Building Envelope Commissioning
Diagnostic Techniques
Jim Magee
President, Facility Commissioning Group
158 Burt Road
Lexington, Kentucky 40503
859-278-5552
859-278-6501 Fax
859-221-5838 Mobile jim@facomgrp.com
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

Overview of References
• NIBS Guideline 3
Cx
• NISTIR 4821 & NISTIR 7238
Analysis
Building
Air
Leakage
• ASTM E779 & ASTM E1827
Thermal
Imaging
• ASTM C1060 & ISO 6781
Water
Spray
Test
• AMMA 501.2-03
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

National Institute of Building
Sciences Guideline 3
• Exterior Enclosure Technical Requirements for the
Commissioning Process
• For use with: ASHRAE Guideline 0 – 2005
The Commissioning Process
• Quality-oriented process for achieving, verifying, and documenting performance
• Describes technical requirements for bldg. Cx
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

National Institute of Building
Sciences Guideline 3
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

National Institute of
Standards and Technology
•
NISTIR 4821: Envelope Design Guidelines for
Federal Office Buildings: Thermal Integrity and
Airtightness
•
NISTIR 7238: Investigation of the Impact of
Commercial Building Envelope Airtightness on
HVAC Energy Use
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

NISTIR 4821 & NISTIR 7238
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

American Society for
Testing and Materials
• ASTM E779: Standard Test Method for
Determining Air Leakage Rate by Fan
Pressurization
• ASTM 1827: Standard Test Methods for
Determining Airtightness of Buildings Using an
Orifice Blower Door
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

ASTM E779 & ASTM E1827
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

American Society for
Testing and Materials
• ASTM C1060: Standard Practice for
Thermographic Inspection of Insulation
Installations in Envelope Cavities of Frame
Buildings
• Infrared imaging systems used for qualitative inspection of building walls, ceilings, roofs and floors
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

International Organization for
Standardization
• ISO 6781: Thermal insulation-Qualitative detection of thermal irregularities in building envelopes-Infrared method
• Qualitative method for thermographic examination to determine irregularities in building envelopes
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

ASTM C1060 & ISO 6781
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

American Architectural
Manufacturers Association
• AMMA 501.2-03: Quality Assurance and
Diagnostic Water Leakage Field Check of Installed
Storefronts, Curtain Walls, and Sloped Glazing
Systems
• Type B-25, #6.030 brass nozzle with a 1/2" FPT as manufactured by Monarch Manufacturing
Works, Inc./Newton Tool & Mfg. Company
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

AMMA 501.2-03
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011

Questions
Southeast Region Chapter 2011 Fall Meeting
Birmingham, Alabama Thursday, September 29, 2011