European airtightness association committee Internet Meeting 26/09/12

Action list

Participants Belgium: Xavier Loncour (Observer) Czech Republic: Jiri Novak (Asociace Blower Door CZ” (A.BD.CZ)) Denmark: Walter Sebastian (Klimaskaerm) France: Rémi Pelini (Syneole) - Apologies Germany: Oliver Socher (FliB) Italy: Guenther Gantioler (ATTA) - Apologies Sweden: Eva Sikander (Informal network in Sweden) UK: Rob Coxon, David Unwin, Tom Jones (ATTMA) TightVent: Peter Wouters, Stéphane Degauquier (apologies), Rémi Carrié Note: – Interest from Finland but not available on meeting date. Clarification needed with regard to the relevant persons to attend. – Contacts with Switzerland and Norway but no answer

Agenda 1) Why this meeting? 2) Activities of your associations - Your expectations with a EU network – Roll call of meeting participants, including presentation of your association, its activities and motivations (5 min each maximum, you are welcome to use any material (PPT, brochures, etc.) 3) Overview of possible actions 4) Prioritization of actions and expected outcomes 5) Next meetings – Internet meetings – Physical meetings

Why this meeting? Clear trend towards more airtightness measurements – e.g., in the UK since the gradual enforcement of the regulation regarding airtightness; – in France, there are over 400 qualified testers whereas airtightness measurement used to be confidential in France up to 2007 – … Common concerns: – How to set up a competent tester scheme? – How to develop guidelines beyond EN 13829? – How to define calibration procedures for airtightness testing? – …

Why this meeting? Currently no airtightness association at EU level Several associations have expressed interest in TightVent activities and use TightVent as a support for a EU forum

What is TightVent Europe? The European Buildings and Ductwork Airtightness Platform Launched in January 2011 Objective: – Facilitating exchanges and progress on building and ductwork airtightness issues, including the production and dissemination of policy oriented reference documents and the organization of conferences, workshops, webinars, etc.

TightVent partners Diamond partners Platinum partners Platform facilitator Associate partners

Management structure

General objectives of this meeting Know each others activities and needs See if there is converging interest for conducting specific actions

Airtightness associations Partnership conditions until April 2013 – Memorandum of understanding to be signed between associations and TightVent – No charge until April 2013 After April 2013, to be discussed with the interested parties Not limited to EU associations

Activities of your associations Belgium – No network in Belgium yet, however, strong interest in the initiative because there is no requirement on the qualification of the testers – Expectations: Share experience on competent tester schemes in view of developing one in the Belgium framework Czech Republic (see specific presentation) – 35 members (active airtightness testers) – Expectations: gathering the information about the approaches adopted in different countries to deal with selected issues („summary tables“) gathering detailed information concerning main issues (conference / workshop papers, leakage data...) facilitate a homogenous testing practice - common approaches or guidelines (e.g. structure of test protocol, of a lekage database training...,) – We can share: round-robin tests development and analysis of a leakage database implementation of EN development of a common test protocol

Activities of your associations Denmark (see specific presentation) – 1 certified companies, 10 in the pipeline (representing in total testers) – Expectations: Germany – Flib has 300 members (mostly testers) – Expectations: Database developments, XML output files, calibration, designers and craftsmen, etc.

Activities of your association Sweden (see specific presentation) – No certification for airtightness today but significant activity on guidance to developers, training and research (e.g., durability) – Expectations Competent tester schemes Input to testers training Database development Development of requirements Strategies when it comes to big buildings or testing a part of a building UK – Expectations Resolve challenges with regard to test reliability

Possible actions Starting with simple actions

Contact list

Review of competent tester schemes Reference list of applicable documents Summary of key points in participating countries

Review of competent tester schemes Review of testers training requirements for those schemes

Guidance documents for testers – Revision of EN / ISO 9972

Reference list of applicable guidance documents Hints to improve measurement accuracy and precision Proposals for improvements to standards?

Calibration procedures Active debates about adequate procedures Specific WebEx meeting?

Database development and management TightVent is now working on standardized XML ouput files for pressurization tests (active role of CDPEA) Paper by Rengie Chan et al. to be published on AIVC and TightVent websites

Summary of requirements

List of applicable standards for airtightness See for instance php php But to be extended to products and building components?

Training of designers and craftsmen To be presented at the Copenhagen conference To collect document references available today

Ductwork airtightness Any activity in this field? – Belgium: - – Czech Republic: No – Denmark: Under preparation – France: Yes – Germany: Under preparation, in focus – Italy: ? – Sweden: will get back – UK: Not a focus of ATTMA, done by HVAC contractors associations Comment from XL: Is probably not taken into account in EPB in most countries

Events Airtightness workshop in Washington DC – April 2013 BUILDAIR symposium – 7-8 June 2013 AIVC-TightVent 2013 conference in Athens – Tentative dates: September 2013

Potential interesting interactions ISO 163 / SC 1 / WG 10 BUILD UP Skills Submitted IEE proposal on quality and compliance

Prioritization of actions and expected outcomes

Next meetings Internet meeting – Wednesday 9 January, 09:30-11:30 (Brussels time) Physical meeting – At BUILDAIR symposium? Tentative date: Thursday June in Hannover – Starting at 10:00? Or 09:00?