-
Washington DC area - USA
18-19 April 2013
AIVC Airtightness Workshop
3rd TightVent Workshop on Building and Ductwork Airtightness
Design, Implementation, Control and Durability:
Feedback from Practice and Perspectives
Proceedings
This event is organized with the technical and/or financial support of the following organizations:
International Energy Agency
Energy Conservation inBuildings and CommunitySystems
Programme
-
Acknowledgments
This conference is possible thanks to the support from:
AIVC with its 16 current member countries : Belgium, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan,
the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea,
Sweden and USA.
Since 1980, the annual AIVC conferences have been the meeting
point for presenting and discussing major developments and results
regarding infiltration and ventilation in buildings. AIVC
contributes to the programme development, selection of speakers and
dissemination of the results. pdf files of the papers of older
conferences can be found in AIRBASE. See www.aivc.org.
TightVent Europe
The TightVent Europe ‘Building and Ductwork Airtightness
Platform’ was launched in January 2011. It aims at facilitating
exchanges and progress on building and ductwork airtightness
issues, including the production and dissemination of policy
oriented reference documents and the organization of conferences,
workshops, webinars, etc. The platform receives active support from
the organisations listed below. More information can be found on
www.tightvent.eu.
Event sponsors
‐
Air Barrier Association of America ‐
The Energy Conservatory
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INIVE EEIG (International Network for Information on
Ventilation and Energy performance)
INIVE was founded in 2001.
INIVE is a registered European Economic Interest Grouping
(EEIG), whereby from a legal viewpoint its full members act
together as a single organisation and bring together the best
available knowledge from its member organisations. The present full
members are all leading organisations in the building sector, with
expertise in building technology, human sciences and
dissemination/publishing of information. They also actively conduct
research in this field - the development of new knowledge will
always be important for INIVE members.
INIVE has multiple aims, including the collection and efficient
storage of relevant information, providing guidance and identifying
major trends, developing intelligent systems to provide the world
of construction with useful knowledge in the area of energy
efficiency, indoor climate and ventilation. Building
energy-performance regulations are another major area of interest
for the INIVE members, especially the implementation of the
European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
With respect to the dissemination of information, INIVE EEIG
aims for the widest possible distribution of information. The
following organisations are members of INIVE EEIG (www.inive.org) :
BBRI - Belgian Building Research Institute - Belgium CETIAT -
Centre Technique des Industries Aérauliques et Thermiques - France
CSTB - Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment - France IBP -
Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics - Germany SINTEF - SINTEF
Building and Infrastructure - Norway NKUA - National &
Kapodistrian University of Athens - Greece TNO - TNO Built
Environment and Geosciences, business unit Building and
Construction - Netherlands The following organisations are
associated members. CIMNE - International Center for Numerical
Methods in Engineering, Barcelona, Spain eERG - End-use Efficiency
Research Group, Politecnico di Milano, Italy ENTPE - Ecole
Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'Etat, Vaulx en Velin, France TMT
US - Grupo Termotecnia, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain
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Programme Thursday 18 April 2013
08:00-09:30 Session 1: Opening session 1. Welcome by AIVC
(INIVE), Peter Wouters, INIVE EEIG / 2. Welcome by NIBS and BETEC,
USA / 3. Presentation by the Department of Energy, Eric Werling,
Department of Energy, USA / 4. Presentation by ASHRAE, Tom Phoenix,
ASHRAE, USA /
10:00-11:30 Session 2: Airtightness requirements and quality
issues 1. The changing requirements on airtightness in the US.
Wagdy Anis, WJE Associates, USA page 1 2. Efforts for providing
quality control regarding airtightness, Laverne Dalgleish, chair of
ABAA / 3. Interactions of airtightness with ventilation systems and
implications on energy use,
Willem de Gids, the Netherlands page 2 4. New and retrofitted
army buildings. Alexander Zhivov, USACE, USA page 3
12:30-13:45 Session 3: Characterization of products and systems
1. Airtightness of the window-wall interface in masonry brick
walls,
Nathan Van den Bossche and Arnold Janssens, Belgium page 5 2.
Evaluation of an Interior Air Barrier System with Dynamic Water
Vapour Control in
North American Climates. Stanley D. Gatland II, CertainTeed, USA
page 10 3. Airtight Curtain Wall/Window Connection Best
Practice.
Joerg Birkelbach, Tremco illbruck, USA page 11 4. The Science of
Rough Opening Preparation and Window Installation to
Minimize Air Leakage, Sam Hagerman, Hammer and Hand, USA page
12
Short Presentation 5. The Science of Fluid-Applied Flashing
Systems, Paul Grahovac, Prosoco, USA page 13
14:00-15:30 Session 4: Durability of seals – Design and quality
control 1. Service Life Prediction on Sealant Materials. Joannie
Chin, NIST, USA page 19 2. Innovative Sealant Technology Provides
Design Flexibility for Air Tight Joints.
Andrea Wagner, Dow Corning, USA page 20 3. Building Enclosure
Commissioning – BECx -The Plan - Why, What, How, Where, Who?
William R. Nash , P.E. USA page 21 4. Performance of Duct
Leakage Test Methods – When to Use Which and Why
Paul Francisco, University of Illinois, USA page 22 5. Energy
Impacts of Envelope Tightening and Mechanical Ventilation for the
U.S.
Residential Sector, Jennifer Logue, LBNL, USA page 23
Short Presentation 6. Impact of Sheathing Installation Practices
on Air Barriers, Brett T. Fagan, USA page 28
16:00-17:30 Session 5: Design and quality control of
airtightness 1. Consideration of Envelope Airtightness in Modelling
Commercial Building Energy
Consumption, Lisa Chen Ng, NIST, USA page 29 2. Leakage
Reductions for Large Building Air Sealing and HVAC System Pressure
Effects
David Bohac, Center for Energy and Environment, USA page 34 3.
Achieving Tight Buildings through Building Envelope
Commissioning,
John Runkle, Architectural Testing, USA page 39 4. Commissioning
of exterior building envelopes of large buildings for air leakage
and
thermal anomalies using infrared thermography and other
diagnostic tools Mario D. Gonçalves, Patenaude-Trempe Inc, Canada
page 44
Short Presentations 5. An Airtight Shell for Effective Ducts,
Tom Schneider, Building Envelope Innovations, USA page 49 6.
Thought Experiments for Evaluating Building Air Leakage Test
Procedures.
David Saum, Infiltec, USA page 50 7. Optimizing Outside Pressure
Taps To Reduce Wind Induced Pressure Errors
David Saum, Infiltec, USA page 51
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Friday 19 April 2013
08:00-09:30 Session 6: Large and multi-family buildings 1. How
Leaky is your Building? Case Studies of Two Whole-Building Air
Leakage Tests.
Jason S. Der Ananian, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, USA page 53
2. Measuring the Air Tightness of Mid and High Rise Non-Residential
Buildings.
Wagdy Anis, WJE, USA. page 59 3. Large Building Air Leakage
Measurement – What Has Been Done and What Is Possible
Denali Jones, Retrotec, USA page 60 4. Estimates of Uncertainty
in multi-zone air leakage measurements, Erin Hult, LBNL, USA page
61 5. Air tightness of buildings in Poland, Michal Szymanski,
Poznan University of Technology, Poland page 67
Short Presentation 6. Large public buildings air tightness in
Poland, Radoslaw Gorzenski,
Poznan University of Technology, Poland page 68
10:00-11:30 Session 7: Large and multi-family buildings 1.
Repeatability of Whole-Building Airtightness Measurements: Midrise
Residential
Case Study. Collin Olson, The Energy Conservatory, USA page 69
2. Stack Effect and Mechanical Exhaust System Impacts on Building
Pressures and
Envelope Air Leakage, Sean M. O’Brien, Simpson Gumpertz &
Heger, USA page 74 3. Field Experience with Sealing Large-Building
Duct Leakage with an Aerosol-Based
Sealing Process, Mark Modera, UC Davis, USA page 80 4. Analysis
of the NIST Commercial and Institutional Building Envelope
Leakage
Database. Steven Emmerich, NIST, USA page 84 5. Practical
experience with training and performing airtightness tests in large
buildings.
Karl Grimnes, Termografi og Maaleteknikk as, Norway page 88
11:45-12:45 (13:00) Session 8: Data collection, perspectives 1.
