Guidelines for predicting airtightness in residential buildings under climatic pressure conditions

This paper presents a generalized approach for predicting building airtightness based on pressure difference measurements, along with practical guidelines for applying this method. Studies have proposed a validated method for predicting the airtightness of high-rise residential buildings in winter using the pressure difference caused by the stack effect. However, practical guidelines for its implementation are lacking. To generalize the airtightness prediction method, a 95% confidence interval for the results was calculated using data from the blower door tests. Based on the calculated results, the applicable pressure difference was determined. For each building analyzed, the minimum differential pressure within a 95% confidence interval was at least 20 Pa. Furthermore, to provide guidelines for applying the proposed airtightness prediction method, acceptable conditions characterized by ΔH × ΔT ≥ 750 m∙°C were calculated. The acceptable condition, demonstrated the highest level of agreement between predicted and measured values across all buildings evaluated. This study outlines practical guidelines for using the proposed methodology under these conditions. The approach offers a significant advantage by relying solely on measuring pressure difference, thereby eliminating the need for a complex and often challenging blower door test typically used in real-world scenarios. By applying this method to predict buidling airtightness, the accuracy of predictions for energy use intensity and indoor air quality can be significantly improved.