Hello All,
We have a 5-floored building pursuing LEED CS v2009 certification, and also WELL certification. Envelope Cx is required. I assume that this is equivalent to BECx described in the LEED v4 guide (as they both have to follow the same guidelines).
As stated in the Further Explanation section of the LEED v4 credit regarding the envelope Cx, “the type of envelope and size of building will determine what tests are conducted and the equipment required. For example, performing a blower door test to determine the air-tightness of an envelope may be appropriate for a 20,000-square-foot (1 860-square-meter) facility with brick façade and recessed windows. However, this type of test would be impractical for a 500,000-square-foot (46 450-square meter) commercial building with a curtain wall façade (…)”
Our building is aprox. 20 000 square meter, and it has a curtain wall façade.
In your opinion, is it recommended to perform the blower door test? Is it required?
Another question regarding the blower door tests under LEED/WELL certification: is there any infiltration requirement to comply with? We have checked lot of documentation, but no value has arised.
Thanks in advance!
Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
5792 thumbs up
May 10, 2017 - 9:30 am
I am not sure about the appropriate testing protocol. I don't think blower door tests are required for all projects. There are very large blower doors used for pressurizing large buildings.
There is no specific infiltration requirement in 90.1-2010.
Scott Bowman
LEED FellowIntegrated Design + Energy Advisors, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
517 thumbs up
August 5, 2017 - 1:37 pm
Sorry for such a long delay in commenting, this kind of got lost in my queue. I am not an expert, and I am trying to get someone who is to monitor for envelope questions, but in working with envelope commissioning firms it is quite apparent that the value of the service is weighted differently than with MEP systems. Where the functional testing phase of MEP systems is a huge part of the value, the major part of envelope work is in the design reviews, shop drawing reviews, and testing DURING construction (either off site, like with curtain walls, or mock-up testing on site, or actual installation testing early in construction). A blower door test at the end of the project will confirm all the above actions did their job, but in my opinion, if the test fails, it is very difficult to correct at that point. In an existing building (no matter the size) doing a blower door test prior to design is an absolute...you need to know what you are trying to fix and as a diagnostic tool can show you where the envelope is failing.
Lyle Axelarris
Building Enclosure Specialist, BECxP, PEDesign Alaska Inc.
53 thumbs up
September 6, 2018 - 9:13 pm
I agree with Scott, with the addition that infrared thermography is key for locating the air leaks in existing buildings.
As far as target levels go, we use the Corps of Engineers (USACE)'s standard leakage rate of 0.4 cfm/sf @75 Pa.
Sara BENLOUBA
Green building managerConfidential
10 thumbs up
November 30, 2020 - 5:05 am
hello Dears,
We have appointed a facade / curtain wall company for our project and we intend to entrust it with the mission of carrying out the necessary tests concerning the commissioning of the envelope. At the same time, we have a Commissioning Authority for earning (4 points of LEED commissioning).
Would it be acceptable from a LEED point of view for the tests to be carried out by the company of execution of facade but on condition that these tests are supervised and verified by our principal commissioning Authority. In other words, is this envelope commissioning testing must be conducted only by commissioning authority and cannot be accepted if conducted by execution company of facade but supervised, verified and approved by commissioning authority?
Sara BENLOUBA
Green building managerConfidential
10 thumbs up
December 11, 2020 - 7:47 am
Hello Scott, Lyle,
Is the mock-up testing in the factory sufficient to confirm performance or is it mandatory to do testing during construction and curtain wall installation on site?
Thanks in advance for your feedback,
Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
5792 thumbs up
December 11, 2020 - 7:53 am
Testing must be done onsite.
Scott Bowman
LEED FellowIntegrated Design + Energy Advisors, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
517 thumbs up
April 26, 2021 - 12:10 pm
Sara, the mock-up testing is to inform and confirm the design and installation requirements to meet performance criteria that is defined for the assembly and are vital to ensuring a high-performance envelope. But if you do not then follow up with the on-site test appropriate, like a blower door or random in-situ water intrusion testing, then you are not finalizing the quality assurance process that is the overall goal of envelope commissioning.