Infiltration and ventilation in Russian multi-family buildings.

Equivalent leakage areas (ELAs) of 50 Russian apartments were measured under three conditions: 1) as found, 2) exhaust vents sealed, and 3) vents, electric boxes and windows sealed, in 12 buildings of similar construction. Distributions of ELA per unit of apartment volume are presented for the three conditions. Apartment ELAs were found to vary slightly with floor, indicating that the level of occupant-applied weatherstripping is a function of occupants' perception of infiltration rates and that lower floor occupants perceive larger infiltration rates than upper floor occupants. 1bis is consistent with the infiltration simulation results. Simplified models for overall infiltration as a function of indoor-outdoor temperature difference, wind speed and forced ventilation rate are developed. The FEDS discrete retrofit optimization program is described and preliminary results of its application to Russian multi-family buildings are presented.