Improving Building envelope and duct airtightness of US dwellings –
the current
status of energy retrofits, Wanyu R. Chang, LBNL, USA page 89 2.
Achieving and Certifying Building Envelope Air Tightness with an
Aerosol-Based
Automated Sealing Process, Mark Modera, UC Davis, USA page 94 3.
The effect of air tightness on the energy consumption - Analyses of
field
measurements. Wouter Borsboom, TNO, Netherlands page 98 4.
Workshop summary, Andy Persily, NIST, USA /
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Thursday 18 April 2013
08:00-09:30 Session 1: Opening session 1. Welcome by AIVC
(INIVE), Peter Wouters, INIVE EEIG 2. Welcome by NIBS and BETEC,
USA 3. Presentation by the Department of Energy, Eric Werling,
Department of Energy, USA 4. Presentation by ASHRAE, Tom Phoenix,
ASHRAE, USA
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Thursday 18 April 2013
10:00-11:30 Session 2: Airtightness requirements and quality
issues 1. The changing requirements on airtightness in the US.
Wagdy Anis, WJE Associates, USA. 2. Efforts for providing quality
control regarding airtightness, Laverne Dalgleish, chair of ABAA 3.
Interactions of airtightness with ventilation systems and
implications on energy use. Willem
de Gids, the Netherlands 4. New and retrofitted army buildings.
Alexander Zhivov, USACE, USA
-
TH
E C
HA
NG
ING
RE
QU
IRE
ME
NT
S O
F A
IRT
IGH
TN
ESS
IN T
HE
US
W
agdy
Ani
s, FA
IA, L
EED
AP
Wis
s, Ja
nney
, Els
tner
Ass
ocia
tes,
Inc.
- U
SA.
AB
STR
AC
T
Bui
ldin
g pr
oble
ms s
uch
as c
onde
nsat
ion,
fros
t, ef
flore
scen
ce, m
old,
icic
le a
nd ic
e da
m
form
atio
n, w
ood
deca
y, m
etal
cor
rosi
on, p
rem
atur
e fa
ilure
of a
ssem
blie
s, dr
aftin
ess a
nd
disc
omfo
rt, a
nd e
nerg
y lo
ss h
ave
all b
een
asso
ciat
ed w
ith th
e ph
enom
enon
of a
ir le
akag
e of
bu
ildin
g en
clos
ures
.
In 1
965,
at t
he In
stitu
te fo
r Res
earc
h in
Con
stru
ctio
n, a
t the
Nat
iona
l Res
earc
h C
ounc
il of
C
anad
a, (I
RC
-NR
C) K
irby
Gar
den
auth
ored
the
Can
adia
n B
uild
ing
Dig
est N
o. 7
2 en
title
d “C
ontro
lling
Air
Leak
age
is Im
porta
nt”.
In
1977
, als
o at
IRC
-NR
C, G
usta
v H
ande
gord
, in
a pa
per e
ntitl
ed “
The
Nee
d Fo
r Airt
ight
ness
in B
uild
ings
” co
nclu
ded
that
air
leak
age
thro
ugh
cons
truct
ion
is th
e pr
inci
pal m
eans
by
whi
ch w
ater
vap
or m
oves
to c
old
surf
aces
and
is th
e m
ajor
ca
use
of c
onde
nsat
ion
in b
uild
ings
.
The
Can
adia
n M
odel
Nat
iona
l Bui
ldin
g C
ode
inco
rpor
ated
air
barr
ier r
equi
rem
ents
in 1
985
in
Cha
pter
5, E
nviro
nmen
tal S
epar
atio
n, (w
ithou
t qua
ntifi
ed m
axim
um a
ir pe
rmea
nce
requ
irem
ents
). In
199
5 th
e M
odel
Cod
e ad
opte
d 0.
2 L/
s*m
2 @ 7
5 Pa
(0.0
04 c
fm/ft
2 @ 0
.3”
w.g
.), th
e ai
r lea
kage
rate
of a
shee
t of 1
/2”
thic
k dr
ywal
l, as
the
max
imum
air
leak
age
rate
for
mat
eria
ls u
sed
to c
onst
ruct
the
air b
arrie
r.
In 2
001
a m
ajor
ove
rhau
l of t
he M
assa
chus
etts
’ ene
rgy
code
was
pro
mul
gate
d. T
he e
nerg
y co
de
until
then
had
bee
n ba
sed
on A
SHR
AE
90.1
198
9. G
uide
d by
the
Inte
rnat
iona
l Ene
rgy
Con
serv
atio
n C
ode
(IEC
C) 2
000
and
ASH
RA
E 90
.1 1
999,
MA
put
in p
lace
the
first
adv
ance
d pr
oprie
tary
ene
rgy
code
that
com
bine
d th
e be
st o
f bot
h co
des.
It a
lso
incl
uded
ext
ensi
ve a
ir ba
rrie
r req
uire
men
ts fo
r the
firs
t tim
e in
the
US,
bas
ed o
n th
e C
anad
ian
exam
ple
with
add
ition
al
requ
irem
ents
for c
ompa
rtmen
taliz
atio
n an
d le
akag
e co
ntro
l of s
tatio
nary
mec
hani
cal s
yste
ms a
nd
open
louv
ers.
Mas
sach
uset
ts u
nder
took
a m
assi
ve e
duca
tiona
l cam
paig
n in
trodu
cing
the
new
co
de re
quire
men
ts a
nd h
eld
hund
reds
of p
ublic
edu
catio
nal s
essi
ons a
nd in
-hou
se c
onsu
ltatio
ns
to d
esig
n fir
ms r
egar
ding
the
new
requ
irem
ents
. Fu
ndin
g fo
r thi
s eff
ort w
as p
rovi
ded
by th
e D
epar
tmen
t of E
nerg
y R
esou
rces
and
the
utili
ty c
ompa
nies
. Pu
blic
atio
ns o
n th
e im
pact
of
airti
ghtn
ess e
nsue
d (A
nis,
2001
)
As a
resu
lt of
the
Mas
sach
uset
ts a
ir ba
rrie
r req
uire
men
ts, t
he A
ir B
arrie
r Ass
ocia
tion
of A
mer
ica
was
form
ed in
200
1 ba
sed
on IS
O 9
000,
with
a m
issi
on o
f ind
ustry
regu
latio
n, e
duca
tion
and
know
ledg
e di
ssem
inat
ion.
Atte
mpt
s to
intro
duce
airt
ight
ness
requ
irem
ents
usi
ng a
ir ba
rrie
r tec
hnol
ogy
into
ASH
RA
E 90
.1
wer
e tri
gger
ed b
y a
Cha
nge
Prop
osal
to a
men
d A
SHR
AE
90.1
-200
1 to
incl
ude
air b
arrie
r re
quire
men
ts su
bmitt
ed b
y th
e au
thor
in 2
002.
A c
ost e
ffect
iven
ess s
tudy
bas
ed o
n en
ergy
sa
ving
s was
per
form
ed b
y N
IST
for S
SPC
90.
1 co
mm
ittee
and
pub
lishe
d as
NIS
TIR
723
8 ,
(Em
mer
ich,
McD
owel
l, A
nis,
2005
). S
SPC
90.
1 in
clud
ed a
ir ba
rrie
r req
uire
men
ts in
ASH
RA
E 90
.1 2
010,
alth
ough
a w
hole
bui
ldin
g ai
rtigh
tnes
s com
plia
nce
optio
n is
mis
sing
. Th
e N
ew
Bui
ldin
gs In
stitu
te (N
BI)
, pub
lishe
d its
Adv
ance
d B
uild
ings
Gui
de a
s “EB
ench
mar
k” in
200
3 (s
ubse
quen
tly b
ecam
e “C
ore
Perf
orm
ance
”), A
SHR
AE
Adv
ance
d En
ergy
Des
ign
Gui
des a
nd
AN
SI/A
SHR
AE/
IES/
USG
BC
189
.1 a
ll in
clud
ed a
ir ba
rrie
r req
uire
men
ts. T
he IE
CC
in 2
012
adop
ted
air b
arrie
r req
uire
men
ts th
at in
clud
e a
who
le b
uild
ing
airti
ghtn
ess o
ptio
n. T
he U
S A
rmy
Cor
ps o
f Eng
inee
rs in
200
9 pu
blis
hed
its a
ir ba
rrie
r and
who
le b
uild
ing
test
ing
prot
ocol
and
re
quire
men
ts w
ith a
max
imum
who
le b
uild
ing
air p
erm
eabi
lity
of th
e en
clos
ure
(six
-sid
ed b
ox)
of 0
.25
cfm
/ft2
@ 0
.3”
w.g
(1.2
5 L/
s•m
2 @
75 P
a).
