Become a Building Performance Professional

Airtightness in building and construction is not new. It might be a new concept to the New Zealand building industry, but measuring the permeability of a building envelope is a tried and tested method of assuring the quality and future performance of a buildings internationally. Now is a great time to get trained and become a professional blower door operator.

Airtightness is a Good Thing

There's probably some confusion in New Zealand about what airtightness actually is (and what it isn't). We're not talking hermetically sealed boxes. We're not suggesting that we can't have 'indoor-outdoor flow'. (The fact that we very rarely have appropriate conditions for true 'indoor-outdoor flow' is another topic, but worth mentioning here that the architectural relevance of big sliders and French Doors in New Zealand is drastically overstated.)

Airtightness is all about floors, walls, roofs, doors and windows that work properly. Airtightness is what makes insulation work properly. It's was reduced uncomfortable draughts and it's what contributes to keeping the structure of the building dry.

Airtightness is what facilitates an energy efficient, healthy and resilient building. This is why airtightness is a good thing.

Achieving Airtightness

I recently interviewed Peter Jennings, one of the UK's most experienced Blower Door testers on his thirty year career measuring airtightness in buildings. Peter shared some of his learning recently at the Passive House Conference in Heidelberg. Peter explained that achieving an airtight building has a lot to do with planning and preparation. It starts with good design. It then requires good sequencing including well timed blower door testing during the construction phase.

Quality Control

Much of what makes a 'good building' is subjective and aesthetic. Whole design and architectural media organisations are built on sexy looking buildings. But blower door testing stands almost alone as a repeatable, quantitative measure of building quality. The permeability of a building envelope is arguably one of the single most important numbers that simply and clearly predicts the future energy efficiency, comfort and resilience of that building.

ATTMA

Based in the UK, The Air Tightness Testing & Measurement Association (ATTMA) was formed in 2002 but now has representation around the world as the leading professional association for airtightness testing professionals. Australia and New Zealand already have ATTMA accredited professionals, but demand will increase.

Australia is already starting to follow Europe's lead. New building regulations will now require certain buildings in some states of Australia to have a blower door test.

In New Zealand, it's still market driven (hopefully the policy will soon catch up). There is however increasing demand.

Become an Airtightness Professional

The Pro Clima HUB is very fortunate to be able to host our own Sean Maxwell during May for professional Blower Door training. We will also be hosting Barry Cope from ATTMA for some specialist training in measuring envelope area using SketchUp. This is a very useful skill for many aspects of building science and quantity surveying.

If you're interested in testing the quality of your own buildings, or perhaps setting up shop to provide accredited testing services, then this training is for you!

Be Part of It!

It's fun to be part of something new. Right now, we get the best of both worlds. Be an early local adopter of internationally proven techniques and technology, and be part of the solution to provide better building envelopes in New Zealand.