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Title: Durable Airtightness in Single-Family Dwellings - Field Measurementsand Analysis

Abstract

Here, durability of the building envelope is important to new homes that are increasingly built with improved levels of airtightness. It is also important to weatherized homes such that energy savings from retrofit measures, such as air sealing, are persistent. This paper presents a comparison of air leakage measurements collected in November 2013 through March 2014, with two sets of prior data collected between 2001-2003 from 17 new homes located near Atlanta, GA, and 17 homes near Boise, ID that were weatherized in 2007- 2008. The purpose of the comparison is to determine if there are changes to the airtightness of building envelopes over time. The air leakage increased in all but one of the new homes, with a mean increase of about 25%. The weatherized homes also showed an increase in the mean air leakage (12%). A regression analysis was performed to describe the relationship between prior and current measurements in terms of normalized leakage (NL). The best estimate of the ageing factor predicts a 15% increase in NL over ten years. Further analysis using ResDB data (LBNL’s Residential Diagnostic Database) showed the expected changes in air leakage if ageing were modelled. These results imply the need to examinemore » the causes of increased leakage and methods to avoid them. This increase in leakage with time should be accounted for in long-term population-wide energy savings estimates, such as those used in ratings or energy savings programs.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1249562
Report Number(s):
LBNL-180837
Journal ID: ISSN 1473-3315; ir:180837
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
International Journal of Ventilation
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 14; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1473-3315
Publisher:
Taylor & Francis
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; blower door; fan pressurization measurements; air leakage; new construction; weatherization

Citation Formats

Chan, Wanyu R., Walker, Iain S., and Sherman, Max H. Durable Airtightness in Single-Family Dwellings - Field Measurementsand Analysis. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1080/14733315.2015.11684067.
Chan, Wanyu R., Walker, Iain S., & Sherman, Max H. Durable Airtightness in Single-Family Dwellings - Field Measurementsand Analysis. United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733315.2015.11684067
Chan, Wanyu R., Walker, Iain S., and Sherman, Max H. Mon . "Durable Airtightness in Single-Family Dwellings - Field Measurementsand Analysis". United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733315.2015.11684067. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1249562.
@article{osti_1249562,
title = {Durable Airtightness in Single-Family Dwellings - Field Measurementsand Analysis},
author = {Chan, Wanyu R. and Walker, Iain S. and Sherman, Max H.},
abstractNote = {Here, durability of the building envelope is important to new homes that are increasingly built with improved levels of airtightness. It is also important to weatherized homes such that energy savings from retrofit measures, such as air sealing, are persistent. This paper presents a comparison of air leakage measurements collected in November 2013 through March 2014, with two sets of prior data collected between 2001-2003 from 17 new homes located near Atlanta, GA, and 17 homes near Boise, ID that were weatherized in 2007- 2008. The purpose of the comparison is to determine if there are changes to the airtightness of building envelopes over time. The air leakage increased in all but one of the new homes, with a mean increase of about 25%. The weatherized homes also showed an increase in the mean air leakage (12%). A regression analysis was performed to describe the relationship between prior and current measurements in terms of normalized leakage (NL). The best estimate of the ageing factor predicts a 15% increase in NL over ten years. Further analysis using ResDB data (LBNL’s Residential Diagnostic Database) showed the expected changes in air leakage if ageing were modelled. These results imply the need to examine the causes of increased leakage and methods to avoid them. This increase in leakage with time should be accounted for in long-term population-wide energy savings estimates, such as those used in ratings or energy savings programs.},
doi = {10.1080/14733315.2015.11684067},
journal = {International Journal of Ventilation},
number = 1,
volume = 14,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}