Follo
win
g su
it, th
e G
ener
al S
ervi
ces
Adm
inis
tratio
n (G
SA),
the
bigg
est p
rope
rty o
wne
r in
the
wor
ld, p
ublis
hed
its P
-100
Des
ign
Gui
de w
ith w
hole
bui
ldin
g ai
r tes
ting
requ
irem
ents
and
a m
axim
um a
ir pe
rmea
bilit
y of
0.4
cf
m/ft
2 @
1.5
7 ps
f (2.
0 L/
s•m
2 @
75
Pa).
In 2
010,
the
tri-f
orce
s pub
lishe
d U
FC-3
-101
-01
Arc
hite
ctur
e , w
ith a
ir tig
htne
ss re
quire
men
ts fo
r the
arm
y, n
avy
and
air f
orce
bui
ldin
gs w
ith
who
le b
uild
ing
test
ing
requ
irem
ents
to d
iffer
ent c
riter
ia fo
r the
diff
eren
t bra
nche
s of t
he
Dep
artm
ent o
f Def
ense
(USA
CE
and
NA
VFA
C a
t 0.2
5 cf
m/ft
2 @
1.5
7 ps
f (1.
25 L
/s•m
2 @
75
Pa) a
nd A
ir Fo
rce
at 0
.4 c
fm/ft
2@1.
57 p
sf (2
.0 L
/s•m
2 @
75
Pa).
The
Inte
rnat
iona
l Gre
en
Con
stru
ctio
n C
ode
(IgC
C-2
012)
has
rece
ntly
bee
n pu
blis
hed
and
requ
ires m
anda
tory
air
leak
age
test
ing
of w
hole
bui
ldin
gs.
The
requ
irem
ents
for w
hole
bui
ldin
g ai
r tig
htne
ss te
stin
g ar
e be
com
ing
incr
easi
ngly
attr
activ
e to
m
any
juris
dict
ions
. Th
e St
ate
of W
ashi
ngto
n w
as th
e fir
st to
inst
itute
air
barr
ier r
equi
rem
ents
w
ith b
oth
a m
axim
um m
ater
ial a
ir le
akag
e re
quire
men
t and
a w
hole
bui
ldin
g m
axim
um a
ir pe
rmea
bilit
y ra
te w
ith te
stin
g re
quire
men
ts fo
r bui
ldin
gs si
x st
orie
s and
hig
her.
Req
uire
men
ts
for e
nclo
sure
com
mis
sion
ing
as a
n op
tion
for b
uild
ings
that
are
too
diff
icul
t to
test
are
als
o be
ing
cons
ider
ed.
Page 1
-
INT
ER
AC
TIO
NS
OF
AIR
TIG
HT
NE
SS W
ITH
V
EN
TIL
AT
ION
SY
STE
MS
AN
D IM
PLIC
AT
ION
S O
N
EN
ER
GY
USE
Will
em d
e G
ids
Vent
Gui
de
The
Net
herl
ands
A
bstr
act
Due
to im
perf
ect b
uild
ing
enve
lope
s air
infil
tratio
n ta
kes p
lace
. Air
that
infil
trate
s int
o a
build
ing
has t
o be
hea
ted
up to
the
com
fort
leve
l. Th
e co
nseq
uenc
e fo
r the
use
of e
nerg
y is
cl
ear.
Man
y ca
lcul
atio
n pr
oced
ures
in re
gula
tions
and
stan
dard
ass
ume
a lin
ear r
elat
ion
betw
een
the
air t
ight
ness
leve
l of a
bui
ldin
g an
d th
e en
ergy
use
due
to a
ir in
filtra
tion.
N
ever
thel
ess s
ome
dem
and
cont
rolle
d ve
ntila
tion
syst
ems d
on´t
reco
gniz
e th
e di
ffer
ence
be
twee
n ou
tsid
e ai
r com
ing
thro
ugh
crac
ks in
to th
e bu
ildin
g an
d ai
r tha
t ent
ers t
hrou
gh
purp
ose
prov
ided
ope
ning
s. B
alan
ced
syst
ems h
owev
er in
cas
e th
e pu
rpos
e pr
ovid
ed fl
ows a
re
real
ly b
alan
ced,
hav
e a
high
er p
enal
ty fo
r inf
iltra
tion
air t
han
syst
ems w
ith n
atur
al a
ir su
pplie
s.
For b
alan
ced
vent
ilatio
n sy
stem
s all
infil
trate
d ai
r is a
lso
exfil
trate
d ai
r, he
nce
the
ener
gy u
se
is b
igge
r tha
n fo
r som
e ot
her s
yste
ms.
The
flow
s thr
ough
a b
uild
ing
in re
latio
n to
the
type
of
vent
ilatio
n sy
stem
and
its c
ontro
l in
rela
tion
to e
nerg
y us
e w
ill b
e di
scus
sed
in th
is p
aper
.
Page 2
-
PAPE
R T
ITL
E: A
IR T
IGH
TNES
S IN
NEW
AN
D R
ETR
OFI
TTED
U.S
. AR
MY
BU
ILD
ING
S M
AIN
AU
TH
OR
A
lexa
nder
Zhi
vov
U.S
. Arm
y En
gine
er R
esea
rch
and
Dev
elop
men
t Cen
ter
OT
HE
R A
UT
HO
RS
Dal
e H
erro
n,
U.S
. Arm
y En
gine
er R
esea
rch
and
Dev
elop
men
t Cen
ter
Geo
rge
Lea,
U
SAC
E H
Q
Lee
Dur
ston
, B
CR
A
Mat
thew
Her
on,
Pie
Fore
nsic
Con
sulta
nts
AB
STR
AC
T
D
urin
g th
e pa
st se
vera
l yea
rs E
RD
C C
ERL
has b
een
cond
uctin
g in
vest
igat
ions
to
deve
lop
desi
gn/c
onst
ruct
ion
stra
tegi
es fo
r im
prov
ing
the
ener
gy e
ffic
ienc
y, p
reve
ntin
g m
old
and
impr
ovin
g in
door
air
qual
ity in
new
ly c
onst
ruct
ed b
uild
ings
and
bui
ldin
gs u
nder
goin
g m
ajor
reno
vatio
ns.
An
impo
rtant
par
t of t
hese
stud
ies w
as b
uild
ing
enve
lope
leak
age
test
s on
som
e ex
istin
g fa
cilit
ies t
o ga
in u
nder
stan
ding
of t
he g
ener
al le
akin
ess o
f Arm
y bu
ildin
gs a
nd
the
effe
ct o
f inc
reas
ed a
ir tig
htne
ss o
n th
e bu
ildin
g en
ergy
con
sum
ptio
n. B
ased
on
the
resu
lts
of th
ese
stud
ies,
air t
ight
ness
crit
eria
and
per
form
ance
requ
irem
ents
to n
ew c
onst
ruct
ion
and
maj
or re
nova
tion
proj
ects
hav
e be
en d
evel
oped
and
incl
uded
into
the
Arm
y de
sign
/con
stru
ctio
n st
rate
gies
. Si
nce
2009
the
US
Arm
y C
orps
of E
ngin
eers
(USA
CE)
impl
emen
ted
a re
quire
men
t for
air
tight
ness
in a
ll ne
w c
onst
ruct
ion
and
build
ing
encl
osur
e re
nova
tion
proj
ects
. Thi
s req
uire
men
t se
t lev
els o
f air
tight
ness
for t
he b
uild
ing
encl
osur
e at
the
mat
eria
l, as
sem
bly,
and
syst
em
leve
l. A
dditi
onal
ly, i
t req
uire
s tha
t a w
hole
bui
ldin
g ai
r lea
kage
test
be
com
plet
ed a
t co
mpl
etio
n of
con
stru
ctio
n to
ver
ify p
erfo
rman
ce o
f the
con
stru
cted
air
barr
ier s
yste
m.
