air sealing and ventilation improvements for multifamily buildings
TRANSCRIPT
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Air sealing and ventilation
improvements for multifamily
buildings
February 2, 2012
Jim Fitzgerald Dave Bohac
Center for Energy and Environment
Better Buildings: Better Business Conference
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Better air quality through sealing leaks between units and ventilation improvements
What causes problems?
Air leakage & air flow rate measurements
• 6 building CEE study
Air sealing and ventilation case studies
Maybe save energy too
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What causes problems?
Sometimes people smoke (and cook and ??)
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Convert to smoke-free building
Association of Nonsmokers - Minnesota
http://www.mnsmokefreehousing.org/
500+ smoke-free apartment buildings listed in Minnesota
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Owners – cooking odors are worst problem
W hat type of odor or contam inant is the m ost com m on source of
objectionable air in buildings you m anage?
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
cooking odors
tobacco odors
other
none
don't know
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How big are air flows between units?
Pacific Northwest:
• Building average – 13 to 26% air from other units
• Individual units – as high as 35%
NJ mid-rise: 4th floor – 22% from other units
West Coast: 4% air from adjoining units
Francisco & Palmiter (1994)
Harrje et al (1988)
Feustal & Diamond (1988)
Multi-zone Tracer Gas Studies
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How big are air leaks between units?
Minnesota: Modera et al. (1986)
• 52% air leaks between units
• 1900’s low-rise masonry
Chicago: Diamond et al. (1986)
• Similar results to Minnesota
• 1900’s low-rise
Sweden: Levin (1988)
• 12 to 36% air leaks between units
• 3 Swedish apartment buildings
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What are the driving forces to
move air into and though
buildings?
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What are the driving forces?
Winter
Stack Effect
Taller Building => Bigger Effect
In at the bottom and out the top
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What are the driving forces?
Wind Effect
In on windward side and out on leeward side
Taller Building => Bigger Effect
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Mechanical ventilation is required by code:
bathrooms, corridors & some kitchens
Exhaust ventilation => draws air into an apartment
Flow imbalances can also cause air to move from
one apartment to another
What are the driving forces?
Mechanical System Effect
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Does it help for a smoker in a lower floor unit to open a window?
Not upstairs neighbor
Pressure in smoker’s unit
will be about the same as
outside, which increases
pressure to upstairs and
increases flow from
smoker’s unit to upstairs
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In at the bottom and out the top
Anyway it can!
Gaps in walls, floors, mechanical chases
Some are accessible and others too diffuse or
inaccessible for sealing
How does the air travel between units?
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Gaps around sink plumbing
Most openings are small and diffuse
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Baseboards and sprinkler heads
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Chemical smoke moves out of baseboard leak
Clear acrylic caulk required plus moving bookcases, etc
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Gaps along baseboard under carpet
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Gaps behind baseboard heaters
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Gaps around bath fan
Bathroom exhaust fans
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Leaky (2.5 si)
Tight (0.1 si)
Recessed Light Fixtures
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Hidden high rise chases = large uncontrolled flows
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Can practical air sealing and
ventilation treatments reduce
secondhand smoke (SHS) transfer?
6 dissimilar buildings common to local multifamily
building types
This research project was funded in part by ClearWay Minnesota, … funded by proceeds from the Minnesota tobacco settlement. These findings are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of ClearWay Minnesota.
