The air tightness of buildings is part of an investigation performed by the State Research Centre of Finland. Regulations are being developed in Finland for the maximum allowable leakage in buildings. These can be stated as 0.2 ach/hr for residences, 0.1 ach/hr for low apartment buildings, and 0.2 ach/hr for high rise buildings. Tightness can be measured using a suitable fan connected to a board in a window or door opening, or by thermography.

Gives air leakage measurements which show that improvement of the tightness of the outer core of a building gives an energy saving of 5000 Kw/a in comparison to a conventionally constructed building.< Finds that the most leakage occurs at the joints of walls and ceiling, followed by the breakthrough for electrical wiring, the corners of the buildings, the windows, the joints of wall and floor and the joints of ducts and ceiling.< Older houses in Sweden have approximately the same rate of leakage as in Finland, ie 5-10 changes per hour at 50 pa.

Describes the main energy R and D projects in the building sector which are financed by the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry. Projects in the 1970's included improving the air tightness of buildings, and balancing and controlling ventilation systems. Projects started in the 1980's include energy-economic improvement of ventilation and the building envelope, and development of heat pumps.

Abstract of dissertation. Refers to new building regulations, tightness investigations, examples of external wall structures, cellar wall structures.

Discusses air heating and detached houses. Reviews current thinking in Finland and possible developments in Sweden.

Reports on single family dwellings fitted with energy-saving ventilation unit. Quotes energy savings of 10,000 Kwh/annum. Points out that adequate indoor climate can be maintained through tight houses, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery as opposed to airing rooms by opening windows.

Reviews new regulations and their consequences for external wall structures. Considers energy savings, air tightness requirements, U-values, air movement and zone division, heavy and light structures, building classification according to room temperature, incidental heat gains from insolation.

Illustrates the measures which can be carried out on building elements in order to save energy. Describes different methods and states advantages and disadvantages as well as suitable combinations of measures. Includes descriptions of how to improve windows and doors, and a calculation of theenergy conservation measures.

Assesses the quality of retrofit work carried out in 329 Swedish houses, which had received government energy-saving funds. Describes the selection of dwellings, the measurement methods employed (including thermography, pressure testing, tracer gas and heat flow) and the results.< In most houses, insulation work in attics and on external walls had been carried out satisfactorily. However, the houses were still not air tight and exhibited high ventilation figures (for pressure tests 8 air exchanges per hour at 50 Pa and for tracer gas tests 0.6 air exchanges per hour).

Presents the results of a Swedish survey of 1144 buildings to investigate the amount of energy saved from a number of different energy conservation measures.< Results show that the energy conservation measures result in a savings effect on average, and that the actual measured saving effects agree well with the theoretical effects which should have arisen from specific conservation measures.