Measuring ventilation and air infiltration in buildings- Sweden

Measuring air flows and tightness of ventilation ductwork is compulsory in Sweden but not measuring air infiltration or building tightness which normally is done only in some research projects. Instead building tightness is regarded to be covered by compulsory construction guidelines. Tightness of a buildings envelope (external walls, roof and floor) is required for two reasons: to reduce dampness problems and to reduce the use of heating energy of the building. This aim and direction of the Swedish building authorities today is different from earlier codes as shown below.  

Presentations of measurement solutions by Swema

           

Presentations of measurement solutions by RETROTEC

          

Presentations of measurement solutions by Lindab

    

Presentations of measurement solutions by ACIN

            

PROMEVENT: Improvement of measurement protocols used to characterize ventilation systems performance

For the coming energy-efficient buildings, the guarantee of energy performance becomes a major challenge. It is therefore crucial to implement accurate and reliable measurements, in order to ensure this performance. The in-force French EP-regulation RT2012 already imposes compulsory justification of envelope airtightness. Moreover, the Effinergie+ label requires ventilation systems control and ductwork airleakage performance. This requirements, ventilation control for IAQ concerns and buildings regulatory compulsory controls need reliable diagnostic protocols.  

Comparative Analysis of the Methods for Measuring the Air Velocity and Flow in Mechanical Ventilation Systems

The purpose of ventilation system is to provide and remove the airflow from room in accordance with its design. Unfortunately, in practice, this basic task is very often not fulfilled, which is frequently caused by negative handling by the users of the building. The most common reason for improper operation of the mechanical ventilation system is its insufficient output in particular sections of the system.

Measurement of airflow rates in ducts by velocity measurements: an overview

To measure a flow in a closed duct, one of the available methods is to explore the velocity field. The duct is divided in elementary sections in which the velocity is measured. Using these elementary results, a mean velocity is calculated. Knowing the exact section of the duct, the mean flow rate can then be deduced. With this method, the quality of the flow measurement is there very dependent on the number of individual velocity measurements and on the scheme of distribution of these measurements in the duct section. 

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