Experiences of the past years showed that it is possible to achieve a considerably better air flow rate in large buildings than it is targeted by the regulation of energy saving. The cause is not that the quality of air tight levels is considerably better in large buildings than in single-family houses. These buildings rather have a bigger internal...

As we increase energy requirements on ventilation, it is essential to assess the real performance of these systems on site, both for energy savings and IAQ aspects. Applied on two new buildings located in Paris and near Lyon (France), "Performance" project has given the opportunity to check the feasibility of applying quality approach...

Attic moisture control is one of the key issues addressed by the hygrothermal design of wood-frame houses. In general, exfiltration and natural ventilation are recognized as the main factors in determining the hygrothermal behaviour of an attic. Thus, hygrothermal analysis using a network flow model should be performed in order to predict the...

The combination of air tightness measurements and thermography introduces new application areas for both practices: the building thermography will be extended by a systematic leakage locating in the building envelope and during air tightness measurements, effects of air infiltrations through leaks can be shown. Scopes of...

When two adjacent residential buildings in Ludwigshafen were fully renovated in 2005/2006, energy efficiency was a focal point from the very beginning. One of the two buildings was so completely renovated using Passive House components that it now nearly meets the Passive House Standard for new buildings. The air-tightness of...

There is increasing recognition of the importance of quantifying the airtightness of large commercial and residential buildings. Often these tests must be performed with multiple fans and technicians, usually within a narrow time window. Despite the best preparations, surprises and interruptions are unfortunately the norm. It is therefore...

The basic statistics of airtightness test results collected since 2002 in the Czech Republic are presented. The test results are compared with the limit values according to national standard CSN 730540-2. An overview of airtightness related requirements stipulated in this standard is introduced in short with an emphasis on the overall...

In this work the air leakage database of French single family dwellings, available at the CETE de Lyon (Centre d’Études Techniques de L’Équipement), has been analysed. This database accounts for 251 blower-door measurements of single family dwellings, made after 1983 as a result of several campaigns carried out across France to...

This paper investigates the practical feasibility of an exterior air barrier for the construction of a recently constructed light weight passive house in Ghent, Belgium. The paper discusses the results of pressurisation tests, conducted in the different construction stages of the building envelope. The windbreaker, which will also act as an...

The airtight version of a building envelope has been accepted as a structural engineering challenge in by construction workers in Germany. At the same time, the interest in energy efficient buildings by investing clients has increased considerably. Whether the energy efficiency intended by the client has been reached or not will not...