English

A program is presented which runs on Apricot, Sirius and IBM-PC microcomputers and calculates the heating energy requirements of single zone, intermittently heated buildings with reasonable accuracy. Calculation of preheating energy is based on the average internal temperature concept of CIBS Energy Code 2. Solar gains and long-wave radiation losses are treated crudely on the basis of regression equations for radiation as a function of daily average external temperature for different periods of the day.

The application of heat pumps to ventilation heat recovery in domestic houses is considered. It is shown that the most effective system is a combination of heat pump and heat recovery unit; a plate heat exchanger is the type commonly used. Such units are now commercially available, and can provide heat at a lower cost per kilowatt hour than the Economy 7 tariff. The performance of several units is presented, and seasonal running costs have been computed for a house equivalent to the Capenhurst low energy house design.

A new Building Research Establishment audio-visual package, 'Remedies for condensation and mould in traditional housing' sets out the findings of field trials of some available remedies for condensation and mould, carried out in England and Scotland on estates which had a history of complaints of dampness. This research has led to a new understanding of the factors involved in the occurence of condensation and the ways in which they interact. Condensation is most likely to be a problem in the homes which use the least heating.

Dampness on the inside surfaces of dwellings is a frequent source of complaint. It may be due to rising damp, rain penetration or a plumbing defect; or it may be due to condensation. Condensation and mould growth are widespread problems in all housing sectors but especially so in tenanted accommodation. In many cases it may be difficult to identify the underlying cause; this can often be complicated by social issues. Mild cases will often yield to simple changes in the heating and ventilation regime in the dwelling or to cosmetic treatments of redecoration, perhaps with fungicidal paint.

This paper describes tracer gas measuring techniques that have been used to characterize ventilation and air infiltration in buildings, with an emphasis on recent developments and applications in large industrial and commercial structures. Fundamentals and applications are presented for both single andmultiple tracer gas methods. In addition to techniques suitable for detailed characterization of building airflows, procedures and equipment appropriate to surveying large numbers of buildings are also discussed.

Ventilation rates were measured in nine office buildings using an automated tracer gas measuring system. The buildings range in size from a two-storey federal building with a floor area of about 20,000 ft2 (1900 m2) to a 26-storey office building with a floor area of 700,000 ft2 (65,000 m2). The ventilation rates were measured for about 100 hours in each building over a range of weather conditions. The results are presented and examined for variation with time and weather. In most cases, the ventilation rate of a building is similar for hot and cold weather.

The object of this study was to determine the feasibility of using a smoke sensor to monitor and control cigarette smoke levels in occupied spaces and also to determine whether the use of such a detector could result in energy savings. A smoke detector was built and tested. The experimental results show that the smoke sensor output is a function of cigarette smoke concentration and that the smoke sensor gives a rapid and continuous response.

Describes an energy conservation strategy for a private home in Columbus Ohio and the benefits that resulted after nine years. The net result of the conservation steps was to reduce the annual house heating energy requirement from approximateley 1060 CCF of natural gas to 410 CCF and annual water heating energy requirement from approximately 400 CCF to 234 CCF. Thecombined savings at the present rate of $65/CCF was $530 per year. Includes a list of conclusions drawn from the experiment.

The moisture and thermal performance of a typical insulated wood-framed residential wall structure was investigated in the laboratory. The study included the effects of three types of vapor retarder systems and the effects of zero, positive, and negative total pressure differences across the wall. Exposure conditions were representative of a northern winter climate.

An important function of the Air Infiltration Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire, Great Britain, is to keep research organizations informed of on-going research into air infiltration if buildings. To fulfil this need, the Centre regularly undertakes aworldwide survey of current research. In this report, theresults of the Centre's most recent survey, completed in 1983, are used to provide a background to present European airtightness and air infiltration measurement practices. A wide range of research activities are summarized involving the use of both pressurization and tracer gas techniques.