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This report examines five independent field-investigation surveys conducted across Canada for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The intent of the investigations was to determine air exfiltration rates through the building envelope, inter-suite and inter-floor air leakage rates, and indoor air quality in a representative number of residential high-rise apartment buildings. Air exfiltration, inter-suite, and inter-floor air leakage rates were determined by conducting suite, floor and whole building fan depressurization tests. Indoor air quality was established by means of a survey of the tenants of the buildings, and by testing and monitoring for specific pollutants.
The major findings are as follows:
Air leakage rates for the high-rise residential buildings investigated in the five regions are in excess of NRC's proposed air leakage guidelines of 0.05 to 0.15 l/sec.m2 at 75 Pa.
The overall air leakage rates per unit of exterior wall found during suite fan depressurization testing was in the range of 2.10 to 3.15 l/sec.m2, at a pressure differential of 50 Pa across the exterior wall. When testing was conducted such that leakage through the corridor wall could not be isolated from leakage through the exterior wall, the range of air leakage rates increased to 4.56 to 8.33 L/sec.m2.
The overall air leakage rates per unit of exterior wall found during floor fan depressurization testing was in the range of 0.68 to 10.9 L/sec.m2, at a pressure differential of 50 Pa across the exterior wall.
Indoor air quality measurements for pollutants were generally less than the recommended maximum guidelines set by Health and Welfare Canada. | 