A pilot test series has been performed to study the possibility of using carbon dioxide produced by the burners of a test furnace as a tracer gas to measure the fire gas leakage of door assemblies. The experiments show that a test method based on tracer gas techniques can be developed avoiding thedrawbacks of the proposed ISO test method DP 5925 Part 3 based on the use of an enclosure. The investigated method works well for leakage measurements in ambient and medium temperature ranges. A special test door suitable for theoretical estimation of leakage rates was used in the test.

Suggests draughtproofing and installation of controllable ventilation when retrofitting older residential buildings in the UK. Use of extract fans to remove moisture at source is recommended. The energy savings obtained in four case studies are presented.

Discusses control of condensation, and moisture transfer through walls. Various air pressure barriers are suggested to control leakage. One-, two- and three-stage joint methods of wall construction are compared.

This wind tunnel investigation studies the effects of surrounding buildings on the wind pressure distribution over a 1 1/2-storey single-family house. Pressure coefficients obtained in the tests have been used for the calculation of air change rates and associated heat losses from the house for a range of wind speeds and internal-external temperature differences. For these calculations leakage areas in the building envelope have been assumed to be uniformly distributed.

A constant concentration tracer gas system was designed and constructed to continuously measure the air infiltration rate in as many as ten zones of a building. The portable, microcomputer controlled system injects a metered amount of tracer

Describes a method to estimate differences in external pressure values between walls from known mean pressure coefficients on the facades and roof of the building in question and from the determination of wind values on the site and at the same height as the building.

The current industry standard for measuring air leakage of windows, curtain walls, and doors is ASTM E283. This test measures the ability of fenestration products to resist air leakage under ideal laboratory conditions which usually are at s

Energy efficient steel buildings with better thermal insulation to reduce transmission losses are now being built in Sweden. Examples of structural design are given to minimise the influence of thermal bridges. A method for the calculation of such heat losses is presented. Principles for airtightness to reduce air leakage of buildings are discussed, special details and material requirements are given.

A brief synopsis of recent analytic and experimental studies is given. Conclusions are that convective transfer of water vapour into an attic from the living space below often transports more moisture than diffusive transfer through the ceiling construction. Large quantities of moisture are stored in the roof sheathing during warm spring and summer periods. Solar loading during mild winter periods can produce desorption of moisture from the sheathing. This paper reviews the formulation of mathematical relationships among physical parameters governing moisture transfer within attics.

Describes the physics of moisture in the home. Suggests four basic strategies for dealing with excess moisture buildup in the home: 1) minimise the entry and release of moisture, 2) protect building components with vapour barriers, 3) remove water vapour with ventilation or dehumidifiers and 4) raise theinside surface temperature of windows.