As we head towards the UK’s 2050 zero carbon commitments, we have seen a significant increase in the number of individuals, developers and housing associations that want to build to very energy efficient or Passivhaus standards.
Of course creating a well-insulated building envelope with efficient systems are just part of the picture – there is little point in going to all of that work and cost if you then leave gaps or holes that will allow cold air to infiltrate and increase your heating demand! That’s where Air Tightness testing comes in and we are delighted to be a leading expert in Air Testing buildings that are designed to be incredibly airtight.
In the past 6 months we have Air Tested over 70 Passivhaus dwellings, achieving results as low as 0.37 Air Changes Per Hour.
Achieving these incredible levels of airtightness requires testing throughout the build and we are experienced in helping deliver this at all 3 recognised key stages: –
- The first test to be completed as soon as the air barrier is complete, but before any services and/or appliances have been fitted. This allows the robustness of the air barrier to be assessed and any air leakage paths to be easily identified and remedied.
- The second test to be completed after services have been installed, but before fixtures and fittings (baths, shower trays, kitchen units etc.). It is crucial to achieve an airtight seal around all services penetrations before they are hidden from view by follow on trades, and a test at this stage will ensure this has been achieved.
- The third air pressure test to be carried out at practical completion. By checking the performance of the building through prior testing and remediation the result of this test should be confirmation of a well-sealed project. The final test result is the test result recorded for Passivhaus certification and Part L1a purposes.
“Air Testing Passivhaus developments is a real specialism and it’s important you chose an experienced partner to help you achieve the best results possible. We are proud members of the Pasivhaus Trust who give us the opportunity to influence policy-makers, developers, clients and other key players, network with leading Passivhaus experts, practitioners and academics, access the latest technical information and experience relating to Passivhaus in the UK“
If would like more information about our air tightness testing services, please contact Paul Short who will be happy to help.
