1994 Survey of Current Research into Air Infiltration and Related Air Quality Problems in Buildings Mark J Limb ©Copyright Oscar Faber plc 1995 All property rights, including copyright are vested In the Operating Agent (Oscar Faber Consulting Engineers) on behalf of the Intemational Energy Agency. In particular, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Operating Agent. Contents Page PREFACE Ill INTRODUCTION I 1 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS 3 1.1 Specific Objectives 5 1.2 Project Details 9 1.3 Parameters To Which Air Change and IAQ Will Be Related 18 1.4 Building Type 28 1.5 Building Occupancy 31 1.6 Component Type 33 1.7 Allocation of Staff Time 36 1.8 Concluding Remarks 36 2 SURVEY REPLIES 39 2.1 Belgium 40 2.2 Canada 42 2.3 Denmark 57 2.4 Finland 61 2.5 France 68 2.6 Germany 78 2.7 Netherlands 85 2.8 New Zealand 87 2.9 Norway 88 2.10 Sweden 89 2.11 Switzerland 95 2.12 United Kingdom 102 2.13 United States of America 132 2.14 Non-Participating Countries 146 APPENDIX A Principal Researchers' Addresses Referenced by Country and 149 Project Reference Number APPENDIX B Projects Referenced by Principal Researcher 171 APPENDIX C Survey Form 176 List of Figures Page INTRODUCTION 1Air Infiltration, Ventilation and Indoor Air 1 Quality - Trends in Research 2 Distribution and Origin of Survey Replies 2 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS 1.I.1 Classification of Specific Objectives 5 1.4.1 Classification of Building Types 28 1.5.1 Classification of Building Occupancy 31 1.6.1 Classification of Component Type 33 1.7.1 Allocation of Staff Time 36 List of Tables ANALYSIS OF RESULTS 1.1.1 Specific Objectives 6 1.2.1 Project Details 10 1.3.1 Parameters to which IAQ will be related 19 1.3.2 Parameters to which Air Change will be related 24 1.4.1 Building Type 29 1.5.1 Building Occupancy 32 1.6.1 Building Component Type 34 PREFACE International Energy Agency IX Minimum Ventilation Rates* X Building HVAC Systems Simulation* The International Energy Agency (lEA) was XI Energy Auditing* established in 1974 within the framework of the XII Windows and FenesU'ation* Organisation for Economic Co-operation and XIII Energy Management in Hospitals* Development (OECD) to implement an XIV Condensation* Intemational Energy Programme. A basic aim of the XV Energy Efficiency in Schools* lEA is to foster co-operation among the twenty-one XVI BEMS - l: Energy Management Procedures* IEA Participating Countries to increase energy XVII BEMS - 2: Evaluation and Emulation security through energy conservation, development Techniques of altemative energy sources and energy research XVIII Demand Controlled Ventilating Systems* development and demonstration (RD&D). XIX Low Slope Roof Systems XX Air Flow Patterns within Buildings* XXI Thermal Modelling* Energy Conservation in Buildings XXII Energy Efficient Communities and Community Systems XXIII Multizone Air Flow Modelling (COMIS) XXIV Heat Air and Moisture Transfer in Envelopes The IEA sponsors research and development in a XXV Real Time HEVAC Simulation number of areas related to energy. In one of these XXVI Energy Efficient Ventilation of Large areas, energy conservation in buildings, the lEA is Enclosures sponsoring various exercises to predict more XXVII Evaluation and Demonstration of Domestic accurately the energy use of buildings, including Ventilation Systems comparison of existing computer programs, building XXVIII Low Energy Cooling Systems monitoring, comparison of calculation methods, as XXIX Energy Efficiency in Educational Buildings well as air quality and studies of occupancy. XXX Bringing Simulation to Application The Executive Committee Annex V Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre Overall control of the programme is maintained by an Executive Committee, which not only monitors The Air Infiltration and Ventlation Centre was existing projects but identifies new areas where established by the Executive Committee following collaborative effort may be beneficial. unanimous agreement that more needed to be understood about the impact of air change on energy To date the following have been initiated by the use and indoor air quality. The purpose of the Executive Committee (completed projects are Centre is to promote an understanding of the identified by *): complex bahaviour of air flow in buildings and to advance the effective application of associated I Load Energy Determination of Buildings* energy saving measures in both the design of new II Ekistics and Advanced CommunityEnergy buildings and the improvement of the existing Systems* building stock. III Energy Conservation in Residential Buildings* IV Glasgow Commercial Building Monitoring* The Participants in this task are