The
curr
ent v
ersi
on o
f the
Air
Leak
age
Test
Pro
toco
l for
Bui
ldin
g En
velo
pes d
evel
oped
by
USA
CE
ERD
C to
geth
er w
ith A
ir B
arrie
r Ass
ocia
tion
of A
mer
ica
(AB
AA
) and
indu
stria
l pa
rtner
s has
bee
n pu
blis
hed
in M
ay 2
012
and
can
be fo
unde
d on
ht
tp://
ww
w.w
bdg.
org/
pdfs
/usa
ce_a
irlea
kage
test
prot
ocol
.pdf
.
This
pap
er p
rese
nts r
esul
ts o
f air
tight
ness
test
s bef
ore
and
afte
r new
requ
irem
ents
wer
e se
t fo
rwar
d. U
pdat
ed re
sults
for m
ore
than
350
new
ly c
onst
ruct
ed a
nd re
nova
ted
larg
e bu
ildin
gs
air l
eaka
ge te
sts a
nd p
erfo
rm a
naly
sis i
n re
gard
s to,
des
ign
and
cons
truct
ion
proc
ess,
air
barr
ier m
ater
ials
, bui
ldin
g us
e, a
nd c
onst
ruct
ion
type
s are
pre
sent
ed. P
rese
nted
dat
a m
ay
supp
ort f
utur
e de
cisi
ons r
egar
ding
air
tight
ness
leve
ls to
be
adop
ted
for c
omm
erci
al b
uild
ings
.
Page 3
-
Page 4
-
Thursday 18 April 2013
12:30-13:45 Session 3: Characterization of products and systems
1. Airtightness of the window-wall interface in masonry brick
walls. Nathan Van den Bossche
and Arnold Janssens, Belgium 2. Evaluation of an Interior Air
Barrier System with Dynamic Water Vapour Control in North
American Climates. Stanley D. Gatland II, CertainTeed, USA 3.
Airtight Curtain Wall/Window Connection Best Practice. Joerg
Birkelbach, Tremco illbruck,
USA 4. The Science of Rough Opening Preparation and Window
Installation to Minimize Air
Leakage, Sam Hagerman, Hammer and Hand, USA Short Presentation
5. The Science of Fluid-Applied Flashing Systems, Paul Grahovac,
Prosoco, USA
-
AIR
TIG
HT
NE
SS O
F T
HE
WIN
DO
W-W
AL
L IN
TE
RFA
CE
IN M
ASO
NR
Y B
RIC
K W
AL
LS
N
atha
n V
an D
en B
ossc
he*,
Will
em H
uygh
e, Ja
n M
oens
, and
Arn
old
Jans
sens
Ghe
nt U
nive
rsity
Jo
zef P
late
aust
raat
22
9000
Ghe
nt, B
elgi
um
*Cor
resp
ondi
ng a
utho
r: n
atha
n.va
nden
boss
che@
ugen
t.be
AB
STR
AC
T
In re
cent
dec
ades
ther
e ha
s bee
n an
incr
ease
d fo
cus o
n en
hanc
ed t
herm
al re
sist
ance
of b
uild
ing
com
pone
nts
and
as a
con
sequ
ence
, the
rela
tive
impo
rtanc
e of
airt
ight
ness
on
the
over
all e
nerg
y lo
sses
of b
uild
ings
has
incr
ease
d si
gnifi
cant
ly.
The
cons
truct
ion
indu
stry
re
quire
s pr
actic
al i
nfor
mat
ion
on t
he a
irtig
htne
ss o
f in
divi
dual
co
nstru
ctio
n el
emen
ts a
nd b
uild
ing
enve
lope
inte
rfac
es. A
lite
ratu
re r
evie
w o
n th
e ai
rtigh
tnes
s of
win
dow
-wal
l in
terf
aces
has
sho
wn
that
no
expe
rimen
tal
data
are
ava
ilabl
e fo
r m
ason
ry c
onst
ruct
ion.
Thi
s pa
per
offe
rs a
n in
vest
igat
ive
stud
y on
the
airti
ghtn
ess
of w
indo
w-w
all i
nter
face
s of
mas
onry
wal
ls, f
or 1
3 di
ffer
ent i
nsta
llatio
n m
etho
ds. T
he re
sults
sho
w th
at th
e se
lect
ed s
olut
ions
cov
er a
wid
e ra
nge
of a
irtig
htne
ss le
vels
, fro
m 0
m³/h
.m u
p to
31m
³/h.m
at
50 P
a. T
he e
xper
imen
ts h
ave
perm
itted
det
erm
inin
g t
hat
a ve
ry g
ood
perf
orm
ance
can
be
obta
ined
by
usin
g po
lyur
etha
ne f
oam
and
cau
lkin
g, a
irtig
ht m
embr
anes
, po
lyur
etha
ne f
oam
and
ply
woo
d fr
amin
g, a
nd p
last
er a
nd c
aulk
ing.
On
the
cont
rary
, min
eral
fibr
e in
sula
tion,
a p
artia
l fill
with
pol
yure
than
e fo
am
and
plas
ter
with
out
caul
king
sh
ould
be
av
oide
d w
hen
good
ai
rtigh
tnes
s is
re
quire
d.
Furth
erm
ore,
a
com
preh
ensi
ve m
etho
dolo
gy f
or e
rror
cal
cula
tion
is o
ffer
ed, b
ased
on
erro
r pr
opag
atio
n of
par
tially
cor
rela
ted
para
met
ers,
incl
udin
g th
e ef
fect
of
mea
sure
men
t er
rors
, ex
trane
ous
air
leak
age
and
conv
ersi
on t
o st
anda
rd
boun
dary
con
ditio
ns.
KE
YW
OR
DS
airti
ghtn
ess,
win
dow
-wal
l int
erfa
ce, b
rick
cavi
ty w
all,
INT
RO
DU
CT
ION
Th
roug
hout
the
las
t fe
w d
ecad
es a
n in
crea
sing
num
ber
of c
ount
ries
are
enfo
rcin
g en
ergy
cod
es a
nd e
xist
ing
code
s ar
e ge
tting
stri
cter
in re
spec
t to
ener
gy u
sage
in h
omes
. In
add
ition
, the
re h
as b
een
a ge
nera
l inc
reas
e in
th
e pr
ice
of e
nerg
y (U
.S. E
.I.A
, 200
8). A
irtig
htne
ss is
one
of t
he d
efin
ing
fact
ors
in e
nerg
y us
e in
bui
ldin
gs. I
n a
mod
erat
e cl
imat
e su
ch a
s tha
t fou
nd in
Bel
gium
, inf
iltra
tion
of c
old
air a
ccou
nts f
or u
p to
20%
of o
vera
ll pr
imar
y en
ergy
use
for
cod
e-co
mpl
iant
bui
ldin
gs (
VEA
, 20
09).
Obv
ious
ly,
in c
olde
r cl
imat
es t
he m
ore
pron
ounc
ed
effe
cts
of in
filtra
ting
cold
air
in b
uild
ings
will
res
ult i
n co
de r
equi
rem
ents
for
impr
oved
ene
rgy
effic
ienc
y an
d th
us p
rom
ote
bette
r co
nstru
ctio
n pr
actic
e co
ncer
ning
airt
ight
ness
(Sh
erm
an a
nd C
han,
200
4).
In g
ener
al,
the
exis
ting
hous
ing
stoc
k in
col
der
clim
ates
is m
ore
airti
ght a
s co
mpa
red
to h
omes
loca
ted
in m
oder
ate
clim
ates
(M
cWill
iam
s an
d Sh
erm
an, 2
005)
. One
mig
ht e
xpec
t tha
t mor
e ai
rtigh
t bui
ldin
gs a
re c
onst
ruct
ed o
ver t
ime
due
to s
trict
er b
uild
ing
code
s, bu
t an
ana
lysi
s by
Bos
saer
et
al.
(199
8) o
n 51
hom
es b
uilt
befo
re a
nd a
fter
the
impl
emen
tatio
n of
the
firs
t en
ergy
bui
ldin
g co
de i
n B
elgi
um s
how
ed n
o di
ffer
ence
in
resp
ect
to a
irtig
htne
ss.
How
ever
, the
ene
rgy
code
in
Bel
gium
onl
y pr
ovid
es r
ecom
men
datio
ns o
n ai
rtigh
tnes
s in
rel
atio
n to
HV
AC
-sy
stem
s, co
ntra
ry t
o th
at r
equi
red
in o
ther
cou
ntrie
s, e.
g. N
orw
ay,
Swed
en a
nd t
he U
S (L
imb,
200
1).
