Sam Myers, Retrotec Nathan Culley, TBE, CxA, Penn Air Control, Inc.
Abstract
An airtight building envelope is one of the most important contributors to an efficient, comfortable, durable and healthy building. In addition to energy and indoor air quality benefits, water and moisture control is another one of the main reasons building codes and regulations have focused heavily on improving the quality of building enclosures. Calibrated fans and high-resolution manometers are used to measure air and water leakage through building enclosures via whole building tests, fenestration and facade tests, and mock-up tests. This is to ensure the building enclosure will last, energy consumption will be low, and an optimum level of indoor air quality will be provided to occupants. This presentation will cover the tools needed to perform these types of tests and show how these tests are conducted. Some examples from the field will also be presented to show exactly how the equipment is set up in a real-world scenario. We will also cover other aspects of whole building testing such as site preparation and planning.
Learning Objectives:
Gain an understanding of why it matters to have a properly designed and installed building envelope.
Learn about the processes needed to successfully conduct an air tightness test.
Learn about the tools needed to conduct whole-building air tightness tests.
See how problem areas can be located throughout the building envelope with blower doors and other tools.
Sponsored by:
Retrotec is the world’s leading manufacturer of blower doors, duct testers, gauges, and air leakage testing online training and software. Our equipment is trusted around the world by demanding professionals to conduct residential energy audits, large building air leakage measurements, duct leakage tests, and clean agent integrity tests. The company is continuing to push the industry forward with new innovations, with recent examples including rCloud testing software, the SmartCloth™ Wind Dampening Blower Door Cloth, and the FlowBox exhaust fan flow meter. Retrotec is proud to offer educational resources to increase industry knowledge, including online certification programs, training, and free monthly webinars. Learn more:www.retrotec.com/
Sam Myers is a marketing and training consultant for Retrotec where he manages trade shows, conducts field studies, and serves as the company’s in-house building science expert. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the industry’s conferences and tradeshows have been moved to online platforms. To keep providing the industry with quality building science educational material, Sam built a virtual training center at his home where he has taught and trained contractors and consultants all over the world from one location.
Sam has also spent several years as a building scientist with Advanced Energy — one of the most respected efficiency consultancies in North America — where he managed field operations for building performance programs and served housing developers that included Habitat for Humanity. He holds a Master’s of Science degree in Sustainability from East Carolina University, is a certified HERS rater, and is a licensed real estate broker. Sam lives in Wilmington, North Carolina.