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General approach to reduce odor transport between apartments and improve air quality
Ventilate the source • Capture source before transported
Reduce transport between apartments • Seal building leaks
• Reduce driving force - pressure difference
Ventilate receiver’s apartment
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General approach to reduce odor transport between apartments and improve air quality
Ventilate
Seal
Ventilate
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Duplex 8-Plex
12-Plex
1930s
1970
1964
Minnesota SHS transfer study
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New 4 story
138 unit
11 story
1982
2001
1999
Minnesota SHS transfer study
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Quantify – Building tests
+ Before and after fan pressurization tests
+ Total “effective leakage area” of apartment
+ Fraction of leakage area to outside and to other
units
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Guarded Zone Multiple Fan Air Leakage Test
Up to 6 tests per unit
Test 1 Test 2
U nit A U nit B U nit C U nit A U nit B U nit C
Q B 1 Q A 2 Q B 2
C om m on A rea C om m on A rea
Q50
B to tal = Q B1 Q50
B to A = Q B1 - Q B2
Test 3 Test 4
U nit A U nit B U nit C U nit A U nit B U nit C
Q B 3 Q C 3 Q B 4
Q C om m 4
C om m on A rea C om m on A rea
Q50
B to C = Q B1 - Q B3 Q50
B exterio r = Q B4
Fan Fan Fan
Fan Fan Fan
Fan
Test 1 Test 2
U nit A U nit B U nit C U nit A U nit B U nit C
Q B 1 Q A 2 Q B 2
C om m on A rea C om m on A rea
Q50
B to tal = Q B1 Q50
B to A = Q B1 - Q B2
Test 3 Test 4
U nit A U nit B U nit C U nit A U nit B U nit C
Q B 3 Q C 3 Q B 4
Q C om m 4
C om m on A rea C om m on A rea
Q50
B to C = Q B1 - Q B3 Q50
B exterio r = Q B4
Fan Fan Fan
Fan Fan Fan
Fan
Test 1 Test 2
U nit A U nit B U nit C U nit A U nit B U nit C
Q B 1 Q A 2 Q B 2
C om m on A rea C om m on A rea
Q50
B to tal = Q B1 Q50
B to A = Q B1 - Q B2
Test 3 Test 4
U nit A U nit B U nit C U nit A U nit B U nit C
Q B 3 Q C 3 Q B 4
Q C om m 4
C om m on A rea C om m on A rea
Q50
B to C = Q B1 - Q B3 Q50
B exterio r = Q B4
Fan Fan Fan
Fan Fan Fan
Fan
Test 1 Test 2
U nit A U nit B U nit C U nit A U nit B U nit C
Q B 1 Q A 2 Q B 2
C om m on A rea C om m on A rea
Q50
B to tal = Q B1 Q50
B to A = Q B1 - Q B2
Test 3 Test 4
U nit A U nit B U nit C U nit A U nit B U nit C
Q B 3 Q C 3 Q B 4
Q C om m 4
C om m on A rea C om m on A rea
Q50
B to C = Q B1 - Q B3 Q50
B exterio r = Q B4
Fan Fan Fan
Fan Fan Fan
Fan
1: Total Leakage
2: 1 – 2= Leak to Right
3: 1 – 3= Leak to Left
4: 1 – 4= Leak to Out
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Quantify – Building tests
+ Before and after fan pressurization tests
+ Total “effective leakage area” of apartment
+ Fraction of leakage area to outside and to other units
+ Before and after tracer gas tests
+ Week long average tests
+ Passive perfluorocarbon tracers
+ Nicotine
+ Particles
+ Measure exhaust ventilation flow
+ Measure before/after treatments
+ Up to 7 units per building
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Tracer gas tests show considerable air movement between apartments
Fraction of Air Coming From Adjoining
Units Compared to Total Inflow
Building Min Median Max Min Median Max Min Median Max Min Median Max
Duplex 6% 35% 65% 19% 27% 34% -30% -9% 13%
8-Plex 1% 3% 24% 3% 8% 42% -1% 5% 18%
12-Plex 1% 12% 26% 9% 12% 17% -9% 1% 8%
138 Unit 1% 11% 25% 1% 7% 22% 1% 1% 13% -12% -4% 0%
11 Story 2% 5% 12% 1% 2% 9% 0% 1% 4% -11% -3% -1%
4 Story 1% 2% 10% 0% 2% 7% -3% -1% 1%
All Units 1% 5% 65% 0% 3% 22% 0% 8% 42% -30% -1% 18%
ChangePre-Treatment (%) After Sealing (%) After Ventilation (%)
26% 16%
26%
One-week tracer gas measurements
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Range Median
Top-floor units: 2 to 26% 16%
Mid-floor units: 1 to 20% 5%
Lowest-floor units: 1 to 4% 2%
How Does the Fraction Vary by Floor?
