The current development in building energy efficiency towards nZEB buildings represents a number of new challenges to design and construction. One of these major challenges is the increased need for cooling in these highly insulated and airtight buildings, which is not only present in the summer period but also in the shoulder seasons and in offices even in midwinter. Resilient ventilative cooling can be an energy efficient solution to address this cooling challenge in buildings.
Mandatory or voluntary building airtightness testing has come gradually into force in many European countries mostly because of the increasing weight of building leakage energy impact on the overall energy performance of low-energy buildings. Therefore, airtightness levels of new buildings have significantly improved in the last decade, but a lot of questions remain regarding the durability of airtightness products.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 10/24/2024 - 16:38
Personal Environmental Control System (PECS) with the functions of heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and acoustic has advantages of controlling the localized environment at occupant’s workstation by their preference instead of conditioning an entire room. This improves personal comfort, health and energy efficiency of the entire heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system substantially. Personalized ventilation will also provide improved protection against cross contaminations, which are critical in open plan offices and workplaces with close distance.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Fri, 05/24/2024 - 12:00
In recent years ventilation system design has seen a shift from design methods based on prescribed flow rates and standard lay outs, towards performance-based approaches which offer opportunities for smart ventilation concepts by considering what ventilation should achieve in terms of indoor air quality and energy efficiency.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 01/18/2024 - 13:57
There have worldwide been many activities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic to develop guidelines, standards, or new regulations to decrease the risk of cross contamination in the indoor environment. Especially after it had been documented that ventilation plays a significant role in decreasing spreading, several organizations working with ventilation and the indoor environment have been active in leading research and distributing information. The present webinar includes presentations of new guidelines, standards, or regulations from North America, Europe and Asia.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Tue, 12/19/2023 - 09:12
Building airtightness tests are now required or promoted in more and more countries, in particular for residential buildings. However, airtightness tests in high-rise buildings remain particularly challenging and uncommon. In addition to the difficulties of pressurizing any large-volume building and the wind issue that can be more pronounced at height, the stack effect can be particularly problematic.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Wed, 11/08/2023 - 09:19
A smart ventilation system is able to continually adjust itself to provide the desired IAQ while minimizing energy use, utility bills, thermal discomfort and noise. A smart ventilation system is also responsive to e.g., occupancy, outdoor conditions, and can provide information about e.g., IAQ, energy use and the need for maintenance or repair.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 05/11/2023 - 15:30
A pressurization test with a blower door fan is the most widely accepted and used method to evaluate the airtightness of a building, but it presents some drawbacks. Alternative methodologies have been, or are being, developed and three of them were presented in this webinar:
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Tue, 04/25/2023 - 11:05
Significant discrepancies have been observed among European countries, regarding the building and ductwork airtightness trends, attributed to differences between national policies, building practices and climate conditions. In Spain and Latvia, minimum requirements for building airtightness are included in national regulations and Energy Performance calculations, but without a mandatory justification by testing and therefore few new buildings are controlled.
Submitted by Maria.Kapsalaki on Thu, 04/20/2023 - 11:16
Significant discrepancies have been observed among European countries, regarding the building and ductwork airtightness trends, attributed to differences between national policies, building practices and climate conditions. Minimum requirements for building airtightness are sometimes included in national Energy Performance regulations with a mandatory justification required by testing or applying a certified approach like in France, or with high default values making airtightness testing implicitly mandatory like in Belgium.