The
aver
age
airti
ghtn
ess
(n50
, t
he m
easu
red
air
volu
me
flow
at
50Pa
pre
ssur
e di
ffer
ence
div
ided
by
the
inte
rior
volu
me
of th
e bu
ildin
g) o
f det
ache
d re
side
ntia
l bui
ldin
gs in
Bel
gium
in 1
995
was
11.
7 ai
r cha
nges
h-1
(Bos
aer e
t al
., 19
98; r
esul
ts w
ere
reca
lcul
ated
to m
eet I
SO 1
3829
:200
1 re
quire
men
ts).
A m
ore
rece
nt s
tudy
by
Lave
rge
et
al. (
2010
) on
new
ly b
uilt
resi
dent
ial d
wel
lings
sho
ws
that
the
air l
eaka
ge h
as d
ecre
ased
sig
nific
antly
in 1
5 ye
ars,
and
is n
ow a
bout
6.0
air
chan
ges
h-1 a
t 50P
a pr
essu
re d
iffer
ence
. Thi
s de
crea
se is
mai
nly
caus
ed b
y an
incr
ease
d aw
aren
ess
conc
erni
ng a
irtig
htne
ss b
y ar
chite
cts,
cont
ract
ors
and
build
ing
owne
rs.
The
requ
ired
leve
l of
ai
rtigh
tnes
s of
bui
ldin
gs in
Bel
gium
will
mos
t lik
ely
beco
me
stric
ter
in th
e fu
ture
. In
2006
the
airti
ghtn
ess
of
only
1,5
% o
f al
l ne
wly
bui
lt dw
ellin
gs w
as m
easu
red,
whe
reas
in
2009
alre
ady
over
7%
wer
e te
sted
usi
ng a
pr
essu
rizat
ion
test
(VEA
, 201
1). T
here
is a
n ur
gent
nee
d fo
r sta
ndar
d de
tails
at o
peni
ngs
in b
uild
ings
that
wou
ld
min
imiz
e ai
r le
akag
e at
thes
e vu
lner
able
loca
tions
(H
ens,
2011
); th
is h
as b
ecom
e ap
pare
nt f
rom
the
incr
ease
d nu
mbe
r of
airt
ight
ness
test
s th
at a
re n
ow b
eing
car
ried
out.
It is
evi
dent
that
the
build
ing
stoc
k in
Bel
gium
has
po
or a
irtig
htne
ss p
erfo
rman
ce a
nd fr
om th
is it
can
be
surm
ised
that
ther
e is
like
wis
e a
lack
of k
now
ledg
e at
the
desi
gner
’s s
ide
in re
spec
t to
achi
evin
g ad
equa
te a
irtig
htne
ss in
hom
es. F
or w
ood-
fram
e co
nstru
ctio
n in
tere
stin
g re
sear
ch w
as p
ublis
hed
by R
elan
der e
t al.
on d
iffer
ent c
ompo
nent
s an
d in
terf
aces
(Rel
ande
r et a
l., 2
010,
201
1).
The
win
dow
-wal
l int
erfa
ce is
one
of
the
key
air
infil
tratio
n pa
thw
ays
in w
ood-
fram
e co
nstru
ctio
n (R
elan
der
et
al.,
2008
). C
onse
quen
tly, t
here
is a
hig
h pr
obab
ility
that
this
will
like
wis
e be
the
situ
atio
n fo
r m
ason
ry c
avity
w
alls
. En
ergy
con
cern
s ar
e no
t the
onl
y re
ason
to fo
cus
on a
irtig
htne
ss. A
lack
of a
irtig
htne
ss c
an c
ause
col
d dr
augh
ts,
low
er a
cous
tical
per
form
ance
of t
he b
uild
ing
enve
lope
, int
erfe
re w
ith th
e ba
lanc
e of
a H
VA
C-s
yste
m, p
rom
ote
inte
rstit
ial c
onde
nsat
ion
thro
ugh
exfil
tratin
g ai
r an
d su
rfac
e co
nden
satio
n th
roug
h in
filtra
ting
air.
Res
earc
h by
La
cass
e et
al.
(200
3) e
ven
sugg
ests
that
def
icie
ncie
s in
airt
ight
ness
hav
e an
eff
ect o
n th
e w
ater
tight
ness
of
the
win
dow
-wal
l in
terf
ace:
ove
r th
e co
urse
of
wat
ertig
thne
ss t
ests
tho
se w
indo
w-w
all
asse
mbl
ies
that
wer
e le
ss
airti
ght a
chie
ved
redu
ced
leve
ls o
f pre
ssur
e eq
ualis
atio
n th
at re
sulte
d in
hig
her r
ates
of w
ater
infil
tratio
n in
to th
e as
sem
bly.
B
ased
on
the
risin
g de
man
d fr
om th
e bu
ildin
g in
dust
ry fo
r sta
ndar
d de
tails
for a
irtig
ht c
onst
ruct
ion
in m
ason
ry
cavi
ty w
alls
, and
the
fact
that
win
dow
-wal
l int
erfa
ces
can
acco
unt f
or s
igni
fican
t air
loss
es, a
nd a
s w
ell,
the
lack
of
info
rmat
ion
foun
d in
lite
ratu
re o
n th
is to
pic,
a re
sear
ch p
roje
ct w
as in
itiat
ed to
pro
vide
pra
ctic
al in
form
atio
n on
thi
s to
pic.
Thi
s pa
per
repo
rts t
he r
esul
ts o
f an
exp
erim
enta
l st
udy
on 1
3 di
ffer
ent
inst
alla
tion
met
hods
for
w
indo
ws
in m
ason
ry c
avity
wal
ls.
Sect
ion
3 pr
ovid
es d
etai
ls o
n th
e re
leva
nt s
tand
ards
, th
e te
st m
etho
d an
d ex
perim
enta
l set
up, a
nd a
thor
ough
err
or a
naly
sis
base
d on
err
or p
ropa
gatio
n of
par
tially
cor
rela
ted
para
met
ers.
In s
ectio
n 4
the
diff
eren
t ins
talla
tion
met
hods
are
des
crib
ed u
sing
det
aile
d se
ctio
nal d
raw
ings
and
des
crip
tion,
w
here
as th
e re
sults
are
repo
rted
in s
ectio
n 5.
Nex
t to
that
, sec
tion
5 al
so c
ompr
ises
an
anal
ysis
of w
indo
w-w
all
inte
rfac
e ai
r lea
kage
as c
ompa
red
to o
vera
ll bu
ildin
g ai
rtigh
tnes
s.
LIT
ER
AT
UR
E R
EV
IEW
Th
e ty
pica
l co
nstru
ctio
n m
etho
d an
d m
ater
ials
of
diffe
rent
com
pone
nts
of t
he b
uild
ing
enve
lope
var
y ge
ogra
phic
ally
, ac
cord
ing
to c
limat
e, n
atur
al r
esou
rces
and
bui
ldin
g pr
actic
e em
ploy
ed i
n a
parti
cula
r ge
ogra
phic
al l
ocat
ion.
Thi
s pa
per
only
foc
uses
on
the
win
dow
-wal
l in
terf
ace
in b
rick
cavi
ty m
ason
ry w
alls
. Th
ese
wal
ls a
re t
ypic
ally
rep
rese
ntat
ive
of c
urre
nt b
uild
ing
prac
tice
and
cons
ist
of a
n in
side
lea
f in
ext
rude
d la
rge
form
at p
erfo
rate
d br
icks
, a c
avity
par
tially
or f
ully
fille
d w
ith in
sula
tion
and
an o
uter
mas
onry
ven
eer w
all.
The
airti
ghtn
ess
of th
e w
all i
s se
cure
d by
a la
yer o
f pla
ster
, typ
ical
ly s
pray
ed to
the
inte
rior s
ide
of th
e in
terio
r br
ick
wal
l an
d sc
oure
d m
anua
lly.