Fraction of Air Coming From Adjoining Units
Compared to Total Inflow
One-week tracer gas measurements
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Total air leakage of individual units
Building Min Median Max Min Median Max Min Median Max < 1.25
Duplex 2,101 2,368 2,636 115 130 145 3.16 3.56 3.97 0%
8 Plex 837 1,008 1,031 46 55 57 1.93 2.04 2.46 0%
12 Plex 731 917 1,318 40 50 72 1.61 2.02 2.90 0%
138 Unit 390 665 754 21 37 41 0.86 1.01 2.06 88%
11 Story 376 454 958 21 25 53 0.57 0.76 2.14 86%
4 Story 921 1,156 1,559 51 63 86 1.05 1.85 2.30 14%
All Buildings 376 861 2,636 21 47 145 0.57 1.66 3.97 22%
NELA (si/100 sf)Ref. Flow Rate(cfm50) ELA (si)
Building Min Median Max Min Median Max Min Median Max < 1.25
Duplex 2,101 2,368 2,636 115 130 145 3.16 3.56 3.97 0%
8 Plex 837 1,008 1,031 46 55 57 1.93 2.04 2.46 0%
12 Plex 731 917 1,318 40 50 72 1.61 2.02 2.90 0%
138 Unit 390 665 754 21 37 41 0.86 1.01 2.06 88%
11 Story 376 454 958 21 25 53 0.57 0.76 2.14 86%
4 Story 921 1,156 1,559 51 63 86 1.05 1.85 2.30 14%
All Buildings 376 861 2,636 21 47 145 0.57 1.66 3.97 22%
NELA (si/100 sf)Ref. Flow Rate(cfm50) ELA (si)
LEED Green Building Rating system for MF SHS control requires ELA
divided by wall & floor & ceiling area to be less than 1.25 si/100 sf
ELA – equivalent leakage area, reference 4Pa & coef. = 1
(1999)
(1982)
(2001)
Blower door air leakage tests
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Fraction of air leakage to adjacent units
Total
Building ELA (si) ELA (si) (%)
Duplex 130 26 20%
8 Plex1 55 28 59%
12 Plex1 50 28 57%
138 Unit 37 5 16%
11 Story 25 8 26%
4 Story 64
All Buildings 47 9 27%
1 - leakage to adjacent units includes leakage to common area
To Adjacent Units
Blower door air leakage tests
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Leakage Area of Individual Units
712
34
1.8
612
28
1.1
514 512 510
28 1.3 24 0.5 33
2.5 1.1 4.4
414 412 410
34 2.4 22 0.1 53
1.0 2.3 4.2
314 312 310
21 3.0 25 1.3 33
1.2
212
23
Elev
ato
r
11 Story Building
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General approach to reduce odor transport between apartments and improve air quality
Ventilate
Seal
Ventilate
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Air sealing treatments
Focus on leaks between units (not exterior)
Seal as much is practical – 3 to 8 hours/unit. Average cost of about $700/unit
Blower door test to monitor total leakage
Use visual/smoke puffer diagnostics sometimes aided by blower door. Tried IR in limited cases
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Total and shared leakage
CFM50/unit
Existing After Treatments
Total Shared Total Shared
Duplex 2409 466 1881 601
8-plex 1032 475 916 307
12-plex 918 507 769 247
138 unit 641 90 639 88
New 4 story 1150 25 900 20
11 story 556 120 417 108
Blower door air leakage tests
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Modest overall reductions in leakage between apartment units – but some were significant
Range Median
Duplex: small change
8-plex: 21 to 44% 35%
12-plex: 14 to 70% 55%
New 138-unit: 0 to 23% small change
New 4-story: 0 to 20%
11-story: 0 to 56% 23%
Blower door air leakage tests
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Mechanical ventilation observations
Often provided only by occupant-operated (highly intermittent-typically off) bath fans
Many bath fans are better noise-generators than air movers, even when new
Apartment bath fans are not maintained (corrosion, dirt)
Apartment exhaust flows are rarely balanced
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Continuous ventilation in code
“Old” Codes • Kitchens: 0 CFM OR 100+ CFM
• Baths: 50 CFM
2012 International Mech. Code • Kitchens: 25 CFM
• Bathrooms: 20 CFM
ASHRAE 62.1 -2010
5 cfm per person + 0.06cfm/sq ft
Kitchens: 50 cfm
Kitchenettes: 0.30 cfm/sq ft
Toilets: 25cfm
