Design and Detailing for Airtightness

home | introduction | context | designing | implementing | testing | details

Caveat

It is important to emphasise the scope and purpose of the following drawings and specifications.

They are included solely to show practitioners the sort of alterations that can be made in order to enable buildings to be much more airtight in general.

Their purpose is not to offer approved details in any sense, but to illustrate the difference between details and specifications which do not address airtightness issues, and those that do. It is the differences between the originals and alternatives which is intended to be illustrative, not necessarily the alternatives themselves.

The original details have been taken from conventional details and specifications we believe to be broadly representative of their construction types. We hope the principles shown, and the specific references made will assist designers in making similar changes in their own work, but it goes without saying that SEDA cannot take responsibility for any work undertaken as a result of the use of these details.

Specifically, these details are not intended to show best practice in any sense, nor are they even intended to be up to date. We have striven in the preparation of these details and specifications to keep as close to the original as possible. We have done this in order to show that some quite fundamental alterations – in terms of airtightness - may be made with the minimum of visual or functional impact on the original. Where these original details and specifications do not meet current standards or aspirations, the alternatives given are likely to be similarly wanting. To re-iterate, the purpose is not to produce approved details, but to illustrate the process of improvement – in terms of airtightness only – that may be made.

Consideration of priorities in airtightness design and specification is potentially misleading since, in effect, all gaps, cracks or tears let in air and the sealing of one simply redirects infiltration to somewhere else. Like thermal insulation, what is important is the level of continuity generally, not any particular detail on its own. Nonetheless some prioritisation has been attempted in order to help Designers to prioritise their own efforts since not all measures may be necessary.

6.1 Double leaf concrete block (pdf format: 322kb)
6.2 Timber frame (pdf format: 296kb)
6.3 Steel frame with curtain walling (pdf format: 243kb)
6.4 Refurbishment of masonry building (pdf format: 348kb)
6.5 Concrete frame and panel (pdf format: 223kb)

back to top | contents | References and Acknowledgements