Controlling and Verifying Commercial Building Infiltration “Things that are measured tend to improve.” (J.K. Galbraith) Better Buildings by Design 2016 Credit(s) earned on completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request. ___________________ Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation. This course is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Learning Objectives 1. Benchmarks 2. Testing protocols 3. Value of testing 4. Limitations of testing 3 © 2015 CLEAResult. All rights reserved. 9 Control Air Flow For: Moisture Health Comfort Energy Savings Organization Air Tightness Year Metric [cfm75/ft2] US Army Corps of Engineers 2009 0.25 ASHRAE 189.1 (optional) Washington State US General Services Admin. 2009 2012 2010 0.25 0.40 0.40 Naval Facilities Eng. Command 2011 0.25 US Air Force 2011 0.40 IECC Commercial (optional) 2012 0.40 IgCC IECC Residential (required) 2012 2012 0.25 3.0 ACH50 ASHRAE 1478 RP Slide Courtesy of Wiss Janney Elstner Associates Project Timeline Start Construction Start Design Occupancy Test Air Barrier Installation Good Testing ≠ Tight Building Design Phase Continuity Owner’s Project Requirements Simplicity Construction Phase Coordination Quality control Continuity in Drawings Transitions Roof to Wall Wall to Foundation Windows Curtain wall Expansion joints Penthouses Details Specifications ASTM E779 – 10 ASTM E1827 – 11 Maximum allowable airflow rate Specified reference pressure Good Testing ≠ Tight Building Design Phase Owner’s Project Requirements Continuity Simplicity Construction Phase Coordination Quality control © 2015 CLEAResult. All rights reserved. 21 Why is a Test Valuable Verifiable Down size mechanical system Code compliance – Performance metrics Accuracy energy model Two Types of Tests Air Barrier Systems Enclosure Test Operational Enclosure Test Test Preparation Identify test boundary Calculate metric Determine fan locations Assess equipment needs Assign responsibilities Planning meeting Subcontractor support Site Preparation Turn off HVAC systems Seal intentional holes Close exterior doors/windows Create a single zone Fill plumbing traps Check atmospheric combustion appliances Mechanical System Leakage Slide Courtesy of Wiss Janney Elstner Associates Exterior Pressure Taps ʘ ʘ ʘ ʘ AVE . 100 Multipoint Regression Test Repeat Single Point Test Data Analysis and Calculations Testing Conditions Evolution of Limiting Weather E779 – abs(Tin/Tout)*Height < 1180 ft F USACE – Baseline pressure = 30% lowest PD 25 Pa delta 85 Pa max ABAA – Max 1. absolute value + 10 * standard deviation of the baseline – or between 2. Stack pressure / 2 3. 10 Pa Multifamily - Compartmentalization 48 Air Sealing Around Unit © 2015 CLEAResult. All rights reserved. 49 Organization Compartment. Metric [cfm50/ft2] EPA High-rise 0.23 0.30 LEED Homes Multifamily EQ12.1 0.30 LEED Homes Multifamily EQ12.2 0.225 0.30 0.225 0.135 0.30 LEED V. 4 MA Utility Incentive Tier 1 MA Utility Incentive Tier 2 MA Utility Incentive Tier 3 RESNET MF duct exemption INTERMEDIATE TESTING Buffering Adjacent Spaces Preparation, Preparation, Preparation Roles and responsibilities Systems to seal Testing equipment setup WIFI can be tough Mechanical system controls Cleaning materials Pressurize first Costs New construction 40,000 sq. ft. Simple geometry 0.25 cfm75/sq. ft. Task Time (hr) 12 Preparation 5 Setup/breakdown 1 Measure Results 2 Find the leaks 8 Data analysis/report Total Staff Total Time 1 2 2 2 1 12 10 2 4 8 36 Resources Air Barrier Association of America Standard Method for Building Enclosure Airtightness Compliance Testing The Energy Conservatory BD Applications Guide: Beyond Single Family U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Air Leakage Test Protocol for Building Envelopes – V.3 Thank you for your time This concludes The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems program Matt Root Matt.Root@clearesult.com 508-365-3494