Belgium, Canada, V Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Netherlands, VI Energy Systems and Design of Communities* New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, VII Local Government Energy Planning* United Kingdom and the United States of America. VIII Inhabitant Behaviour with Regard to Ventilation* Ul iv INTRODUCTION An important objective of the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre is to disseminate information related to infiltration, ventilation, indoor air quality and energy use within buildings. The Survey of Current Research provides a platform for such an activity by supplying organisations in participating countries with regularly updated information about ongoing research in these fields. In particular, the major objectives of this survey are to encourage the international cross fertilization of research ideas and to promote co-operation between research organisations in different countries. Continuing interest in this research area has meant that, since 1980 when the fu'st survey was conducted, there has been an increase in reported research projects of nearly 400%, seen diagrammatically in Figure 1. Number of Survey Replies 3OO 250 2oo 160 100 50 19e0 1981 1983 19~6 1990 1994 Year Figure I Air Infiltration, Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality - Trends in Research In this, the latest survey, a total of 256 replies have been received from seventeen different countries. The origin and distribution of these are outlined in Figure 2. Counbies I MombQ" Counl~u i i Be~0um (BE) I f$ n la Cened4m (CA) I i Dorm~a-k (DK) it F" Finland (SF) 11 i J F~ (FR) I ~4 I F Germany (Da') 14 n F | n The N~Nlrflrw~ (NL) y J New Z,,-I.,nd (NZ) n n Nor~mmly (N) I 10 n Sweden (SE) ] I 8wlt~rland (CH] le n Un~:l I~ngdom (UK) I I 74 uSA (usA) Non Me~b~ Coun~em Auo~'#mW I I Poland I ! Tf~'mln J L I L 2O 4O 60 eO Number of Replies Figure 2 Distribution and Origin of Survey Replies Each survey form received has been coded, both in numerical order and the country of origin. For example, BE01, is reply number 1 from Belgium. A complete list of survey replies, indexed by country of origin, are given in Section Two. The survey forms have also been organised under several headings, which are the basis for the analysis in Section One, including for example, Specific Objectives, Project Details, Building and Component Type, etc. This analysis is presented in two ways. Firstly, where possible, a pie chart gives a broad overview of the number of replies received under various sub-headings for particular categories. Secondly, a more in depth examination is given by a series of tables outlining the reference of each survey entry that falls under particular sub-headings. From these tables individual research projects can be easily identified and with further reference to Section Two, can be more fully understood. The information presented in Section Two is also available in database format. Full details of how to receive this database can be obtained directly from the AIVC, at the address given on the front cover of this publication. Researchers' contact addresses are outlined in Appendix A. Principal researchers are listed in Appendix B together with their relevant research projects and an copy of the survey form is reproduced in Appendix C. The preparation of this report was only possible because of the cooperation of the researchers in forwarding details of their studies and their valuable contribution is gratefully acknowledged. SECTION ONE ANALYSIS OF RESULTS 1.1 Specific Objectives HeatVent Systems 119,0 Moisture Generation 3 :loor Air Movement 96.0 Airtightness/AirLeek 52.0 ~/liscellaneous 61.0 IAQ Energy Impact 88.0 Figure 1.1.1 Classification of Specific Objectives Specific objectives are outlined in Figure 1.1.1 and Table 1.1.1. The most popular objectives are those relating to Indoor Air Quality (128 replies) and Heating and Ventilation Systems (119 replies). Indoor Air Movement and Energy Impact studies can be identified next, with 96 and 86 replies respectively. The final two main categories are Airtightness/Air Leakage, with 52 replies and Moisture Generation with 31 replies. The remaining 61 replies can be classified as miscellaneous, of which there are 13 different sub divisions. These include Thermal Comfort, Soil Gas Studies, Model Development, CFD Evaluation and Research into Passive Cooling. Under the miscellaneous category the largest number of replies (13) related to soil gas studies. The other main area of interest was thermal comfort with 10 replies. Table 1.1.1 Specific Objectives Indoor Air Movement (98 replies) Belgium 1,4,6,8 Canada 1,2,4,6,8,I 0, I 1,24,26,27,28 Denmark 6,7,8,9,I 0,I I Finland 7 France 2,4,5,6,7,8,I 0,12,18,20,21,22