Using Adjacent Unit Pressures to Compute Exterior Leakage from Compartmentalization Tests

In the United States, compartmentalization measurement of individual unit total leakage is the most common method of air leakage testing multifamily buildings. There are several advantages to this method: (1) The measurement includes interior leakage, which affects contaminant and sound transfer; (2) the test is easier to perform than others; (3) many people are qualified to perform the test; and (4) units can be tested earlier in the construction process than with other methods. However, exterior leakage has the greatest impact on energy performance.