BUILDING PRESSURIZATION SURVEYS

The first-cost focus of new construction often results in buildings, HVAC systems in particular, that do not work. Seeming to catch engineers by surprise are problems associated with building pressurization. These can take the form of automatic doors in violation of codes protecting people with disabilities, as well as, infiltration, exfiltration, mold and mildew, carpet staining, insufficient VAC capacity, poor indoor-air quality, cross contamination (air moving through the building along many unusual and unintended pathways), etc.

Uncomfortable drafts and stratification interfere with temperature control and may encourage odour migration. Outward swinging doors become difficult to open, and inward-swinging doors fail to reclose, compromising security. Any amount of infiltration during the cooling season can raise the dew point within the building envelope, which increases the likelihood of microbial growth and structural deterioration. Infiltration of warm, moist air also affects occupied spaces by increasing latent loads.

Preventing extreme building pressures is much easier said than done. In EMergy, we have the required expertise and resources to identify and overcome issues related to building pressurization through detailed studies and surveys.