[ ENERGY ]


SEAL|THE|DEAL E


WRITTEN BY | MARC ZULUAGA, P.E.


ver since man first began living and working indoors, proper building ventilation has been directly linked to the relative health and safety of the buildings’ occupants. Over time,


various methods were employed to facilitate the “proper” indoor flow and exhaustion of air. By 1925, assisted with the development of the electric power industry and the use of mechanical ventilation systems, 22 states had laws governing the minimum stan- dards for indoor building ventilation. Since that time, the majority of build-


ings in the U.S. have been constructed with mechanical ventilation systems that use the same basic design principles as those built in the 1920s and ’30s. Aside from the exces- sive noise often associated with these sys- tems, commonly found leaks in the shafts result in uneven and inadequate ventilation. Like trying to draw water through a straw with holes in it, the leaks make it difficult for the roof fans to evenly draw air up through the shafts. To compensate, the fans are often


Project Details? requirements.


 


1 62 RETROFIT // May-June 2013


 


The rooftop exhaust fans were removed and an aerosol mist was blown down through each individual shaft to seal ductwork.


Accessing and sealing leaks from the inside of the ventilation shafts resulted in minimal disruption to tenants.


PHOTOS: AEROSEAL LLC AND STEVEN WINTER ASSOCIATES INC.


Microscopic particles of sealant are blown into the vents where they remain airborne until they come across leaks in the system.


The Carlyle Towers, Caldwell, N.J., underwent a major ventilation retrofit that resulted in energy savings of $7,000 per year from reduced exhaust fan





Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84