windows OpenAnnual Space Heat Consumption, kWh/ m2 Suite Electric Space Heat vs Air Leakage RateThe impact of air Leakage of large Buildings 1 2010 problems in large Buildings 1 Real problemsReal problems in large Buildings 2 Real problems in large Buildings 3 Real problems in large Buildings 4 Real problems in large Buildings 5 Benefits of airtightness 7 Benefits of airtightness 8 Benefits of airtightness 3 Benefits of airtightness 6 Disconnect FloorsSeal shaftsElevator piston effectImproved Air tightness in Elevator Shafts shall pass.

2 CFM/sq ft ..at 75 Pa .. Why air Leakage is measured 1 Standards for air Leakage 1 Required House tightness?StandardRequirementCFM75/ in2 EfLA @ 4 Pa / 100 Bldg tightness?4 story building , 120 x 110 x 40 ft, n= CFM75/ ft2 USAASHRAE m3/m3/h @4Pa , Washington l/s @50Pa , Best5 m3/h @50Pa , Tight2 m3/m3/h @50Pa to CFM75/ft2 total envelope= to liters/s @ 50 Pa /m2 Guideline air Leakage levels 1 Why air Leakage is measured 2 Why air Leakage is measured 3 Compartmentalize the laundry room Recommendations cfm/ft2 @75 Walls cfm/ft2 @75 Slabs cfm/ft2 @75 Paint all block walls Seal all shafts at each floor Enclose elevator lobbies from slab to slab Electronic exhaust fan & fire dampers 2010 air Leakage sites 1 Locate leaks with door fan using smoke, infrared, handDoor fan finds leaksDoor fans and infrared cameraTypical air Leakage sites 4 Smoke testing Used to Confirm Air Barrier DiscontinuityWhy air Leakage is measured 4Т=-22 С Т=+19 С Т=41 С P=+ 8 Pa P=-8 PaWithout and With depressurizationSealing air Leakage sites Using a door fan increases effectiveness of air seal crew Longevity of air sealingSealing air leaksTypical air Leakage sites 3 Typical air Leakage sites 2 Door-Fan componentspanel + calibrated fan +gaugesBiggerSeal theseOpen interior doorsSetting up the test fansWhat components of Buildings can be measured?

3 building components that can be measured 1 building components that can be measured 2 building components that can be measured 3 building components that can be measured 4 building components that can be measured 5 Measuring apartment air leakageMeasure Entire EnvelopeMeasure Entire EnvelopeSlab Leakage total floor Leakage 2010 RetrotecInc. 2010 components that can be measured 5 building components that can be measured 6 building components that can be measured 7 CanadaCGSB E-779-10 UKEuropeEN13829 Standards for air Leakage 1 CanadaCGSB TS-1 EuropeEN13829 USAAir Leakage ProtocolStandards for air Leakage & 10 %accuracyHeight restrictionYe sNoFlexibilityTemperature& wind restrictionYe sNoFlexibilityMin. test pressure10 Pa25 PastabilityMin. # building /flow readings5120accuracyMin. testpoint interval10s20saccuracyGauge accuracy5%1%accuracy 2010 RetrotecInc. 2010 USACELEEDO riginUSAC anadaEuropeUK USAWAS tateWorldAcceptable conditions41 to 95 F< 5mph wind< mph wind< mph windheight x T<500m C< mph windheight x T<250m C95% confidenceinterval41 to 95 F< 5mph windStandardized measurement methods 1 StandardASTMCGSBEN13829 ATTMA USACEWA StateLEEDO riginUSAC anadaEuropeUK USAWAS tateNorth AmericaRange10 to 60 Pa15 to 50 Pa10 to 50 Pa10 to 60 Pa 25to 75 Pa25 to 80 Pa10 to 60 PaStandardized measurement methods 2 StandardASTMCGSBEN13829 ATTMA USACEWA StateLEEDN umber ofpoints5- 101,2, or 757 10105 2010 measurement methods 3 StandardASTMCGSBEN13829 ATTMA USACEWA measurement methods 4 StandardASTMCGSBEN13829 ATTMA USACELEEDIECCO riginUSAC anadaEuropeUSAWAS tateNorth AmericaResultsEfLA 4 ACH50 CFM50 EqLA10 ACH50m3/h50/m2m3/h4/m2 ACH50 CFM75/ft2 EfLA 4 ACH50 CFM25/100ft2 Suggest using only.

4 ACH50 EqLA 50/Floor area x 1,000,000 Unitless Always whole number Calibrate against holes of known sizes Always reference results to 50 PaStandardized measurement methods 5 Numerous Apartment Buildings TestedLeakage on all 6 sidescm2/m2@ 50 WallsExterior Walls - Normalized Leakage Area @ 50 2 -Polyethyelene/ SBPOH ousewrapBldg. 4 -Polyethylene/BuildingPaperBldg. 3 608 - Peel 311 - Peel andStick/GypsumBldg. 3 611 - Peel andStick/GypsumBldg. A - Peel andStick/GypsumNormalized Leakage Area (cm2/m2)Party WallsSuite Demising Walls by Type - Normalized Leakage Area @ 50 -Bldg. A - 802-801 Concrete -Bldg. A - 802-803 Wood Frame -Bldg. 2 - 401-StairWood Frame -Bldg. 2 - 401-402 Wood Frame -Bldg. 4 - 309-308SS Gypsum -Bldg. 3. - 608-loungeSS Gypsum -Bldg. 3. - 608-609SS Gypsum -Bldg. 3. - 311-309SS Gypsum -Bldg. 3. - 611-609 Normalized Leakage Area (cm2/m2)Floor LeakageFloors by Type - Normalized Leakage Area @ 50 - Building2 Wood/ConcTopped - Building4 (4th)Wood/ConcTopped - Building4 (3rd)Concrete - building A (8th)Concrete - building A (9th)Concrete - building 3 (3rd)Concrete - building 3 (4th)Concrete - building 3 (6th)Normalized Leakage Area (cm2/m2)Air Leakage Test Protocol for Army Corps BuildingsRequirements Proper design Plan review Ongoing inspection Mock up building materials Pass air Leakage protocol oeasyonot just the ASTM E779 standardNeed to know the Air Barrier113 GuinessWorld Record15,000,000 cubic feetHallenumfang = 1,2 km9 x 2-Kanaldruckmessdosen mit Referenzschlauch ins Geb udeinnereIan Jack s Guinesstest in Video embeddedYear of ConstructionYear of Air-barrier retrofit?

5 Number of StoriesFloor AreaEnclosure AreaTested Permeablityft2ft2cfm/ft2 @75Pa2011-796,882 76,084 ,882 76,084 ,882 76,084 of ConstructionYear of Air-barrier retrofit?Number of StoriesFloor AreaEnclosure AreaTested Permeablityft2ft2cfm/ft2 test of 300 Buildings life test: EMADA ntwerp, Belgium Envelope Area = 11,250 m2 CFM/ft2@ 75Pa m3/h/m2 Real life test: BTC South Carolina, USA Envelope A = 136,820ft2 CFM/ft2@ 75 PaReal life test: RetrotecVancouver, Canada Envelope Area = 25,000 ft2 CFM/ft2@ 75Pa m3/h/m2 Imbalanced flow can be caused by individual set GengeIndividual set point between zones Common set point within a zone. Colin GengeVirtual Gauge1-855-738-7683 | Mode with & Control several gauges simultaneously GFI compatibleLinks to other fansBreakerAdjust max speedCommon ControlCommon ControlIndividual Control 2010 of door fan tests 3