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Corridor supply choices
Minimum 0.05 cfm/sq ft corridor area (IBC)
Minimum 0.06 cfm/sq ft corridor area ASHRAE 62.1-2010
Supply all ventilation to corridor & exhaust from units
Original design flow (typically higher)
Confirm with local code official
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Ventilation treatments – for study
Install effective (and quiet) exhaust fans with capacity of at least 30 to 45cfm
Convert intermittent exhaust to continuous exhaust
Balance exhaust air flows to reduce ventilation driving force between units
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Ventilation treatments Quiet, Continuous Ventilation
Constant Air Regulator
Quiet Ceiling Exhaust Multi-point
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Ventilation rate increased substantially
60% Increase *only one unit with added fan
Existing After Treatments
Duplex: 28 (12 to 43) 43 (35 to 50)
8-plex: 38 (19 to 58) 50 (26 to 79)
12-plex: 38 (23 to 75) 73 (57 to 157)
New 138-unit: 26 (15 to 47) 41 (31 to 53)
11-story: 28 (18 to 79) 69 (45 to 124)
4-story*: 45 (26 to 61) 48 (22 to 88)
Average 34 54
Median Ventilation Rate (cfm)
min to max
One-week tracer gas measurements
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Cleaner air, same transfer rate
Original ventilation system may be a direct path
for smoke transfer (11 story, 138 unit, 4 story
ducts)
More smoke is captured near source
Dilution reduces concentration in nonsmoker’s
or receiver’s unit
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Effect of Treatments: Air Transfer
Fraction of Incoming Air From Adjoining Units
Existing After Treatments
Top-floor: 16% (2 to 26%) 13% (0 to 42%)
Mid-floor: 5% (1 to 20%) 2% (0 to 12%)
Lowest-floor: 2% (1 to 4%) 7% (1 to 19%)
One-week tracer gas measurements
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Effect of Treatments
65% of the units had decreased air transfer
60% increase in ventilation rate
80% of tenants: SHS drift was less frequent and
less severe
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Rooftop fan
with multiple
inlets
8-Plex Building 1 fan serves 4 units
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25 26 28 26
23 26 27 24
47 28 32 53
26 17 9 32
Before
After
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Non-smoker’s fan pulls from smoker’s
open plumbing chase
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Open
between
tubs
Neighbor’s
bathtub
Why do our clothes smell like smoke?
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Is better good enough?
+ Unit #3 contaminants in unit #7 decreased by
factor of five
+Fraction of air from unit #3 to #7 reduced from
11% to 6%
+Unit #3 ventilation rate increased 158%
+ Marked reduction of SHS odors per tenants
+ Will owners pay for it? Who can do the work?
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Ongoing Success: 67 Buildings in
Condo Complex of Tested 8-plex
+ Condo Maintenance team trained to respond to
smoke complaints in additional buildings.
+ Smoker is back-charged for repair costs
+ 20 additional units have been completed to date
+ 15 more units are scheduled
+ Huge improvement in livability
+ Common areas air quality improved
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Details of Ongoing work
+ Typical complaint has smoker on lower level with fan off and large bypasses venting smoke into chases.
+ Non-smoker on upper level often had higher exhaust fan flows which increased airflow from chase into unit. Stack effect enhances this flow in winter.
+ Seal major bypasses, 1-4 person hours
+ Ventilation modifications
+ Nonsmoker: replace fan damper with CAR
+ Smoker: remove fan damper and omit CAR for higher capture.
+ Typical flows are 25cfm in nonsmoker and 75cfm in smoker’s unit.
