Ductwork leakage: practical estimation of the impact on the energy overconsumption and IAQ

In a context of energy savings, new buildings are becoming more and more airtight. The good indoor air quality (IAQ) relies therefore more and more on mechanical ventilation systems with specific air flowrates to be met. However, in practice, ventilation ductworks are not always very airtight. The numerous issues induced by leaky ductwork have been well outlined in the literature and summed up in (Leprince et al., 2020). Yet the awareness is not forthcoming, and on-site workers do not always realize the consequences of ductwork leakages.