Such
typ
e of
wal
ls a
re c
hara
cter
istic
of
Nor
th-W
este
rn E
urop
ean
build
ing
prac
tice
(e.g
. Bel
gium
, The
Net
herla
nds,
Nor
ther
n Fr
ance
, Gre
at B
ritai
n). T
his
sect
ion
of th
e pa
per i
s co
mpr
ised
of
an
anal
ysis
of
expe
rimen
tal
data
on
the
airti
ghtn
ess
of w
indo
w-w
all
inte
rfac
es a
s fo
und
in l
itera
ture
, an
d in
clud
es s
ome
gene
ral g
uide
lines
or
estim
atio
n te
chni
ques
for
ass
essi
ng a
ir le
akag
e in
hom
es w
hich
are
ofte
n us
ed o
r cite
d. T
he a
ir flo
w ra
te th
roug
h an
ope
ning
for a
n ap
plie
d pr
essu
re d
iffer
ence
is c
omm
only
exp
ress
ed b
y th
e em
piric
al p
ower
law
equ
atio
n (1
):
(1
) W
ith
: ai
r flo
w r
ate
(m³/h
), ΔP
: pr
essu
re d
iffer
ence
(Pa
), an
d C
: flo
w c
oeff
icie
nt (
m³/h
.Pan
) an
d n:
flo
w
expo
nent
(-)
. A
sum
mar
y of
res
ults
der
ived
fro
m d
iffer
ent
sour
ces
can
be f
ound
in
Van
Den
Bos
sche
et
al.
(201
2). M
ost l
itera
ture
dea
ling
with
airt
ight
ness
of
win
dow
-wal
l int
erfa
ces
orig
inat
es f
rom
cou
ntrie
s ha
ving
a
cold
clim
ate,
and
pra
ctic
ally
all
repo
rted
mea
sure
men
ts w
ere
com
plet
ed o
n w
ood-
fram
e co
nstru
ctio
ns.
Even
th
ough
mos
t jo
ints
hav
e a
sim
ilar
wid
th,
ther
e is
a l
arge
var
iety
in
air
flow
rat
es f
or s
imila
r pr
oduc
ts.
For
exam
ple,
the
inst
alla
tion
of m
iner
al w
ool l
imits
the
air f
low
to a
roun
d 1.
5m³/h
.m a
t 50P
a w
hen
plac
ed c
orre
ctly
an
d w
ell c
ompr
esse
d, a
nd c
a. 5
m³/h
.m w
hen
inst
alle
d in
corr
ectly
. Bac
ker
rods
can
be
very
airt
ight
, and
the
air
leak
age
shou
ld b
e be
low
1m
³/h.m
at 5
0Pa,
whe
reas
ope
n ce
ll pr
oduc
ts a
nd s
elf-
expa
ndin
g pr
oduc
ts g
ener
ally
pe
rfor
m p
oorly
. Ta
pes
and
mem
bran
es a
re m
ore
airti
ght,
betw
een
0 an
d 0.
31 m
³/h.m
at
50Pa
, bu
t al
so
susc
eptib
le t
o im
prop
er i
nsta
llatio
n. P
olyu
reth
ane
foam
and
sea
lant
s ar
e pr
actic
ally
per
fect
ly a
irtig
ht w
hen
inst
alle
d co
rrec
tly. T
he e
ffec
t of a
win
dow
sill
on
the
over
all p
erfo
rman
ce o
f the
win
dow
-wal
l int
erfa
ce w
as n
ot
evid
ent i
n an
y of
thes
e pu
blic
atio
ns, a
nd n
eith
er w
as it
incl
uded
in th
is re
sear
ch p
roje
ct.
For
this
rea
son
a ne
w t
est
serie
s w
as s
etup
, sp
ecifi
cally
dev
oted
to
mas
onry
cav
ity w
all
cons
truct
ion,
as
desc
ribed
in
sect
ion
4 of
thi
s pa
per.
Bef
ore
disc
ussi
ng t
he r
esul
ts,
the
issu
e of
mea
surin
g un
certa
inty
in
air
leak
age
mea
sure
men
ts is
firs
t add
ress
ed.
Page 5
-
TE
ST M
ET
HO
D
Proc
edur
e Th
e te
st s
ampl
es w
ere
mea
sure
d us
ing
a st
anda
rd c
alib
rate
d te
st r
ig w
hich
is u
sed
on a
dai
ly b
asis
to te
st th
e ai
rtigh
tnes
s of
win
dow
fra
mes
acc
ordi
ng t
o N
BN
EN
102
6:20
00.
In a
bsen
ce o
f an
y sp
ecifi
c gu
idel
ines
for
w
indo
w-w
all i
nter
face
s, th
e te
st p
roto
col w
as b
ased
on
the
one
for
win
dow
fra
mes
giv
en in
NB
N E
N 1
026:
it
seem
s re
ason
able
to a
pply
pre
ssur
e di
ffer
ence
s co
rres
pond
ing
to th
e ty
pica
l pro
duct
spe
cific
atio
n of
win
dow
s to
th
e w
indo
w-w
all i
nter
face
. Afte
r thr
ee p
ulse
s at
110
% o
f the
max
imum
test
pre
ssur
e, th
e se
quen
ce is
as
follo
ws:
50
-100
-150
-200
-250
-300
-450
-600
Pa.
The
sam
e pr
oced
ure
is th
en re
peat
ed b
ut w
ith n
egat
ive
pres
sure
s.
The
win
dow
itse
lf w
as n
on-o
pera
ble,
and
the
glaz
ing
stop
was
seal
ed o
n bo
th si
des (
glas
s sid
e an
d fr
ame
side
) to
ensu
re th
at n
o ai
r w
as in
filtra
ting
thro
ugh
the
win
dow
and
influ
ence
d th
e m
easu
rem
ents
. Fur
ther
mor
e, s
mok
e pe
ncils
wer
e us
ed to
trac
e an
d vi
sual
ize
leak
age
path
s in
the
sam
ple.
The
ext
rane
ous
air l
eaka
ge w
as m
easu
red
befo
re, i
n be
twee
n an
d af
ter t
he te
sts.
The
expe
rimen
tal d
ata
repo
rted
in th
is p
aper
wer
e ca
lcul
ated
by
subt
ract
ing
the
first
ext
rane
ous
air
loss
es f
rom
the
mea
sure
d ai
r flo
ws.
If t
here
was
a s
light
diff
eren
ce i
n ex
trane
ous
air
leak
age
befo
re a
nd a
fter t
he s
ampl
e m
easu
rem
ent,
the
low
est v
alue
of e
xtra
neou
s ai
r los
s w
as c
hose
n to
pro
vide
a
cons
erva
tive
resu
lt. T
he te
st s
eque
nce
desc
ribed
abo
ve w
as a
lso
used
for q
uant
ifyin
g th
e ex
trane
ous
air l
osse
s, bu
t with
an
airti
ght p
late
inst
alle
d ov
er th
e w
indo
w o
peni
ng (F
igur
e 2)
. The
pla
te c
over
ed 5
cm o
f pla
ster
aro
und
the
win
dow
reve
al, a
nd w
as s
eale
d to
the
plas
ter b
y m
eans
of a
com
pres
sed
clos
ed c
ell n
eopr
ene
back
er ro
d an
d ca
ulki
ng. T
he te
st r
ig w
as d
esig
ned
to b
e as
airt
ight
as
poss
ible
, to
redu
ce th
e ov
eral
l err
or o
n th
e re
sults
. The
le
akag
e of
the
tes
t rig
was
adj
uste
d by
con
secu
tive
test
ing,
but
eve
n af
ter
optim
izat
ion
the
degr
ee o
f ai
r lo
ss
rem
aine
d in
a ra
nge
of 0
.5 –
0.6
m³/h
.m a
t 50P
a fo
r the
diff
eren
t mea
sure
men
ts o
f ex
trane
ous
leak
age.
As
6 ou
t of
13
mea
sure
d in
stal
latio
n m
etho
ds h
ave
an a
ir lo
ss ra
ngin
g be
twee
n 0
and
0.2m
³/h.m
at 5
0Pa,
the
effe
ct o
f the
ex
trane
ous
air
loss
is
sign
ifica
nt. T
his
caus
ed q
uite
lar
ge u
ncer
tain
ty i
nter
vals
for
res
ults
of
the
mos
t ai
rtigh
t in
stal
latio
n m
etho
ds. T
he te
mpe
ratu
re, r
elat
ive
hum
idity
and
bar
omet
ric p
ress
ure
was
reco
rded
dur
ing
each
test
, in
ord
er to
con
vert
the
resu
lts to
stan
dard
bou
ndar
y co
nditi
ons.
