There are few professionals who are trained to perform envelope leakage, compartmentalization, and duct leakage tests in residential projects outside of North America. Is there another approach that projects can take to demonstrate compliance?
06.03.24 IL
Updates in **[]**
Yes, projects outside of the U.S. and Canada may perform a visual inspection of the air sealing measures in lieu of performing envelope leakage, compartmentalization, and duct leakage testing.
The visual inspection must be performed by a qualified professional **[ as defined in LI 10443 https://www.usgbc.org/leedaddenda/10443)]**and demonstrate that each unit meets the requirements of the ENERGY STAR Thermal Enclosure Checklist (for Homes projects) or Multifamily Midrise Thermal Enclosure Checklist (for Midrise). Each item on the checklist must be documented with photo evidence. For multifamily units, all common walls, ceilings, and floors must be considered 'unconditioned spaces' when completing Section 5 - Air Sealing, of the checklist. Note that this visual inspection requires an insulation inspection site visit at a mid-construction phase, in addition to a final site visit when construction is complete.
If this approach is used, energy savings for tight construction cannot be claimed. This approach is not available for related credits such as EA credit Air infiltration and EQ credit Enhanced compartmentalization.
***Updated 7.10.2020 to include applicability to v2008***
***Updated 11.9.2020 to include additional detail regarding required site visits***
***Updated 1.08.2021 to align terminology with "qualified professional". For projects outside of the U.S. and Canada, the qualified professional meeting the qualifications above may perform all tasks required to be performed by the HERS Rater (also referred to as the “qualified energy rater” in the LEED v4 Homes Reference Guide).
***Updated 2.02.2024
Projects using visual verification in line with LEED Interpretation 10444 must use the ENERGY STAR Reference Design values for infiltration and duct leakage from the most current version and revision of the ENERGY STAR National Program Requirements available at the time of project registration. The Reference Design values should be used in the energy model for either infiltration and/or duct leakage testing, when visual verification is used in lieu of energy performance testing.
***Updated 06.03.24 [IL] to clarify that the qualified professional used must align with the requirements in LI 10443 and to expand applicability to v4.1 Single Family and v4.1 Multifamily.
Projects that use LEED Interpretation 10444 for compartmentalization must also use 0.30 cfm50 per square foot of enclosure in the energy model.