Parametric Study of Air Infiltration in Residential Buildings—The Effect of Local Conditions on Energy Demand

Airtightness is nowadays one of the physical parameters which determine overall building energy performance. In a wide range of states, the upper limit for air change rate at <i>a</i> Pa (<i>n<sub>a</sub></i>), air permeability rate at <i>a</i> Pa (<...

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Main Authors: Artur Miszczuk, Dariusz Heim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-12-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/1/127
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author Artur Miszczuk
Dariusz Heim
author_facet Artur Miszczuk
Dariusz Heim
author_sort Artur Miszczuk
collection DOAJ
description Airtightness is nowadays one of the physical parameters which determine overall building energy performance. In a wide range of states, the upper limit for air change rate at <i>a</i> Pa (<i>n<sub>a</sub></i>), air permeability rate at <i>a</i> Pa (<i>q<sub>a</sub></i>), or specific leakage rate at <i>a</i> Pa (<i>w<sub>a</sub></i>) is determined by the formal regulations. It should be highlighted that airtightness requirements are mainly the same around the world, disregarding any site and climatic conditions. The main goal of the presented work was to reveal the effect of individual location and surrounding infiltration rate and heat demand. The analyses were done using numerical techniques and computational models of the three buildings developed and calibrated based on the blower door test results. The compared buildings characterize by a similar geometry but differ in the air change rate at 50 Pa (<i>n</i><sub>50</sub>). Analyses done for different locations and levels of sheltering by surrounding elements allow the determination of the real effect of local conditions. The obtained differences in energy demand between two locations from the same climatic zone were from 70% to 90%, depending on the airtightness of the buildings. Considering different sheltered conditions, the differences for the same location can be even 200%. The obtained results allowed for the formulation of the general conclusion that building location and level of exposure could be considered in future airtightness regulations.
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spelling doaj.art-b096669bddde4de8b4dbc45c8dbeb5492023-11-21T02:54:44ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732020-12-0114112710.3390/en14010127Parametric Study of Air Infiltration in Residential Buildings—The Effect of Local Conditions on Energy DemandArtur Miszczuk0Dariusz Heim1Institute of Building Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, al. Armii Ludowej 16, 00-637 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, ul. Wolczanska 213, 90-924 Lodz, PolandAirtightness is nowadays one of the physical parameters which determine overall building energy performance. In a wide range of states, the upper limit for air change rate at <i>a</i> Pa (<i>n<sub>a</sub></i>), air permeability rate at <i>a</i> Pa (<i>q<sub>a</sub></i>), or specific leakage rate at <i>a</i> Pa (<i>w<sub>a</sub></i>) is determined by the formal regulations. It should be highlighted that airtightness requirements are mainly the same around the world, disregarding any site and climatic conditions. The main goal of the presented work was to reveal the effect of individual location and surrounding infiltration rate and heat demand. The analyses were done using numerical techniques and computational models of the three buildings developed and calibrated based on the blower door test results. The compared buildings characterize by a similar geometry but differ in the air change rate at 50 Pa (<i>n</i><sub>50</sub>). Analyses done for different locations and levels of sheltering by surrounding elements allow the determination of the real effect of local conditions. The obtained differences in energy demand between two locations from the same climatic zone were from 70% to 90%, depending on the airtightness of the buildings. Considering different sheltered conditions, the differences for the same location can be even 200%. The obtained results allowed for the formulation of the general conclusion that building location and level of exposure could be considered in future airtightness regulations.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/1/127airtightnessclimate databuilding exposureairflow networkperformance simulation
spellingShingle Artur Miszczuk
Dariusz Heim
Parametric Study of Air Infiltration in Residential Buildings—The Effect of Local Conditions on Energy Demand
Energies
airtightness
climate data
building exposure
airflow network
performance simulation
title Parametric Study of Air Infiltration in Residential Buildings—The Effect of Local Conditions on Energy Demand
title_full Parametric Study of Air Infiltration in Residential Buildings—The Effect of Local Conditions on Energy Demand
title_fullStr Parametric Study of Air Infiltration in Residential Buildings—The Effect of Local Conditions on Energy Demand
title_full_unstemmed Parametric Study of Air Infiltration in Residential Buildings—The Effect of Local Conditions on Energy Demand
title_short Parametric Study of Air Infiltration in Residential Buildings—The Effect of Local Conditions on Energy Demand
title_sort parametric study of air infiltration in residential buildings the effect of local conditions on energy demand
topic airtightness
climate data
building exposure
airflow network
performance simulation
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/1/127
work_keys_str_mv AT arturmiszczuk parametricstudyofairinfiltrationinresidentialbuildingstheeffectoflocalconditionsonenergydemand
AT dariuszheim parametricstudyofairinfiltrationinresidentialbuildingstheeffectoflocalconditionsonenergydemand