Air Pressures on Buildings, Air Movement Within Buildings and Through Building Enclosures: Present and Recommended Control Strategies PDF

Air pressures on the building enclosure, including wind, stack effect, and HVAC fans act on the building enclosure causing infiltration and exfiltration, and depending on climate and composition of the enclosure assembly, the associated problems of loss of control over the HVAC system, poor indoor air quality due to pollution migration, condensation, premature deterioration, and adverse occupant health effects of bacterial growth and energy loss are documented results. The ways these forces work on the enclosure will be discussed as will strategies to control them. How are air-leaky buildings actually being built? The present state of requirements for infiltration control in codes and standards in Canada, Great Britain, and the U.S. is reviewed. The pioneer air barrier code in Massachusetts—its logic, language, implementation, and enforcement—is analyzed, and the educational and technical assistance programs implemented by the commonwealth, a model for introducing new technology, are explained. Proposed changes to ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2001 and recommendations for the future are presented.