Nashville Update Its Building Code to IECC 2018
Beginning December of 2020, the Nashville TennesseeĀ area will update its building code to the IECC 2018. This means a blower door and duct leakage test will be required for all…
What If CFD Modeling Was Readily Available For Residential Duct Design
Author: Sam Myers Abstract Within the confines of the HVAC field, airflow behavior is one aspect that can be difficult to understand when it comes to proper duct system design…
Blower Door Testing in 1915?
This is the 2nd installment of a monthly column from Ben Walker, Co-CEO of Retrotec. Ben’s column focuses on observations on the art and science of high-performance building and home…
Commercial Building Enclosure Testing
Author: Sam Meyers, Retrotec As building codes and owner expectations evolve, more commercial buildings across the United States are being designed to meet standards that reduce air leakage through the…
Duct Testing Best Practices
Author: Sam Meyers, Retrotec Testing ductwork in residential HVAC systems for air tightness is essential to ensure a home will be energy efficient and comfortable. Tighter ducts help homes perform…
Quick Tips for Testing Ducts at Rough-Ins
Author: Sam Meyers, Retrotec Whether itās for a building code, third-party home performance program, HERS rating or quality control, testing ducts on new construction homes before the drywall is installed…
Get More From Your Blower Door
Author: Sam Meyers, Retrotec A blower door system can do much more than tell you how much your building is leaking. It can also help you determine the location and…
United States Home Energy Performance Averages
When it comes to home energy performance, comfort, durability and health, the United States falls short in the ranks compared to other developed countries. This is based on the 35…
A Brief History of Retrotecās Involvement with Home Performance
In 1980 I calibrated the fledgling Retrotec Energy Innovations Ltd.ās blower door at the National Research Council (NRC) in Ottawa, Canada.Ā It used RPM and pressure drop to crudely measure…
Making Sense of Leakage to the Outside
Written by Stacie Bagnasco In California the California Energy Commission [CEC] aka Energy Standards, provide two basic methods for complying with low-rise residential energy budgets: the prescriptive approach and the…