Measuring Airtightness of High-Rise Buildings (Lessons Learned)
Measuring the airtightness of high-rise buildings presents significant challenges due to the effects of wind and thermal lift (stack effect). Small indoor/outdoor temperature differences, combined with the building’s height, can create substantial natural pressure differences on the building envelop...
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
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| author | Stefanie Rolfsmeier Emanuel Mairinger Johannes Neubig Thomas Gayer |
| author_facet | Stefanie Rolfsmeier Emanuel Mairinger Johannes Neubig Thomas Gayer |
| author_sort | Stefanie Rolfsmeier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Measuring the airtightness of high-rise buildings presents significant challenges due to the effects of wind and thermal lift (stack effect). Small indoor/outdoor temperature differences, combined with the building’s height, can create substantial natural pressure differences on the building envelope, while winds induce pressure fluctuations. The international standard ISO 9972 provides insufficient guidelines for dealing with these high and fluctuating natural pressure differences. In addition, it is crucial to achieve a uniform internal pressure distribution during the test. This paper discusses the airtightness testing of high-rise buildings up to 125 m tall using portable blower door devices, following the “airtightness measurement of high-rise buildings” Passive House guideline. Differential pressure sensors were placed on the ground and top floors to record the effects of wind and thermal lift, and additional sensors helped to achieve a uniform pressure distribution within the building. The readings from the ground and top floors ensured full depressurization and pressurization during testing. The setup of the measuring fans, mainly on the ground floor, was supplemented with additional fans on higher floors to maintain pressure uniformity within a 10% tolerance. To be able to conduct a multi-point regression test, it is recommended to limit the product of the indoor/outdoor temperature difference and building height to ≤1250 mK and to achieve a coefficient of determination of 0.98 or higher, a wind speed ≤ 3 Beaufort. The study concludes that an airtight building envelope and larger internal flow paths, such as stairwells and elevator shafts, simplify the measurement. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a1b9e7b240cd4ce2bc0d93f50ab821fd |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj-art-a1b9e7b240cd4ce2bc0d93f50ab821fd2025-08-20T02:53:22ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-02-0115572410.3390/buildings15050724Measuring Airtightness of High-Rise Buildings (Lessons Learned)Stefanie Rolfsmeier0Emanuel Mairinger1Johannes Neubig2Thomas Gayer3BlowerDoor GmbH, Zum Energie- und Umweltzentrum 1, D-31832 Springe, GermanyDr. Ronald Mischek, ZT GmbH, Donau-City-Straße 1, A-1220 Wien, AustriaStadt Wien, Magistratsabteilung 39, Rinnböckstraße 15/2, A-1110 Wien, AustriaStadt Wien, Magistratsabteilung 39, Rinnböckstraße 15/2, A-1110 Wien, AustriaMeasuring the airtightness of high-rise buildings presents significant challenges due to the effects of wind and thermal lift (stack effect). Small indoor/outdoor temperature differences, combined with the building’s height, can create substantial natural pressure differences on the building envelope, while winds induce pressure fluctuations. The international standard ISO 9972 provides insufficient guidelines for dealing with these high and fluctuating natural pressure differences. In addition, it is crucial to achieve a uniform internal pressure distribution during the test. This paper discusses the airtightness testing of high-rise buildings up to 125 m tall using portable blower door devices, following the “airtightness measurement of high-rise buildings” Passive House guideline. Differential pressure sensors were placed on the ground and top floors to record the effects of wind and thermal lift, and additional sensors helped to achieve a uniform pressure distribution within the building. The readings from the ground and top floors ensured full depressurization and pressurization during testing. The setup of the measuring fans, mainly on the ground floor, was supplemented with additional fans on higher floors to maintain pressure uniformity within a 10% tolerance. To be able to conduct a multi-point regression test, it is recommended to limit the product of the indoor/outdoor temperature difference and building height to ≤1250 mK and to achieve a coefficient of determination of 0.98 or higher, a wind speed ≤ 3 Beaufort. The study concludes that an airtight building envelope and larger internal flow paths, such as stairwells and elevator shafts, simplify the measurement.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/5/724airtightness testhigh-rise buildingtall buildingpressure distribution within buildingair permeabilityair flow paths |
| spellingShingle | Stefanie Rolfsmeier Emanuel Mairinger Johannes Neubig Thomas Gayer Measuring Airtightness of High-Rise Buildings (Lessons Learned) Buildings airtightness test high-rise building tall building pressure distribution within building air permeability air flow paths |
| title | Measuring Airtightness of High-Rise Buildings (Lessons Learned) |
| title_full | Measuring Airtightness of High-Rise Buildings (Lessons Learned) |
| title_fullStr | Measuring Airtightness of High-Rise Buildings (Lessons Learned) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring Airtightness of High-Rise Buildings (Lessons Learned) |
| title_short | Measuring Airtightness of High-Rise Buildings (Lessons Learned) |
| title_sort | measuring airtightness of high rise buildings lessons learned |
| topic | airtightness test high-rise building tall building pressure distribution within building air permeability air flow paths |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/5/724 |
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