Reports investigation of mean and fluctuating pressure inside buildings, induced by wind using boundary layer wind tunnel and computer simulation techniques. Mean and root-mean-square fluctuating internal pressure coefficients were both found to be monotonic functions of the ratio of windward to leeward opening areas.< The case of a single windward opening was treated as a damped Helmholtz resonator.
Airflow inside air-conditioned rooms needs to be determined experimentally using test rooms. The test room dimensions vary because a test room must represent a section which is characteristic of the original room dimensions. The flow pattern is made visible; the velocities, and in some cases the gas concentration is measured. The experiments are done under thermal steady-state conditions. Some general results are:
Reports pressure tests of the air leakage of an apartment building. The building is three storeys with a cellar above ground. There is a mechanical exhaust system and in addition every apartment has a kitchen fan.Pressure tests were made in each apartment. Leakage points were located with smoke tests. The leakage of windows and doors was determined with the "plenum" method. Each window was surrounded by a "plenum" and leakage at the boundary between plenum and wall was eliminated by an auxiliary fan which maintains the same pressure in the room as in the "plenum".
The `Swedish Attic' has the ceiling to the upper floor self-supporting with a rafter roof supported by posts which rest on the upper ceiling. The system is commonly used in one and a half storey houses in which the upper floor is restricted to the area enclosed by the posts.< This study has been performed at the Royal College of Technology in Stockholm using a climate-simulator. It shows that the attic must be ventilated with continuous slots at the eaves and along the ridge.
Reviews literature on the health effects of indoor air pollutants in energy-efficient homes with low ventilation rates. Discusses hazards from gas cooking, formaldehyde, radon and other pollutants. Suggests air infiltration rate of 0.5 air changes/hour to keep indoor pollution to below critical levles. Also suggests installation of an air-to-air heat exchanger or electronic air cleaner.
Describes current projects for developing rational methods and systems for energy inspections in existing buildings, which is currently lacking. In future, these accurate functional measurements will contribute to more accurate assessments even in the case of simpler visual inspections. Theresults of the investigations will be collated in a data base which will laterform the basis of an applied energy inspection system.
Summarises measurements of natural outdoor environmental radiation made in the Eastern United States, in New England and in Western Europe. Also reports measurements made in single family and multiple-family dwellings in the metropolitan New York area. The general conclusion from the indoor measurements is that the radiation level inside houses in that area is generally somewhat lower than, but not very different from, the outdoor levelat the same location.
Compares full-scale pressure coefficients obtained from a 57-storey building in Toronto with wind tunnel results for tests in the 9m by 9m wind tunnel at the National Research Council of Canada. Demonstrates good agreement where sufficient full-scale data exists. Proposes a method of treating peak pressures based on the fit of an exponential distribution to a population of "significant independent events", called pressure spikes. This distribution provides a good fit to both full-scale and wind tunnel results, which generally agree.
The indoor air quality of six homes with gas and electric cooking and gas heating appliances was characterized to determine the level of gaseous and aerosol air pollutants from typical indoor combustion sources.
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