Design and Detailing for Airtightness

Design and Detailing for Airtightness

Welcome

Welcome to the website for the UK's first guide on Design and Detailing for Airtightness, the second of three web mounted design guides commissioned by SEDA - the Scottish Ecological Design Association - and funded by a Sustainable Action Grant from the Scottish Executive.

The guide is divided into six chapters; Chapters One to Five examine the context and principles of designing for airtightness. Chapter six consists of five typical construction details together with alternatives which optimise the potential for each detail to exploit airtighness techniques, along with explanations and costs. These five are available as separate pdf downloads in addition to a pdf download for the entire document.

The research presented on this site was prepared by Locate Architects.

Also in this series of guides:
Design Guide 1: Design and Detailing for Deconstruction
Design Guide 3: Design and Detailing for Toxic Chemical Reduction in Buildings

Contents

1.0 Introduction
1.1 Aims of this Guide
1.2 Target audience
1.3 How to use this guide

2.0 The Context
2.1 Infiltration, Ventilation and Airtightness
2.2 Why Build Airtight
2.3 Legislation
2.4 Measurement
2.5 Targets

3.0 Designing Airtight Buildings
3.1 Performance Specification
3.2 Layers and Zone
3.3 Design
3.4 Detailed Specification

4.0 Implementing Airtight Buildings
4.1 Plan of Work
4.2 Roles and Responsibilities
4.3 Inspection
4.4 Testing and Audit Schedule
4.5 Remedial Airtightness Works

5.0 Testing Airtightness
5.1 Climatic conditions
5.2 The test itself
5.3 Air Leakage Audits
5.4 Component Testing

6.0 The Details
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)