Existing Conditions
Practical & Effective Work
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Page 58
Rooftop fan with multiple inlets: high
rise case study
Many residents said fans didn’t work
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Page 59
PRV Fan on roof –
top of vent chase
Duct chase
Inside details
Not sealed
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Vent louvers opened by dial
Inlet register on bathroom
wall or ceiling
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Page 61
FL
OO
R0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17
11 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 3 3 3 3 -1 3 3 0 3 3
10 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 -1 2 3 0 3 3
9 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 -1 2 3 0 0 2
8 2 3 3 0 2 3 2 3 3 3 -1 0 0 3 2 2 2
7 2 3 2 1 2 3 2 1 3 2 2 0 2 3 2 0 2
6 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 0 2 0 0 2 -1 0 2
5 2 2 2 3 -1 2 -1 2 2 0 0 2 2 2 -1 2 0
4 0 2 2 0 3 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 0 0 0 -1 0
3 1 -1 2 -1 2 2 2 1 2 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0
2 2 0 2 -1 2 2 0 2 -1 2 0 0 2 2 0 2 0
1 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 2
Unit Number
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Each apartment duct in shaft
Obstructs flow from below
Roof slab over top unit at shaft entry into fan baffle
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Page 63
Drywall joints open between
restrictions.
No suction left for design flow.
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Ventilation System Problems
+ Restrictions caused most of the air to be
drawn from upper apartments
+ Duct leaks also reduced flow from lower
apartments and caused air to be drawn
from unknown sources
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Floor Press Flow Notes
11 -74 28
10 -45 27
9 -15 14
8 -10.8 14
7 -9.5 10
6 na
5 +1.2 + stinks
4 +0.1 + smoker
3 +0.3 + stinks
2 -2.8 4
1 -5.3 8
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Page 66
Exhaust duct provided direct route for
smoke transfer
Smoke blew in my face as I tested the
CAR in the 5th floor with the roof fan on.
I called the office to postpone
the post installation tracer gas test
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Page 67
Solutions worked through
on 4 shafts
+ Remove minimum of central duct restrictions, provide 3” sub ducts to upper 2 floors.
+ Install constant air regulators or designed orifice plates on inlets in apartments.
+ Seal drywall ductwork with Aeroseal technology. Test and adjust to balance flows at low prv speed.
Thanks to Don Stevens for noticing fire code issue
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Floor Press Flow
11 -74 28
10 -45 27
9 -15 14
8 -10.8 14
7 -9.5 10
6 na
5 +1.2 + stinks
4 +0.1 + smoker
3 +0.3 + stinks
2 -2.8 4
1 -5.3 8
floor Press Flow (203cfm)
11 -102 25
10 -54 20
9 -53 21
8 -59 21
7 -54 21
6 -39 19
5 test -28 16
4 smoker -23.5 15 (39, 75open)
3 test -23.8 15
2 -23.4 15
1 -23.4 15
Before After car/cut
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Total flow 506cfm, 81% leaks Unit flow 93, none from lower 5 floors
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Aeroseal=> equal flow in every unit
221cfm from units 279cfm total
Better results when run past normal residential stop point to reach 0 leakage
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Page 71
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Sub duct or fire damper required
Fire damper requires steel framework not
present in this shaft. Rebuilding is required –
cost prohibitive in this case.
A sheet metal sub duct extending 22” above fan
inlet is allowed in building code. 3” diameter
will provide less restriction to shaft air flow.
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Remove restrictions in 2 top inlets and
provide 3” sub ducts
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Page 74
3” sub duct in place after Aeroseal
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Page 75
3” orifice plate allows balancing with CAR , or tape to desired flow at lower stack pressure with less noise at top.
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Floor Car P
pre
Unit cfm
Car P Aero
Unit Cfm
11 -74 28 -75 21
10 -45 27 -65 20
9 -15 14 -63 20
8 -10.8 14 -56 20
7 -9.5 10 -52 20
6 na -49 20
5 +1.2 + -42 20
4 +0.1 + -42 20
3 +0.3 + -42 20
2 -2.8 (4) -42 20
1 -5.3 (8) -44 20
Fan flow 506 93 280 221
First shaft
Aeroseal
Sub duct
repair
and CAR
installation
Looks
promising
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What does this cost,
who pays, who can do it? •Licensed mechanical contractor required for all duct alterations.