The
erro
r an
alys
is w
as b
ased
on
the
calib
ratio
n er
ror
of t
he t
est
rig,
erro
r du
e to
con
vers
ion
to r
efer
ence
co
nditi
ons,
the
chau
vene
t crit
erio
n, a
nd e
rror
pro
paga
tion
in th
e po
wer
law
. Mor
e de
tails
on
the
erro
r an
alys
is
met
hodo
logy
can
be
foun
d in
(Van
Den
Bos
sche
et a
l., 2
012)
.
A
ir flo
w m
easu
rem
ent w
ith p
ower
law
and
t-di
strib
utio
n un
certa
inty
inte
rval
of i
nsta
llatio
n SP
F-al
l (th
e re
d m
ark
was
reje
cted
acc
ordi
ng to
the
Cha
uven
et-c
riter
ion)
. T
est s
peci
men
s In
ord
er to
mea
sure
the
airti
ghtn
ess
of th
e w
indo
w-w
all i
nter
face
in c
avity
bric
k w
alls
, tw
o te
st w
alls
wer
e bu
ilt
to r
epre
sent
diff
eren
t si
tuat
ions
. The
firs
t w
all
was
con
side
red
as c
omm
on p
ract
ice
and
was
com
pris
ed o
f an
al
umin
um w
indo
w fr
ame
in a
bric
k ca
vity
wal
l hav
ing
8cm
of p
olys
tyre
ne in
sula
tion
and
3cm
of a
ir ca
vity
. Not
e
that
the
maj
ority
of n
ewly
bui
lt w
alls
in B
elgi
um in
corp
orat
e an
air
cavi
ty to
ens
ure
adeq
uate
dra
inag
e an
d ea
sy
of e
xecu
tion.
For
this
spe
cim
en, t
wo
diff
eren
t int
erio
r fin
ishe
s fo
r th
e w
indo
w r
evea
l wer
e ap
plie
d: a
woo
den
win
dow
trim
(tes
t set
up A
); or
a la
yer o
f gyp
sum
pla
ster
on
the
reve
al (t
est s
etup
B).
Test
set
ups
A a
nd B
wer
e th
us a
pplie
d on
the
sam
e w
all,
but h
ave
a di
ffer
ent i
nter
ior f
inis
h.
Cur
rent
ly in
Bel
gium
(an
d pe
rhap
s el
sew
here
in N
orth
ern
Euro
pe w
here
hom
es c
onst
ruct
ed o
f br
ick
mas
onry
w
alls
are
cur
rent
pra
ctic
e) t
here
is
a te
nden
cy t
o pl
ace
mor
e in
sula
tion
in b
rick
cavi
ty w
alls
to
com
ply
with
en
ergy
sta
ndar
ds w
ith th
e ex
pect
atio
n of
redu
cing
ene
rgy
loss
es a
nd th
ereb
y lo
wer
ing
heat
ing
cost
s. Ex
trem
ely
low
ene
rgy
build
ings
can
hav
e ca
vitie
s (w
idth
of
insu
latio
n pl
us e
mpt
y ca
vity
) up
to
24cm
wid
e in
ord
er t
o ob
tain
, e.g
., pa
ssiv
e ho
use
certi
ficat
ion.
As
the
win
dow
fra
me
is ty
pica
lly r
eces
sed
abou
t 10c
m f
rom
the
oute
r m
ason
ry p
lane
, the
inst
alla
tion
tech
niqu
e sh
ould
take
into
acc
ount
the
ecce
ntric
stru
ctur
al lo
ad o
f th
e w
indo
w
with
reg
ards
to
the
inne
r be
arin
g m
ason
ry w
all.
This
ecc
entri
c lo
ad c
an b
e de
alt
with
by
mou
ntin
g st
rong
br
acke
ts a
t the
sill
, or f
or s
mal
l to
mod
erat
ely
size
d w
indo
ws
by in
stal
ling
a pl
ywoo
d fr
amew
ork
all a
roun
d th
e w
indo
w fr
ame.
Eve
n if
the
win
dow
is to
o bi
g an
d ex
tra b
rack
ets
are
requ
ired
at th
e si
ll, th
e pl
ywoo
d fr
ame
still
of
fers
add
ition
al b
enef
its, s
uch
as e
ase
of in
stal
latio
n, ri
gid
back
ing
for t
he in
terio
r fin
ish,
and
add
ition
al ri
gidi
ty
for t
he w
indo
w in
stal
latio
n. T
he la
tter t
echn
ique
was
thus
app
lied,
als
o be
caus
e it
is c
urre
ntly
the
mos
t com
mon
ap
proa
ch u
sed
in b
uild
ings
cer
tifie
d fo
r ex
trem
ely
low
ene
rgy
usag
e .
The
seco
nd w
all
was
tho
ught
re
pres
enta
tive
of w
ell i
nsul
ated
bui
ldin
gs, a
nd c
onsi
sted
of a
woo
den
win
dow
fram
e in
a b
rick
cavi
ty w
all h
avin
g 20
cm o
f po
lyst
yren
e in
sula
tion
and
a 2c
m a
ir ca
vity
(se
tup
C).
For
setu
p C
it
was
ant
icip
ated
tha
t th
e pe
rfor
man
ce w
ould
be
inde
pend
ent t
o th
e ty
pe o
f in
terio
r fin
ish.
For
bot
h w
alls
, the
win
dow
s ar
e 1.
23m
wid
e an
d 1.
48m
hig
h (a
ccor
ding
to
the
prod
uct
stan
dard
NB
N E
N 1
4351
-1:2
006,
and
rep
rese
ntat
ive
of t
ypic
al
dim
ensi
ons f
or w
indo
ws i
n B
elgi
um),
and
both
wal
ls w
ere
1.92
m b
y 2.
02m
(2m
adj
uste
d to
bric
k m
odul
e).
Figu
re 2
a. c
alib
ratio
n se
tup
for m
easu
ring
extra
neou
s air
leak
age
of th
e se
tup.
Fig
ure
2b. I
nsta
llatio
n of
al
umin
um w
indo
w fr
ame
and
woo
d re
veal
. In
test
set
ups
A a
nd B
the
win
dow
was
inst
alle
d us
ing
typi
cal m
ount
ing
brac
kets
, whe
reas
in s
etup
C, g
iven
that
th
e us
e of
wid
e ca
vity
bra
cket
s w
ere
not
an o
ptio
n, t
here
was
a p
lyw
ood
fram
ewor
k to
whi
ch t
o se
cure
the
w
indo
w u
nit a
nd th
at w
as f
ixed
to th
e in
terio
r br
ick
wal
l. It
was
ant
icip
ated
that
the
inte
rior
finis
h of
set
up C
(p
aint
on
plyw
ood,
win
dow
trim
or
gyps
um p
last
er)
wou
ld n
ot a
ffec
t the
airt
ight
ness
per
form
ance
bec
ause
the
cont
inui
ty o
f th
e ai
rtigh
t la
yer
was
gua
rant
eed
by t
he a
irtig
ht p
lyw
ood
fram
ewor
k. I
n bo
th t
est
setu
ps t
he
horiz
onta
l pro
ject
ed g
ap b
etw
een
fram
e an
d w
all w
as 2
.5cm
; thi
s is
a ty
pica
l siz
e an
d al
low
s ad
equa
te to
lera
nce
for i
nsta
llatio
n. N
ote
that
the
perim
eter
was
not
exa
ctly
the
sam
e fo
r bot
h se
tups
bec
ause
in s
etup
C th
e pl
ywoo
d fr
amew
ork
at t
he p
erim
eter
of
the
win
dow
req
uire
d a
slig
htly
big
ger
open
ing
in t
he w
all
to o
btai
n th
e sa
me
degr
ee o
f tol
eran
ce. I
n bo
th c
ases
the
win
dow
was
rece
ssed
10c
m fr
om th
e ou
ter p
lane
of t
he w
all.
Con
trary
to
com
mon
pra
ctic
e, th
e jo
int b
etw
een
the
exte
rior b
rick
wal
l and
the
win
dow
fram
e w
as n
ot c
aulk
ed d
urin
g te
stin
g.
