Diagnostics and Problems Analysis of Buildings Air Tightness

Abstract

Constantly increasing prices of energy and rising heating costs are forcing inhabitants of multifamily apartment houses and individual houses to think about savings of heating costs and improvement of living conditions as well. Air tightness is one of the most important factors influencing comfortable, energy efficient living environment. During winter time, air movement forms because of the pressure difference between outside and inside air. Air moves from the higher to the lower pressure zone, i. e. cold outside air penetrates to the room through the lower parts of the walls, and finally when it warms up, it goes out of the premises through the upper parts of the construction. The higher of uncontrolled air circulation is present in the premises, i.e. the more of cold air penetrates into the room, the higher energy consumption is required for heating. These energy losses can be reduced by increasing air tightness of the buildings. The aim of this research is to investigate the most common places of the buildings' leakage and the causes of it.

Energy Performance, Indoor Air Quality and Comfort in New Nearly Zero Energy Day-care Centres in Northern Climatic Conditions

“…Levinskyte et al, (2016) showed that when effective solutions for linear thermal bridges are used, the same energy efficiency of the building can be reached using less thermal insulating layers and windows and doors of a lower thermal behaviour, if a building with better energy characteristics is designed. The existing situation of airtightness of the building envelope is often not sufficient (Banionis et al, 2013). Better information about effective energy performance measures helps design and construct buildings with a smaller performance gap.…”