The tightness of the thermal envelope in contemporary office and educational buildings

This project intends to further the potential for obtaining a reduction of the energy consumption for heating and ventilation in future office and educational buildings. The project also intends to provide a basis that facilitates the elaboration of true energy labels in accordance with new energy regulations including the energy labelling scheme and to contribute to improved energy control via more accurate key figures, reference key figures as well as individual key figures. The intention is to contribute to a reduction of the energy consumption of buildings by focusing on losses caused by infiltration and transmission and increased ventilation efficiency (mechanical and natural).

Moreover, the project is a strong basis for a subsequent project focusing on specific leaks and their reduction, which will lead to improved energy efficient buildings. 

For a number of years work has been in progress to reduce the transmission loss of buildings and continuously the efficiency of ventilation and heat supply has been improved.  Less has been done to tighten them. Development appears to be in the reverse with buildings open both vertically and horizontally resulting in a higher rate of infiltration. As a result infiltration is more and more important for the overall energy consumption of buildings. Consequently, it is problematic in relation to the new energy regulations and the new energy labelling scheme that a significant part of the energy consumption cannot be determined with any particular accuracy. This project intends to facilitate an informed assessment of the tightness of the thermal envelope with a view to determine the rate of infiltration and thus the energy requirement of the building. The rate of the infiltration is determined under standardised conditions and normal use.