Describes how engineers retrofitted a modern heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, controls and other energy saving modifications into a neoclassic 19th century building. The problems involved preserving the building's appearance, working while the occupants were present and difficulties in modifying occupant behaviour by means of memoranda to instruct them about how to produce maximum energy savings and indoor environmental comfort.

Intelligent buildings integrate ecological, economical and ergonomical aspects. The aim is the creation of a high application quality at a low energy consumption and CO2 emission. The ventilation and air conditioning especially has to meet high requirements.

This paper presents the result of a research carried out on the valuation method of ductworks hygienic condition. Both the methodology and the results of the samplings carried out on the HVAC systems of ten hospitals are presented. For every HVAC system the following characteristics have been checked: typological and building features, air filters characteristics and maintenance programmes. Upon inspections openings carrying out, air dust concentration, dust on the duct surface, total and specific microbial concentration from the outdoor air inlet to the air intake have been sampled.

This document, which is part of a public survey, was produced by the work group set up in co-operation with Aicarr to support the Technological Group of the 'Indoor' Technical and Scientific Committee of the Prevention Department of the Health Ministry. The document's objective is singling out the system requirements for smoking areas in premises for public use.

Examines the difficulties of ensuring occupant comfort in challenging climates and less developed areas of the world such as the Galapagos. Temperatures can reach 30 deg C, but rarely go lower than 18 deg C, so no heating is needed. Describes the offices of the Galapagos National Park Service, built largely with low thermal mass and no insulation. Air conditioning and air movement depend on a filter-down effect from a single office.

The research project had the following objectives: document the development of a building envelope retrofit strategy for a high rise apartment building; monitor, assess and document the performance of a high-rise apartment building envelope retrofit withrespect to heat, air and moisture control; assess the degree to which the monitoring protocol can be implemented as part of regular operation and maintenance activities for new and existing building; and assess the potential for the development of a commercially viable, building envelope performance monitoring protocol.

The project is a survey of 12 'off-grid' households across Canada. The objective was to document off-grid energy use and lifestyle patterns to determine if there are lessons or examples of energy conservation that apply to conventional grid-connected houses. The houses operate on systems using renewable energy as the primary source of electricity. An airtightness test was performed on 10 houses (two houses were not viable for testing because of renovations).

Reviews the use of spray-polyurethane-foam insulation in buildings and discusses how their characteristics influence their field performance. Recommends that when used as an air barrier, polyurethane foam may crack on joints subjected to shrinkage or by structural deflection. To maintain the integrity of the air barrier, one should attach a strip of peel-and-stick membrane to both sides of the joint.