Building envelope leakage measurement using the air-handler fan pressurization approach

Abstract

This research is a case study performing the air-handler fan pressurization test in a real building. The test has been performed following an existing test method (i.e. CGSB-149.15-96). The test building is a 5-story office with a square (32.4m x 32.4m) footprint built in 2001 at Daejeon, South Korea. The gross area of the building is 6, 165m and the curtain wall structure is used as the building envelope. Atrium is located at the center of the building form 1 st floor to 5 th floor, and offices are placed around the atrium in each floor. The test building has four air-handling units, but the unit located at the basement was out of order. Consequently, the 3 air-handling units installed at the 1 st floor and the 5 th floor were used to pressurize the building. To measure the whole building envelope air leakage, the SA airflow rates in each air handler, operated at the 100% outdoor air mode with closed return and exhaust air dampers, were monitored together with the building pressure. Five differential pressure gauges were installed to figure out the mean differential pressure between inside and outside of the building. This paper provides some practical information acquired in the field measurement of envelope leakage using the established air-handler fan pressurization test method.