Air-tightness test and air infiltration estimation of an ultra-low energy building

Abstract

The air-tightness performance of residential buildings in China is not fully investigated. This study intends to investigate the air-tightness performance of an ultra-low energy building in a cold area of China. The air-tightness of the building envelope was measured using blower door method and the whole year air infiltration of the building was simulated by a multi-zone network airflow model based on the air-tightness test results. A thermal infrared imager and a smoke pencil were used to find out the typical air leakage places in the building envelope. The leakage areas of the typical air leakage places are found by measuring the whole building and then sealing the corresponding component and determining the reduction in the building effective leakage area. Test results show that the air change rates of the building at the pressure difference of 50 Pa (ACH50) under the depressurization and pressurization modes are 0.5 and 0.49 h−1, respectively. Simulations show that the air change rate of building under the weather conditions of Dalian changes from 0 to 0.12 h−1 with an average of 0.05 h−1. The typical air leakage places of the building were the reserved holes in the building envelope, the junctions of the windows with the walls, the deformation parts of the outer windows and doors, and the joints and vents that imprecisely sealed. The exhaust vents were found to be the most significant source of leakage among the tested typical air leakage places.