Airtightness of electrical, mechanical and architectural components in South Korean apartment buildings using the fan pressurization and tracer gas method

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to measure airtightness of building components in newly constructed apartment buildings in South Korea. For the measurements, electrical, architectural and two mechanical components regarding water and air systems were categorized and air leakage rates of these parts were measured by the blower door test. In addition to these building components, air leakage rates on the entrance door and three different building heights were analyzed. Moreover, the results obtained by the blower door test were compared with the tracer gas measurements. As a result, the air leakage rates (ACH50) were between 0.7 and 1.0 h−1, when all parts were sealed. When unsealing all parts, the ACH50 values ranged from 1.6 to 2.7 h−1. In addition, the ACH50 values were highly influenced by the entrance door and window systems. By improving the windows and the entrance door, the air leakages can be significantly reduced in residential buildings. Furthermore, the comparison results obtained by the tracer gas and blower door showed that artificially produced pressure difference condition can cause the overestimated ACH value.