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Airtightness of Nepalese Residential Buildings

Chaulagain, Nischal LU ; Baral, Bivek ; Davidsson, Henrik LU and Burke, Stephen LU (2022) In Periodica Polytechnica Architecture 53(1). p.1-7
Abstract
Experimental field measurements regarding airtightness following the fan pressurisation method were done on 25 typical residential buildings at different locations in Nepal. The field measurement data were classified according to building type and building age.
The mean air permeability (Q50 ) for the studied buildings was 6.9 l/s·m2 and the mean air change rate was 55.5 air changes per hour at 50 Pa. The maximum air leakage rate (Q50 ) was 28.4 l/s·m2 for brick masonry in mud mortar type and the minimum recorded was 1.7 l/s·m2 for brick masonry in cement mortar type building. Brick masonry in mud mortar-type buildings was found to be leakier regardless of the building age, and... (More)
Experimental field measurements regarding airtightness following the fan pressurisation method were done on 25 typical residential buildings at different locations in Nepal. The field measurement data were classified according to building type and building age.
The mean air permeability (Q50 ) for the studied buildings was 6.9 l/s·m2 and the mean air change rate was 55.5 air changes per hour at 50 Pa. The maximum air leakage rate (Q50 ) was 28.4 l/s·m2 for brick masonry in mud mortar type and the minimum recorded was 1.7 l/s·m2 for brick masonry in cement mortar type building. Brick masonry in mud mortar-type buildings was found to be leakier regardless of the building age, and brick masonry in cement mortar-type buildings was comparatively more airtight. Leakage locations identified through visual inspection included the spacing between the door frame and operable door area, horizontal window slider, joint areas of window frame and wall, wood plank-based wall structure, roof joint areas and holes in the wall. This research is the first of its kind in Nepal to assess the airtightness of buildings, and the outcome of this research is one of the key parameters to evaluate the thermal performance of Nepalese buildings scientifically. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
infiltration, Nepal, residential buildings, blower door test, building airtightness
in
Periodica Polytechnica Architecture
volume
53
issue
1
pages
7 pages
ISSN
1789-3437
DOI
10.3311/PPar.18648
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bc789c41-9bdc-441d-a443-8b1d617238fd
date added to LUP
2022-02-11 11:29:57
date last changed
2022-10-31 10:16:14
@article{bc789c41-9bdc-441d-a443-8b1d617238fd,
  abstract     = {{Experimental field measurements regarding airtightness following the fan pressurisation method were done on 25 typical residential buildings at different locations in Nepal. The field measurement data were classified according to building type and building age.<br/>The mean air permeability (Q<sub>50</sub> ) for the studied buildings was 6.9 l/s·m<sup>2</sup> and the mean air change rate was 55.5 air changes per hour at 50 Pa. The maximum air leakage rate (Q<sub>50 </sub>) was 28.4 l/s·m<sup>2</sup> for brick masonry in mud mortar type and the minimum recorded was 1.7 l/s·m<sup>2</sup> for brick masonry in cement mortar type building. Brick masonry in mud mortar-type buildings was found to be leakier regardless of the building age, and brick masonry in cement mortar-type buildings was comparatively more airtight. Leakage locations identified through visual inspection included the spacing between the door frame and operable door area, horizontal window slider, joint areas of window frame and wall, wood plank-based wall structure, roof joint areas and holes in the wall. This research is the first of its kind in Nepal to assess the airtightness of buildings, and the outcome of this research is one of the key parameters to evaluate the thermal performance of Nepalese buildings scientifically.}},
  author       = {{Chaulagain, Nischal and Baral, Bivek and Davidsson, Henrik and Burke, Stephen}},
  issn         = {{1789-3437}},
  keywords     = {{infiltration; Nepal; residential buildings; blower door test; building airtightness}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{1--7}},
  series       = {{Periodica Polytechnica Architecture}},
  title        = {{Airtightness of Nepalese Residential Buildings}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3311/PPar.18648}},
  doi          = {{10.3311/PPar.18648}},
  volume       = {{53}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}