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Abstract

This dissertation explores the efficacy of cost effective airtightness methods that homeowner’s can utilise to increase their home’s airtightness. It examines how and why different houses elicit varying airtightness results, and the impact relatively inexpensive airtightness improvements have on a dwelling’s air permeability, energy usage and costs associated for space heating.

The study incorporates experimental investigation on five houses. The utilisation of an airtightness blower door test was integral, alongside smoke gun and thermal-imaging camera usage, to examine the property’s air flow and air leakage pathways.

The main finding from this study was that the usefulness of these improvements varied amongst the houses involved in the study. Those dwellings that exhibited greater initial airtightness gained little additional benefit from the improvements, whereas the house that displayed the least initial airtightness achieved the greatest enhancement. This corresponded to the cost benefit impact associated with these improvements too. For houses that had invested more to achieve greater airtightness, the viability of these economical improvements could not be substantiated. Yet, dwellings with minimal airtightness investment benefited more with regards to decreased energy requirements and associated cost savings.

It was also clear that there are a multitude of factors affecting airtightness of existing dwellings, with diminished airtightness primarily due to the gaps within the building envelope. This consequently highlighted the importance of workmanship and the quality of materials used during the build process itself, to help mitigate these factors as best as possible, prior to completion.

In conclusion, with the majority of the UK housing stock classed as inadequately airtight, future research investigating how best to cost effectively utilise other, more effective airtightness interim and permanent measures, would be key. This would help complement the high airtightness standards of new builds and facilitate the reduction of energy usage and carbon emissions

Course: Quantity Surveying - MSc - C2170

Date Deposited: 2023-02-13

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14097.html