Why Test

Air tightness testing was introduced into the Scottish Building Standards in 2007 as a mandatory requirement and has developed over years with the help from many industry bodies and regulatory authorities.  Under Section 6 of the Scottish Building Standards the following is identified as a requirement:-

"Low air infiltration rates will contribute to energy performance but should not be so low

as to adversely affect the health of occupants or the building fabric. There is, therefore, a

need to establish dwelling performance by test to demonstrate compliance in both these

respects."

The design air tightness specification has an important part to play in the both the calculation of the energy performance of the dwelling and also the specification of ventilation systems.  It is important to choose an appropriate air tightness specification to suit the dwelling, its characteristics, and design intent.  The air test takes place at completion and the test certification has to be presented to Building Control as part of the completion process.  It is entirely possible that dwellings can fail at completion which can trigger a series of remedial actions which are time consuming and sometimes costly.  Setting up the initial SAP calculation and choosing an appropriate air tightness specification goes a long way to mitigating the potential for failure.  

Quite apart from the obligation to meet statutory requirements the air test can provide good feedback as to the relative performance of the dwelling which has a significant impact on long term energy costs.  The test often identifies areas where excessive infiltration  and draughts exist and allow early remedial action to be taken.

Where buildings are problematic in terms of draughts and excessive energy costs a Thermographic Study may be appropriate to identify areas of concern and energy loss.  For further details of this service please navigate to the Thermographic Studies page.