The procedure incorporates the door-fan-pressurization method and is intended to characterize the
airtightness of any building enclosure, or part of that enclosure (i.e., wall, floor, and roof).
Survey studies exist that summarize residential and commercial building
airtightness data (Sherman and Chan 2004; Persily 1998).
In 2007 ASHRAE established a committee, SPC193P, Method of Testing for Determining the Air-Leakage Rate of HVAC Equipment, to develop a test method of AHU cabinet
airtightness.
Airtightness test results were calculated by the data analysis software using CGSB Standard 149.10-M86, Determination of
Airtightness of Building Envelopes by the Fan Depressurisation Method.
(3) Although only limited
airtightness data on commercial buildings exists, these data reveal that commercial building envelopes are generally quite leaky and that there is no trend of increasing
airtightness in newer buildings.
The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of envelope
airtightness on the energy consumption of typical commercial buildings in the US.
Melanie said: "The houses boast extremely high levels of thermal and acoustic insulation and
airtightness, allowing for savings of up to 50% on fuel bills.
The estimated contribution of radon to lung cancer risk varied widely by country, with the variation influenced by tobacco smoking rates, geology, and home characteristics (for instance, a dwelling's
airtightness or the floor area in contact with the ground), says lead author Janet Gaskin, a PhD candidate in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa.