On Thursday the 3^rd of June BSRIA conducted air-tightness tests on both Retrofit for the Future projects. bere:architects took the opportunity to visit the tenants and discuss the works due to be carried out to their homes.

In order to test the air-tightness of the houses, a pressure difference must be created between the inside and outside of the building. The air test is achieved by sealing the front doorway and inserting a fan which both depressurizes and pressurizes the air inside the house – it is then possible to measure the rate at which air flows in and out of the building respectively.

The results of the air tests are yet to be confirmed but are estimated to be six air changes per hour (which means that the air in the building would be completely replaced six times every hour). If six air changes an hour were achieved it would not be a bad result for a house of this age, however main areas of air leakage will most likely be attributed to the windows, doors and key holes. It is intended that once the retrofit works have been completed the air changes per hour will improve by around 40 times – making a relatively leaky building almost completely draught-free.

A key part of the retrofit project is to upgrade the windows and doors to a much higher specification in order to dramatically reduce heat loss in these areas. bere:architects have specified Doublegood triple-glazed and thermally insulated doors and windows which are imported from Germany and constructed to meet the Passivhaus standard.

bere:architects realize the importance of minimizing the carbon-footprint of products and systems that we specify and made every effort in this case to explore alternative UK based window suppliers. When working to achieve the UK’s first carbon-neutral, code 6 Passivhaus in Ebbw Vale, Wales, bere:architects arranged for a consortium of window manufacturers to work together to manufacture Passivhaus windows. Unfortunately at the time of placing orders for Grove Road, the prices of the Welsh windows, or indeed those of the same specification from Green Building Store, were not as competitive as the German equivalents.

The front door is sealed up with a fan inserted in order to carry out an air-tightness test

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