Services
- Building Energy Rating (BER) new dwellings.
- Building Energy Rating (BER) of existing dwellings.
- Air permeability testing
- Energy design consultancy service.
- Energy design report service.
- AutoCad drafting service.
- Building Surveying service.
UseFul links
- Sustainable Energy ireland
- SEI Grant Scheme
- Rankin Associates
- RetroTec
- Power of One
- Passive Homes Ireland
- Insulation Tips
- BER Assessors Association of Ireland
Air permeability testing
The aim of air permeability testing is to measure the infiltration and ex-filtration of air within a building and to identify areas that are experiencing heat loss. The excessive air leakage results in;
• Inadequate heating system
• High fuel costs
• Cold surfaces
• Ineffective insulation
• Occupant discomfort and complaint
• Health issues
Air leakage is the uncontrolled flow of air through gaps and cracks in the building fabric. All building must be ventilated to meet the Building Regulation. This may be by natural ventilation or by mechanical means and it is designed to the building size etc - the motto being “build tight ventilate right”
The most common way of conducting this is by means of a blower door test, where a fan is placed in the entrance of dwelling. All designed ventilation is temporarily blocked and the dwelling is pressurised or depressurised to 50 Pascal above / below outside air pressure and the air leakage infiltration is measured (expressed in m³/hr/m² @ 50 Pa). BERAS use the Retrotec blower door system see www.retrotec.com.
As part of new Building Regulation air permeability testing is mandatory, with a performance level of 10m³/hr/m² being the upper limit. The results of the air test are also required for the BER assessment.
On completion of the air test, results and advisory report will be issued. Where a building fails the air test criteria, further investigation maybe be required. This can be done using a smoke test or using a thermal imaging camera. We are able to offer both these services.