The Airtightness Quality Management Approach in France – Assessment after more than Five Years of Operation

Envelope airtightness is incorporated in the French Energy Performance (EP) Regulation (named “RT”) and is a key factor in the reduction of energy consumption. From 2006 until 2012, the French 2005 Energy Performance Regulation (RT, 2005) did not require justification of envelope airtightness. However, constructors could get certification for airtightness through a quality management (QM) approach, in order to build better-than-regulatory buildings.

Investigating Instantaneous Wind-Driven Infiltration Rates using the CO2 Concentration Decay Method

Carbon dioxide has already been recognized as a potential tracer gas for estimating the mean air exchange rates of a room or building. The wind direction and mean wind velocity have also been identified as critical factors that affect the air infiltration. In this paper, the indoor CO2 concentration has been logged at three specific points in an office room for seven selected measurement-periods. The decay method was used to estimate the infiltration rates (ac/h).

Overview of the UK Residential Ventilation Market and Initiatives to Improve the Quality of the Installed Systems

New homes currently being built within the UK all incorporate some type of ventilation system, the majority of which are of the fixed mechanical fan type. These generally come in three generic designs known as single room background ventilators, continuous mechanical systems and continuous mechanical systems with heat recovery. Installation, inspection and commissioning of these systems is covered by Building Regulations, and there are training schemes in place which allow individuals to become Competent Persons to undertake these tasks.

Experimental Investigation on the Flow Characteristics of an Exhaust Hood Assisted by a Jet

An air curtain generated by a jet is used to enhance an exhaust hood’s capture ability in many research studies on local ventilation systems. This paper focuses on experimental methods to investigate the flow characteristics formed by an exhaust hood associated with a jet. The basic flow characteristics of this kind of exhaust hood are obtained by smoke visualization as a jet forms an air curtain, and the flow field is a combination of three parts: the jet flow region, the exhaust flow region and the vortex flow region.

Natural Ventilation Potential in Portuguese Residential Buildings under Winter Conditions – An Opportunity for Hybrid Ventilation

This paper presents a study of the potential for the use of natural ventilation systems in Portuguese multi-family residential buildings under winter climatic conditions. The behaviour of various natural ventilation systems is tested in a standard residential dwelling, using the TRNSYS 15 and COMIS 3.1 software programs. This study leads to the conclusion that the use of hybrid ventilation systems can save a considerable amount of the energy normally spent on continuously operating mechanical ventilation systems.

An Overview of Unsteady Analysis Techniques for Natural Wind Turbulence and its Effects on Natural Ventilation

Focusing on the turbulence in natural ventilation and its impact on both occupant thermal comfort and building energy consumption, this paper presents a review of existing unsteady natural ventilation envelope flow models, as well as other techniques that have potential application to further our understanding of turbulence in natural ventilation and develop models which capture the dynamics and effects on thermal comfort.

Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation - A Review

As a novel air distribution system, diffuse ceiling ventilation combines the suspended acoustic ceiling with ventilation supply. Due to the low-impulse supply from the large ceiling area, the system does not generate draught when supplying cold air. However, heat sources play an important role on thermal comfort in the occupant zone. Another characteristic of this system is its lower pressure drop compared with conventional ventilation systems, which reduces the noise problem and, at the same time, the energy consumption of the fan can be reduced.

Building Envelope Pressure Manipulation for Streamlined High-Rise Buildings

Methods of manipulating building envelope wind pressure distributions for application in the natural ventilation of high-rise buildings are presented using computer simulation methods. CFD was used to simulate the external flow while the multi-zone method was used to compute the flow distribution in the building interior. First, a 2-D CFD study was conducted to explore various techniques of manipulating the building envelope wind pressure distribution.

Uncertainties in Air Exchange using Continuous-Injection, Long-Term Sampling Tracer-Gas Methods

The PerFluorocarbon Tracer (PFT) method is a low-cost approach commonly used for measuring air exchange in buildings using tracer gases. It is a specific application of the more general Continuous-Injection, Long-Term Sampling (CILTS) method. The technique is widely used but there has been little work on understanding the uncertainties (both precision and bias) associated with its use, particularly given that it is typically deployed by untrained or lightly trained people to minimize experimental costs.

Building Ventilation Strategies to Protect Public Health during Chemical Emergencies

Releases of airborne chemicals can rapidly affect wide areas, leading to exposures that may adversely affect public health. A strategy of sheltering indoors has often successfully protected public health, but in some cases it has been ineffective. This paper explores the role of ventilation as one of a number of factors that affect shelter effectiveness.

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