3 - Ventilation, air quality and airtightness in buildings

Abstract

This chapter gives an overview of ventilation and air quality in low-energy buildings, leading to a description of how materials can influence the performance of ventilation systems. Emphasis is placed on natural ventilation, since, in principle, it offers a passive low-energy solution. Potentially important contributions from materials relate to the control of envelope leakage, thermal storage with phase-change materials, ‘smart’ glazing for controlling solar gains and, possibly, porous materials for insulation and night cooling.