Simple Tool to Evaluate Airtightness in Chilean Homes

Alex González Cáceres, Carolina Recart, Rodrigo Espinoza and Ariel Bobadilla
Additional contact information
Alex González Cáceres: Department of Civil Engineering and Energy Technology, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Postboks 4 St. Olav plass, 0130 Oslo, Norway
Carolina Recart: Research Center of Construction Technologies CITEC, Bío-Bío University, Av. Casilla 5C, Collao 1202, Concepción, Chile
Rodrigo Espinoza: Research Center of Construction Technologies CITEC, Bío-Bío University, Av. Casilla 5C, Collao 1202, Concepción, Chile
Ariel Bobadilla: Research Center of Construction Technologies CITEC, Bío-Bío University, Av. Casilla 5C, Collao 1202, Concepción, Chile

Sustainability, 2016, vol. 8, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Given the high impact that air leaks have on buildings’ energy expenses, most developed countries have set out norms which regulate their presence in homes. Chile will soon begin this process; however, the airtightness revision strategy in envelopes has not been resolved as of yet. This article presents a tool to Assess Airtightness in Design, EHeD. The software will allow predicting the performance of homes under the regulations which will be set out, aiding designers, builders or owners to make decisions when making changes to improve airtightness. EHeD has been validated through pressurization tests in diverse homes across the country, with results that are in line with expectations, thus validating its calculation model. The methodology considers three stages: determining the main factors that have an impact on the airtightness in Chilean homes, preparing an airtightness database for each component (wall, windows and doors) and preparing a calculation model that is integrated in an IT interface.

Keywords: infiltration; blower door; database; airtightness; software; dwelling; energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/10/1000/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/8/10/1000/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:10:p:1000-:d:80028

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().