Reports on a study carried out by HUDAC and DBR on four identical detached houses built in Ontario in 1977. House 1 was built according to the insulation requirements of the 1975 Ontario Building Code, the others were constructed with increased levels of insulation and air tightness. Some of the aims are:

Gives some conclusions from a detailed computer analysis of the energy consumption of 600 branch bank buildings of The Bank of Novia Scotia, spread across Canada. Divides energy management into 3 categories:

Reports on a project carried out in the Caswell Hill and Riversdale areas of Saskatoon to investigate the effectiveness of sealing with caulking and weatherstripping to reduce air leakage. This involved sealing 10 homes, and also insulating the attics and basements of five of these houses after thesealing work. A control group of 10 homes which had been insulated without particular attention being given to sealing procedures were also monitored. The homes were pressure tested by the National Research Council before and after sealing to measure the reduction in air leakage.

States that the calculation of building energy flow is very complex, and so validation is a vital element in the development of any model. Describes an IEA R and D project to compare 23 computer programs (from 8 different countries) both in terms of consistency between programs, and in thei relative accuracy in modelling the behaviour of a real building (the Avonbank office block in Bristol). Summarizes the major conclusions developing out of the project and discusses the most important aspects which need to be considered in the development of a reliable computer program.

Describes the relationship between wind flow round a building and heat loss from it. The relative merits of numerical and wind tunnel models are discussed and various numerical techniques, including the vortex method and the control volume method, are examined.

Looks at the requirements for computer model validation, especially in regard to predicting energy usage in buildings. Discusses the IEA project for comparing and validating several computer programs in this context. Describes the Glasgow commercial building monitoring project, which includes detailed measurement of temperature and air flow rates to provide data for model validation. States what type of data is needed for validation.

Describes sources of radon in buildings. Summarizes data on observed indoor radon concentrations in houses in New York, Salzburg Austria, and Florida. LBL studies in energy efficient buildings in Maryland, Minnesota, and New Mexico show that tight houses have higher radon concentrations then conventional houses. The data reported is based on "grab samples" taken on mild days (low wind and small indoor and outdoor temperature differences) with all doors and windows closed, resulting in a "worst case" estimate.

Briefly reviews sources and types of air contaminants common in tight houses. Covers four indoor pollutants - carbon-monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves, particleboard plywood and urea-formaldehyde from insulation, and radon from various building materials.Suggests ways of lowering pollutant levels without compromising energy conservation considerations.

Gives a brief survey of aspects of research into air infiltration. Discusses methods of measurement of ventilation rates and of building leakiness, covering the infrasonic and pressurisation methods of leakage testing, and thermography and tracer gas methods of measuring ventilation rates. Describes the available techniques for predicting leakiness and infiltration rates, and discusses their ease of application and accuracy. Concludes that the achievements of research to date are sound methods of measuring leakiness and infiltration rates.

Derives analytical expressions for the exchange of air across doorways or similar apertures, in terms of the temperature difference between the spaces on both sides of the opening and the net volume of air flowing through this as a result of unbalanced air supply or extract.