{"id":4580,"date":"2019-12-13T21:36:50","date_gmt":"2019-12-13T21:36:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hihenergy.com\/?p=4580"},"modified":"2020-01-30T05:36:20","modified_gmt":"2020-01-30T05:36:20","slug":"feature-story-blower-door-testing-measuring-the-impact-of-air-infiltration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/impacteng.ca\/news\/feature-story-blower-door-testing-measuring-the-impact-of-air-infiltration\/","title":{"rendered":"Feature Story: Blower Door Testing &#8211; Measuring the impact of air infiltration"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Recent investigative testing performed by HiH at several buildings demonstrated that <u>up to 50% of building heating requirement was as a result of undesired building air leakage<\/u>. The studied buildings had an average of 10 <strong><em>air changes per hour (ACH)<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><em>The good news:<\/em> Addressing air leakage is typically one of the lowest cost energy savings strategies available to building owners.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is airtightness?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Airtightness testing is a measure of air leakage and infiltration through a building envelope. Typical infiltration points include window and door frames, electrical and pipe penetrations, and structural joints. In reality, all buildings leak, some a lot more than others.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why is airtightness important?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In colder climates, a significant portion of building energy consumption is attributed to heating. As more outdoor air enters a building, so does the requirement to heat this air, resulting in increased energy consumption and costs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What does the Code say?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For new construction projects, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.gov.bc.ca\/assets\/gov\/farming-natural-resources-and-industry\/construction-industry\/building-codes-and-standards\/guides\/bcenergystepcode_guide_v1.pdf\">BC Energy Step Code<\/a> requires blower door testing for all part 3 and Part 9 buildings. Part 9 buildings must achieve an airtightness value of less than 3.0 <strong><em>air changes per hour (ACH)<\/em><\/strong> under Step 2. For Step 5, (Net Zero Energy ready) this requirement is reduced to less than 1.0 <strong><em>air changes per hour (ACH).<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What strategies improve airtightness?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Taping and filling excessive gaps in the building envelope, especially at penetration points.<\/li>\n<li>Installing properly sized door sweeps and weather stripping around exterior doors.<\/li>\n<li>Detailing of the air barrier during the building design stage.<\/li>\n<li>Using good quality materials, including membranes, tapes, sealants and fenestration.<\/li>\n<li>Ensuring that all trades understand their impact on building airtightness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Blower Door Testing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Blower door testing is a simple method of measuring air leakage from a building. The study building is sealed and negatively pressurized to measure infiltration. Smoke pens are used to quickly identify areas of concern. &nbsp;Thermal imaging is also used to detect areas of heat loss, which can be indication of excessive infiltration.<\/p>\n<p>Added benefits of improved airtightness include noise isolation, and a reduction in cross ventilation between units, which is particularly beneficial if your neighbor is a bad cook.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Our Energy Operations Services<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>HiH Energy is excited to support our clients and partners to create more efficient and comfortable buildings through our energy operations services.<\/p>\n<table style=\"height: 279px;\" width=\"1182\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"223\"><strong>Blower Door Testing<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"415\">Pressurize your building, find the major leakage points and report the results<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"223\"><strong>Thermal Imaging &amp; Smoke Testing<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"415\">Identify temperature differences and air leakage points to identify areas of heat loss.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"223\"><strong>Auditing &amp; Training<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"415\">Develop measures to improve airtightness and predict energy savings and provide air barrier education to your construction team<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"223\"><strong>Implement &amp; Verify<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"415\">After you\u2019ve sealed targeted areas and reduced air leakage, we provide final blower door testing and quantify savings.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Feel free to reach out to us if you\u2019d like to learn more about airtightness or blower door testing. We are always happy to discuss cutting edge strategies!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recent investigative testing performed by HiH at several buildings demonstrated that up to 50% of building heating requirement was as a result of undesired building air leakage. The studied buildings had an average of 10 air changes per hour (ACH). 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