It w
as a
ssum
ed th
at b
rickw
ork
typi
cally
doe
s no
t con
tribu
te to
the
airti
ghtn
ess
due
to o
pen
drai
ns a
nd v
ents
in
the
faça
de. N
ote
that
the
inst
alla
tion
met
hods
wer
e on
ly d
esig
ned
for a
irtig
htne
ss te
sting
; oth
er p
aram
eter
s su
ch
Page 6
-
as w
ater
tight
ness
and
ther
mal
per
form
ance
wer
e no
t con
side
red
here
. Con
sequ
ently
, no
stat
emen
ts a
re m
ade
in
resp
ect
to o
ther
par
amet
ers
and
the
draw
ings
onl
y re
port
the
inst
alla
tion
as it
was
tes
ted.
All
of th
e di
ffer
ent
mat
eria
ls u
sed
to f
abric
ate
the
test
spe
cim
ens
wer
e ra
ndom
ly s
elec
ted
and
inst
alle
d by
pro
fess
iona
l cra
ftsm
en.
Cau
lkin
g an
d sp
raye
d in
pla
ce p
olyu
reth
ane
foam
(SP-
PUR
) wer
e al
way
s lef
t for
at l
east
one
day
to c
ure
prio
r to
test
ing,
and
pla
ster
was
per
mitt
ed to
cur
e fo
r at l
east
two
days
. Fig
ure
2 sh
ows t
he m
easu
rem
ent o
f ext
rane
ous a
ir le
akag
e of
test
setu
p C
. In
thes
e te
sts,
no d
iffer
entia
tion
was
mad
e be
twee
n th
e he
ad, j
ambs
or s
ill, s
imila
r to
that
repo
rted
in a
ll of
the
pape
rs c
ited
in T
able
1. F
urth
erm
ore,
it s
houl
d be
not
ed th
at th
e re
sults
repr
esen
t the
air
leak
age
alon
g th
e lin
ear
inte
rfac
e, a
s w
ell a
s an
y lo
cal d
efic
ienc
ies
situ
ated
at t
he c
orne
rs. F
or te
st s
etup
A th
e pe
rimet
er w
as 5
.32m
and
th
is o
bvio
usly
incl
uded
the
four
(4) c
orne
rs. I
t is
likel
y th
at th
e co
rner
s ar
e le
ss a
irtig
ht th
an th
e lin
ear j
oint
s du
e to
add
ition
al in
terf
aces
com
ing
toge
ther
and
issu
es re
late
d to
ens
urin
g ai
rtigh
t ins
talla
tion
at th
ese
loca
tions
. As
the
resu
lts a
re e
xpre
ssed
per
met
er o
f jo
int
leng
th, t
his
impl
ies
that
the
res
ults
pre
sent
ed i
n th
is p
aper
mig
ht
unde
rest
imat
e th
e ai
r lea
kage
for w
indo
ws h
avin
g a
low
er a
rea
to p
erim
eter
ratio
giv
en th
at in
suc
h in
stan
ces t
he
air l
eaka
ge a
t the
cor
ners
is m
ore
impo
rtant
. IN
STA
LL
AT
ION
ME
TH
OD
S Th
e se
lect
ion
of th
e di
ffer
ent i
nsta
llatio
n m
etho
ds w
as d
iscu
ssed
with
bui
ldin
g pr
actit
ione
rs, w
indo
w in
stal
lers
an
d m
anuf
actu
rers
in c
olla
bora
tion
with
the
Bel
gian
Con
stru
ctio
n C
ertif
icat
ion
Ass
ocia
tion
(BC
CA
), sp
ecifi
cally
th
e gr
oup
wor
king
on
win
dow
-wal
l in
terf
aces
. An
over
view
of
the
inst
alla
tions
is
desc
ribed
in
Tabl
e 2,
and
dr
awin
gs a
re p
rovi
ded
in F
igur
e 3.
In
setu
p A
, the
win
dow
is in
stal
led
with
10
mou
ntin
g br
acke
ts (
3 on
eac
h ja
mb,
2 o
n he
ad a
nd s
ill),
and
the
inte
rior
finis
h co
nsis
ts o
f a
woo
den
win
dow
trim
. In
tes
t se
tup
A s
even
di
ffer
ent
inst
alla
tion
met
hods
for
the
alu
min
ium
win
dow
fra
me
wer
e m
easu
red,
with
var
ying
ins
talla
tion
met
hods
for a
ply
woo
d w
indo
w tr
im p
rimar
ily u
sing
min
eral
fibr
e, S
P-PU
R a
nd c
aulk
ing.
The
SP-
PUR
use
d in
th
e di
ffer
ent i
nsta
llatio
n m
etho
ds is
a o
ne-c
ompo
nent
low
-exp
ansi
on fo
am w
ith a
hig
h el
astic
reco
very
, and
was
ap
plie
d w
ith a
foam
app
licat
or g
un s
yste
m. I
n te
st s
etup
B th
e w
indo
ws
wer
e in
stal
led
in th
e sa
me
wal
l as
setu
p A
, als
o w
ith 1
0 m
ount
ing
brac
kets
, but
the
int
erio
r fin
ish
cons
iste
d of
gyp
sum
pla
ster
, a t
echn
ique
whi
ch i
s cu
rren
tly h
ighl
y us
ed in
con
tem
pora
ry a
rchi
tect
ural
pra
ctic
e. W
hen
the
plas
ter i
s ap
plie
d on
the
reve
al ju
st o
n to
th
e w
indo
w p
rofil
e, t
he d
ryin
g of
the
pla
ster
ind
uces
a s
hrin
kage
cra
ck a
t th
e in
terf
ace
(inst
alla
tion
RP)
thi
s ap
proa
ch a
llow
s hi
gh a
ir flo
w r
ates
thr
ough
the
cra
cks.
Such
cra
cks
are
afte
rwar
ds t
ypic
ally
enl
arge
d du
e to
th
erm
al m
ovem
ent o
f the
win
dow
and
def
orm
atio
n by
mec
hani
cal l
oads
(win
d fo
rces
or o
pera
ting
forc
es).
This
ca
n be
res
olve
d by
ins
talli
ng a
vin
yl e
nd p
rofil
e fo
r th
e pl
aste
r, an
d th
en p
laci
ng a
bac
ker
rod
and
caul
king
be
twee
n th
e en
d pr
ofile
and
the
win
dow
fram
e (R
P st
op).
This
tech
niqu
e on
ly u
ses
stan
dard
tech
niqu
es fr
om th
e bu
ildin
g in
dust
ry, a
nd is
airt
ight
eno
ugh
to b
e ap
plie
d in
pas
sive
hom
es. A
noth
er s
olut
ion
is th
e us
e of
airt
ight
m
embr
anes
, equ
ippe
d w
ith a
wov
en la
yer t
hat a
llow
s pl
aste
r to
adh
ere
on th
e m
embr
ane.
The
mem
bran
e its
elf
cons
iste
d of
a p
olye
ster
foi
l, w
ith a
pre
ssur
e se
nsiti
ve a
dhes
ive
on o
ne e
nd t
hat
was
adh
ered
to
the
win
dow
fr
ame,
and
a b
utyl
laye
r on
the
othe
r end
that
was
atta
ched
to th
e in
terio
r bric
kwor
k.
No.
Se
tup
Abb
revi
atio
n D
escr
iptio
n 1
A
Empt
y+C
C
avity
bet
wee
n th
e br
ick
wal
l and
win
dow
cas
ing
and
trim
is e
mpt
y.
2 A
M
F lo
ose
+CC
avity
is p
acke
d w
ith m
ediu
m d
ensi
ty m
iner
al fi
bre
3 A
M
F de
nse
+C
Cav
ity is
pac
ked
with
hig
h de
nsity
min
eral
fibr
e 4
A
SP-P
UR
-e +
C
Cav
ity is
par
tially
fille
d w
ith S
P-PU
R (e
xter
ior s
ide)
5
A
SP-P
UR
-I +
CC
avity
is p
artia
lly fi
lled
with
SP-
PUR
(int
erio
r sid
e)
6 A
SP
-PU
R-a
ll C
avity
is e
ntire
ly fi
lled
with
SP-
PUR
, no
caul
king
bet
wee
n th
e w
indo
w fr
ame
and
the
win
dow
cas
emen
t
7 A
SP
-PU
R-a
ll
+ C
Si
mila
r to
No.
6 (S
P-PU
R-a
ll), b
ut w
ith c
aulk
ing
betw
een
win
dow
and
win
dow
tri
m
8 B
R
P A
n X
PS su
bstra
te w
as m
ount
ed to
mas
onry
bric
k w
