Air as a sealed element in BBCs

The You company is implementing an airtightness test on its BBC and passive construction sites after training its teams and partners.

YOU, a company specializing in timber construction since 1995, is involved in the construction of both timber-framed houses and extensions and elevations. The goal of Tony You, its director, is to meet market demands in terms of energy performance; this response involves training its teams, as well as the tradespeople who work with the company on construction sites.

In both construction and renovation, today it is a question of being able to offer a BBC energy performance level in line with RT 2012.

The YOU team and its partners trained in airtightness testing

To achieve the energy performance levels required by RT 2012, it is necessary to have cohesion among all the tradespeople working on a construction site. All trades must take into account each other's work and issues to achieve the expected level of energy performance together.

Through joint training, construction professionals can become aware of their own responsibility on the construction site and thus align their efforts towards achieving the required high level of performance. Hence Tony You's initiative to train his team and the craftsmen who work on construction sites.

The training, provided by the Wigwam firm, allows teams to move forward together while complying with the requirements of the Grenelle Environment Forum and to globalize training costs, which remain the responsibility of each participating company.

The training offered takes place in two stages:

- theoretical knowledge and elements to implement for the construction of a BBC construction (half-day)
- airtightness test carried out on site to verify the proper watertightness of the structure (half-day)

The construction site of a house in Machecoul (Loire-Atlantique), a practical case for training in airtightness

Construction of this main residence began in December 2009 and is expected to be completed in summer 2010.

Future owners want an environmentally friendly house, combined with contemporary architecture.

In total, 17 professionals have just been trained, working in project management, architecture, masonry, plumbing, carpentry and electricity.

The clients are primarily concerned, since airtightness is taken into account on a construction site from the design phase of the project, then during pre-fabrication in the workshop. For example, for the installation of the double-flow CMV, the YOU company had to plan for the installation of plenums.

The airtightness test carried out on March 31st shows a very positive result with a Q4 (air permeability index) of 0,26 m3/h/m2. For comparison, the airtightness requirements are 0,6 m3/h/m2 for a BBC building and 0,16 m3/h/m2 for a passive house. (see attached table).

Since this year, YOU has systematically offered an airtightness test for each of its low-energy and passive projects. Tony You is also working on forming a group of construction companies to address larger projects that address thermal performance issues.