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Throughout the world more and more high-rises or very tall buildings are being checked for air leaks. In February 2021 air permeability measurements were carried out in a 125-meter-high building with 37 storeys. This is the first time that a building of this height was measured in Europe. This report provides information about the planning process, the measurement concept and the measurement results. In order to learn more about the process of measuring tall buildings, we captured additional measurements to complement standard air permeability measurements that are based on the Passive House Institute's Certification Guide for Tall Buildings.
We will shed some light on the following questions:
What is the pressure distribution on all sides of a tall building’s envelope due to thermics and wind? I will show a comparison between the theoretical estimate and the real conditions. Which actions have to be taken to achieve an air balance in the building? Which measuring method should be used for tall buildings? Will the air handling units be installed in a central ventilation system or distributed across the height of the building? How will they be switched on and off? Which measurements of building pressure differentials make sense? Is it possible to ensure an even pressure distribution within the building while measuring? Which particular challenges should be expected when measuring buildings of this height?
These lessons learned are then checked against the Passive House Institute's Guides. Based on those insights we can develop actions and boundary conditions for such measurements to ensure that future air permeability measurements will yield reliable and repeatable measurement results for tall buildings. Thanks to the cross-border cooperation between America, Germany and Austria we were able to provide this essential basis for European and national standardization activities.
For further information please contact Stefanie Rolfsmeier at: rolfsmeier@blowerdoor.de