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Energy Efficiency in Housing and Small Buildings Blower Door Test

Energy Efficiency in Housing and Small Buildings Blower Door Test. May 17 th 2011. Proposed Airtightness Requirements. Prescriptive Path 10 specific construction details Different approaches (poly, ADA, exterior sheathing) ULC S741 Air Barrier Material

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Energy Efficiency in Housing and Small Buildings Blower Door Test

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  1. Energy Efficiency in Housing and Small BuildingsBlower Door Test May 17th 2011

  2. Proposed Airtightness Requirements • Prescriptive Path • 10 specific construction details • Different approaches (poly, ADA, exterior sheathing) • ULC S741 Air Barrier Material • Address typical penetration and junctions • Testing for Assemblies • ULC S742 Air Barrier Assemblies • Address junction details (mfg’s instructions) • Blower Door Test • Required Performance 2.5 ACH • Permit both methods: “as operated” and “all vents sealed”

  3. Proposed Airtightness Requirements • Performance Path • Reference House – Proposed House • assumed as 2.5 ACH - assumed 3.2 ACH (current practice) - assumed 2.5 ACH (prescriptive path) - as measured (blower door)

  4. Executive Committee: • Performance path is a natural fit for blower door test • Multiple options for compliance – generally acceptable • Appendix Note to explain proper timing of the test • in the case of an interior air barrier, before dry-wall is taped and mudded • exterior air barrier less critical because blower door test depressurizes the house (sucking inwards) • Prescriptive Path • concerns over enforcement issues • qualification of testers • how the test fits into the permit protocol

  5. Optional blower door test • Implications of offering a blower door test as an option • in the Prescriptive Path • allows an alternate means of compliance to construction details • would allow a second “tighter” compliance package based on 1.5 ACH • expected to be used only by energy efficiency experienced builders • in the performance path • allows to gain credit for building houses with better airtightness • Implications of not offering a blower door test as an option • in the Prescriptive Path • None – if the proposed assumed airtightness remains at 2.5 ACH • Loosing the possibility of offering a 1.5 ACH envelope compliance path • in the performance Path • No credit for more energy efficient construction • Less credit for heat recovery ventilation

  6. Qualification of Testers • NRCan Energy Advisors (EA) • Over 1800 NRCan Energy Advisors • 1587 active energy advisors certified for existing housing • 227 active energy advisors certified for new housing • All Advisors are qualified to do the "as operated" blower door test. • New housing EAsare also qualified to perform the CGSB blower door test (“all vents sealed”). • NRCan maintains databases on EAs and Service Organizations • Many Building Science Engineers are also performing blower door tests

  7. NRCan Energy Advisors (EA) • Service Organizations licensed by NRCan • train EAs (incl. specific blower door training) • train EA Instructors • certify and decertify EA’s • issue EA’s ID Card • name of EA • name & telephone contact of Service Organization • assure quality of Energuide process and administration

  8. Timing of the Test • Blower Door Test can be performed during construction • Some sort of test report needs to be produced before compliance can be determined • Similar to spray-foam installation or site-built windows • Report will not be issued before compliance criteria have been met (2.5 ACH) • Most applications allow post-drywall / pre-mudding test • What the JTG is hearing … • Some jurisdictions are already allowing an ERS rating as compliance route, which would incorporate a blower door test • Some jurisdictions are considering to make the blower door test mandatory

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