Stack Pressure + Wind Pressure + Holes = Bigger Leak. Air Leakage in Commercial & Multi-Family Buildings. Contents. Stack Pressure + Holes = Leaks

Transcription

1 Air Leakage in Commercial & Multi-Family Buildings Colin Genge Retrotec Energy Innovations Ltd Vancouver Contents Cause of air leakage Problems Sites Benefits Locate and seal leaks Measure leaks Case Studies Stack Pressure + Holes = Leaks Stack Effect Warm air rising Cold air falling Variation in pressure over 11 winter days Stack Pressure + Wind Pressure + Holes = Bigger Leak

2 14 windows open at -25 C inset shows open window Primary Boundaries for cold climates Benefits of airtightness 1 CFM 75/ft 2 Added energy cost Impact on IAQ 0.1 0% Negligible % Small % Moderate % Large % Uncontrolled, severe Benefits of airtightness 4 Real problems in large buildings 4

3 Real problems in large buildings 5 Benefits of airtightness 7 Benefits of airtightness 6 shall pass 0.25 CFM/sq ft at 75 Pa = Pa /m 2 Why air leakage is measured 1 Standards for air leakage 1

4 Required House tightness? Large Bldg tightness? Looser Tighter /m Looser Tighter to 0.6 CFM 75 /ft 2 total envelope = 0.4 to Pa /m CFM 75 /ft 2 = Pa /m 2 Guideline air leakage levels 1 Guideline air leakage levels 2 Why air leakage is measured 3

5 Locate leaks with door fan using smoke, infrared, hand 2010 Retrotec Inc. Typical air leakage sites 1 Door fan finds leaks Door fans and infrared camera Т=-22⁰С Т=+19⁰С ΔТ=41 ⁰С ΔP= + 8 Pa

6 ΔP= - 8 Pa Without and With depressurization Door-Fan components panel + calibrated fan +gauges

7 Bigger Seal these Open interior doors Setting up the test fans What components of buildings can be measured? Building components that can be measured 1

8 Building components that can be measured 2 Building components that can be measured 3 Building components that can be measured 4 Building components that can be measured 5 Measure Entire Envelope

9 Measure Entire Envelope Slab leakage total floor leakage

10 Building components that can be measured 6 Building components that can be measured 7 Canada CGSB USA ASTM E Europe EN13829 UK Canada CGSB Europe EN13829 UK TS-1 USA Air Leakage Protocol Standards for air leakage 1 Standards for air leakage 1

11 ASTM USACE Reason Bias readings accuracy Max. bias 42% 30% & 10 % accuracy Height restriction Yes No Flexibility Temperature & wind restriction Yes No Flexibility Min. test pressure 10 Pa 25 Pa stability Min. # building/flow readings accuracy Min. test point interval 10s 20s accuracy Gauge accuracy 5% 1% accuracy 2010 Retrotec Inc Retrotec Inc. Standard ASTM CGSB EN13829 ATTMA USACE LEED Origin USA Canada Europe UK USA WA State Acceptable conditions 41 to 95 F < 5 mph wind <12.4 mph wind <13.4 mph wind height x ΔT<500m C <13.4 mph wind height x ΔT<250m C 95% confidence interval World 41 to 95 F < 5 mph wind Standard ASTM CGSB EN13829 ATTMA USACE WA State LEED Origin USA Canada Europe UK USA WA State North America Range 10 to 60 Pa 15 to 50 Pa 10 to 50 Pa 10 to 60 Pa 25 to 75 Pa 25 to 80 Pa 10 to 60 Pa Standardized measurement methods 1 Standardized measurement methods 2

12 Standard ASTM CGSB EN13829 ATTMA Origin USA Canada Europe USA WA State Results EfLA 4 ACH 50 CFM 50 EqLA 10 m 3 /h 50 /m 2 ACH 50 m 3 /h 4 /m 2 ACH 50 USACE LEED IECC North Americ a CFM 75 /ft 2 EfLA 4 ACH 50 CFM 25 /100 ft Retrotec Inc. Standard ASTM CGSB EN13829 ATTMA USACE WA State LEED Number of points , 2, or Standardized measurement methods 3 Suggest using only: ACH50 EqLA 50/Floor area x 1,000,000 Unitless Always whole number Calibrate against holes of known sizes Always reference results to 50 Pa Standardized measurement methods 5 Numerous Apartment Buildings Tested

13 Leakage on all 6 sides cm 2 /m 50 Pa 30 Exterior Walls Normalized Leakage Area (cm 2 /m 2 ) Exterior Walls - Normalized Leakage 50 Pa Party Walls Floor Leakage Suite Demising Walls by Type - Normalized Leakage 50 Pa Normalized Leakage Area (cm 2 /m 2 ) Normalized Leakage Area (cm 2 /m 2 ) Floors by Type - Normalized Leakage 50 Pa Air leakage Test Protocol for U.S. Army Corps Buildings Requirements Proper design Plan review Ongoing inspection Mock up building materials Pass air leakage protocol o easy o not just the ASTM E779 standard

14 Need to know the Air Barrier Air barrier tester s Certification for USACE procedure by ABAA Certification for Door fan abilities by ABAA Proper equipment & software and mfr certification IR camera and experience Air Barrier certification Guiness World Record 15,000,000 cubic feet 81

15 Hallenumfang = 1,2 km 9 x 2-Kanaldruckmessdosen mit Referenzschlauch ins Gebäudeinnere Ian Jack s Guiness test in Germany Video embedded Year of Construction Year of Air-barrier retrofit? Number of Stories Floor Enclosure Area Area Tested Permeablity ft2 ft ,882 76, ,882 76, ,882 76, average 0.62 USACE test of 300 buildings 0.17 Year of Construction Year of Air-barrier Number of retrofit? Stories Floor Enclosure Tested Area Area Permeablity ft2 ft2 Real life test: EMAD Antwerp, Belgium Envelope Area = 11,250 m CFM/ft 75Pa 8.22 m 3 /h/m 2 average 0.17

16 Real life test: BTC South Carolina, USA Envelope A = 136,820ft CFM/ft 75Pa Real life test: Retrotec Vancouver, Canada Envelope Area = 25,000 ft CFM/ft 75Pa 7.3 m 3 /h/m Retrotec Inc. Types of door fan tests 3

17 Recommendations Seal shafts Assemblies-0.01 cfm Walls 0.1 cfm /sq Slabs 0.01 cfm /sq Paint all block walls Seal all shafts at each floor Enclose elevator lobbies from slab to slab Electronic exhaust fan & fire dampers Seal the top and bottom and middle Elevator piston effect Disconnect Floors Compartmentalize the laundry room Sealing air leakage sites Sealing air leaks Using a door fan increases effectiveness of air seal crew Longevity of air sealing

18 Typical air leakage sites 3 Typical air leakage sites 2 Air Leakage in Commercial & Multi-Family Buildings Colin Genge Retrotec Energy Innovations Ltd Vancouver colin@retrotec.com