•Aeroseal franchisee required for duct sealing. (Maint. prep ok)
•Performance contractor/ consultant for design, balancing, QC
•$300 per unit or $3,200 for 1 shaft minimum, $5,000 for 2 shafts
•Changes to the building are an Association responsibility.
•Airsealing in unit is responsibility of individual condo owner
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Individual supply and very low
leakage required for best control
If an occupant opens a window to let smoke out air can
come in and blow smoke into adjacent units.
At 30F we measured a lower unit change pressure from
from -0.7pa to hall to +24pa to hall by opening 1 window.
Some flow still came in from under the kitchen kickboard
@+2pa to hall. The occupant complained about
intermittent smoke. Total air leakage down to 283cfm50
after work.
Some individuals may not tolerate any smoke transfer, a large improvement may not be enough.
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Hidden chase openings often difficult to access
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Add mineral wool fire-safing to high rise shaft openings
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Seal with listed fire barrier
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138 unit, little connection pre
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324 323 322 321
601 9 17 574 3 622
+/-1 +/-13 +/-3
1 44
224 +/-7 223 222 +/-4 221
21 688 71 33 661 65 654
+/-7 +/-4
28 -4 2 64
124 +/-14 Guest +/-12 123 +/-15 122 +/-12 121
609 35 390 37 606 51 664 93 683
+/-8 +/-2 +/-8
Guarded-Zone Measured Air Leakage Rates
734
680
-13
+/-11
Oaks: Pre-Treatment
unit #
total leakage
unit/unit leakage
leakage precision
Low leakage between units
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Foam plumbing openings
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Seal baseboard behind tack strip
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Seal ductwork from registers
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Page 87
Vent blocked : View inside smokers
fan duct in attic.
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Page 88
Vent blocked: Roof damper frozen shut
on same fan
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Page 89
CARs in fan duct in attic, smokers
open for higher flow
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2 point system over guest and 224
3 point systems over 23(s) and 22
stacks
Unit flow Unit flow Unit flow
323 24cfm 322 25cfm
224 21cfm 223 20cfm 222 22cfm
G uest 26cfm 123 28cfm 122 20cfm
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Page 91
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All ducts and bypasses in joist space
in 4 story
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Aeroseal ducts in joist chase
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Individual conditioning:
+ Duct fresh air intake to return with fan recycler and mech. damper
+ Point source exhaust
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Page 95
Wall behind baseboard open
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Floor Edge Open To Joist space
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New continuous duty fan in kitchen:
source of odor complaint.
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Airsealing in unit above and source
unit credited with 90% reduction of
odor.
Baseboards, pipes, recessed lites
Cook below opens windows when cooking- negates fan effect.
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Recommendations
Seal large openings between units
Balanced, 30 – 45cfm continuous exhaust
ventilation
Consider extra ventilation in smoker’s unit
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In at the bottom and out the top
Additional slides
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Kitchen option for cooking source In different project after work
Cooking moisture was an issue in 15% of units
Continuous kitchen fan option needed
VenMar developed (UL) a quiet continuous
range hood
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Kitchen option for cooking source Quiet Range Hood
Replace existing fans with continuous quiet range hood
Lo or high speed, no off
Less than 20 watts consumed at 34 cfm
High: 100,175 , or 225cfm
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Additional Information
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Fact Sheet: Solving Odour Transfer Problems in Your Apartment
http://www.cmhc.ca/en/co/reho/reho_002.cfm
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2-part Foam Seals Plumbing Chase Stop Vertical Air Transfer In Plumbing Wall
Patched, primed
Inject Foam Along Top of Wall
12-plex
Shared leakage reduced about
50% from 507 to 247 cfm50
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Easy air flow is possible through
framing around pipes, etc
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Note – Improvements are possible. Managing expectations is
important.