MEASURING VENTILATION RATES IN THE SWEDISH HOUSING STOCK

A passive tracer gas method is applied to measure ventilation rates in a nation-wide indoor climate study of a statistical sample of the Swe dish housing stock. The method and experimental design are described, together with the results and some experiences gained from the project . The evaluation and error analysis techniques are discussed from an e xample. Special attention is paid to the accuracy of the results and t he probable causes and size of errors. It is shown that the ventilatio n flow rates could be estimated to an acceptable degree of accuracy. D istributions of ventilation rates in single- and multi-family building s are presented and discussed. lt is shown that actual ventilation rat es in dwellings are generally low compared to the requirements in Swed en since 1975, especially in single-family houses. The average ventila tion rate per occupant is however very similar in multi- and single-fa mily buildings.