The article looks at the attitude of UK building regulations to ventilation, summarising sections F, G and H of the 1985 regulations. Part F concerns ventilation of dwellings, buildings which contain dwellings, rooms containing sanitary conveniences and bathrooms, as well as provision of ventilation forthe roof space. Particular attention is given to the demand for ventilation from heating appliances, including open solid fuel appliances, cooker and open flued appliances.

A simplified electric analogue method to analyse the thermal performance of naturally ventilated buildings is presented. One of the main features of the method is that empirical constants in some equations account for typical rates of natural ventilation in conventional buildings. Another feature is that a very high degree of lumping is attained by using a special calculation procedure to estimate effective capacity values of building elements. The method is therefore extremely easy to use. Predictions are compared with measurements. The comparison is acceptable for design purposes.

Failure to understand the principles appropriate to a particular roof makes it all too easy to introduce condensation problems, often serious ones. A distinction between surface condensation and interstitial condensation is made. Before attempting work on any roof it is necessary to determine how the roof is designed to work. If the principles are wrong, the whole design should be checked and if necessary corrected.

Draughtproofing the windows and external doors of UK dwellings can be an effective and relatively inexpensive means of comfort and reducing heat loss by natural ventilation. In most situations, draughtproofing is unlikely tocause any deterioration in the quality of indoor air. There are however a number of simple checks which should be made prior to installation to ensure that the ventilation requirements of the dwelling and its occupants are satisfied.

Follows an article by M.Cadierigues in Promoclim E, December 1984, describing radon in the inhabited environment. The phenomena is still not well understood in France, and the possible solution which ventilation may provide is yet to be establi

Describes the measurement of infiltration in each of the seven rooms of a house over the period from November 1983 to January 1984 with occasional use of mechanical exhaust ventilation. Nitrous oxide was used as the tracer gas. External meteorological conditions were also recorded. The measurement principles are outlined and detailed results presented. Various mathematical models are assessed in comparison with the measured data.

Presents the major findings from two studies of moisture problems in crawl spaces. Three mechanisms play a role: transport by air via the floor, moisture migration through the floor and cold bridges. Special attention was paid tomoisture transport by air as it is an important cause of moisture problems. Some conclusions are drawn.

Several papers discussing ventilation efficiency, effective industrial ventilation, the positioning of ventilation inlets and outlets, displacement ventilation and other applications of the concept of ventilation efficiency.

Describes measurements undertaken at the Fraunhofer-Institute fur Bauphysik of the effects of various mean and turbulent air flows under constant air temperature, indoor surface temperature, and humidity, using an anemometer and Laser Differential Interferometer.

A mathematical model was used to describe the natural ventilation of a modern residential building for various building construction and meteorological data. The calculations showed that exhaust air shafts have a very positive influence and that separate consideration of wind and stack effect on thenatural ventilation of buildings leads to a wrong interpretation. Both major influences must be considered together.