ASHRAE is preparing a standard which addresses the maximum air leakage associated with good construction. This standard, 119P, links Standard 90, which addresses energy conservation in new residential construction, and Standard 62, which specifies the minimum acceptable ventilation to achieve adequate indoor air quality. Within Standard 119P there is currently a classification scheme that groups building tightness into categories depending on envelope leakage, floor area and building height.

The Swiss performance standard for energy conservation in buildings SIA 380/1 is explained. This standard leaves air infiltration and other detail decisions to planners if minimum performance levels are met. Calculation procedures for heat balances based on a standard occupancy are described. Tools to achieve optimum space heating and ventilation rates are explained. Instrumentation for checking the thermal performance of the house in operation is defined.

In Finland there are not yet any regulations or standards concerning the airtightness of buildings. Drafts have caused discussion about whether controlled airtightness would increase the building costs too much, and improved airtightness worsen the indoor air quality. In modern Finnish buildings a good or satisfactory airtightness can be achieved with normal careful workmanship. To secure good indoor air quality, a functioning ventilation system is also necessary. There seems to be no return to traditional 'breathing' structures and natural ventilation.

The situation in Canada with regard to building regulations affecting the airtightness of buildings is reviewed with emphasis on a new standard test method for measuring airtightness which departs somewhat from methods used inother countries. The purpose of this test is held to be primarily to determine an important aspect of building envelope quality, namely the degree to which unintentional openings have been avoided, rather than to determine energy conservation potential.

The air infiltration associated with ventilation in buildings is recognized in ASHRAE Standard 62-1981, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. In the light of recent trends toward increasingly tight housing, which limits air infiltration for ventilation, dependence on this source of outside air is onepoint that must be carefully considered in the Revised Standard. Other points to be considered are ventilation efficiency, necessary dilution of particulates and other pollutants, and how changes in humidity, air temperature and local heating may alter pollution levels in buildings.

Eleven countries are cooperating to establish guidelines for minimum ventilation rates which are sufficiently large to meet the demand for outdoor air in buildings without unnecessarily wasting energy. The most important pollutants have been identified as: carbon dioxide, tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, radon, moisture, body odour, organic vapours and gases, combustion products and particulates. To a certain degree some of thesesubstances can be used as indicators for acceptable air quality to establish minimum ventilation rates.

A survey of literature on the theory and practice of residential ventilation. The three main topics are ventilation needs, air movement in buildings, and the properties of ventilation systems. The ventilation need under winter conditions is estimated at 0.35 l/s m2 or, for a dwelling with kitchen and bath, 35 l/s. In fact, ventilation requirements are not constant but it is difficult to find a formula covering the various considerations.

An investigation of the minimum fresh air supply per person required to prevent the occurrence of unacceptably offensive odour due to stale air in offices and similar buildings. The study was made under everyday conditions as far as possible, in different buildings, various size rooms, different densities of occupancy, with men or men and women, and with mechanical or natural ventilation.

A previous paper analysed a mathematical model of a non-condensing cavity. This paper extends the analysis of the first paper to analyse the seasonal moisture behaviour of a condensing building cavity. Climate statistics are used to calculate the duration of the winter wet-up period, and a rate of condensation formula is integrated to give total winter condensation. Although engineering design calculations cannot yet be attempted, some illustrative examples are given based on field data. The results give preliminary verification of the model analysed in both papers.

This paper, the first of two, presents a conceptual model of moisture concentrations in a building cavity. The model is comprehensive and general considering air infiltration, vapour diffusion and material hygroscopicity under non-steady state conditions. The resulting linearised coupled differential equations are analytically solved to study the case of long term cavity moisture behaviour. Dimensionless parameters and algebraic formulae are presented describing all important moisture performance parameters for a non-condensing cavity.