Floor plenum airtightness
In July 2016, BSRIA published BG65/2016 Floor Plenum Airtightness – Guidance and Testing Methodology. This replaced BG 12/2010 Floor Void Airtightness – Air Leakage Specification,
Since the introduction of airtightness testing as part of the Building Regulations, the air leakage of buildings has steadily reduced as construction teams have become more familiar with the requirements. By introducing lower specifications for floor plenums, it is hoped that the effect will be similar.
A floor plenum is a void between a building’s floor structure and a raised access floor, used for distributing conditioned air to the spaces above.
It is important that conditioned air in a floor plenum flows into the occupied zone and does not leak into cavities, risers, stairwells, heating trenches or other adjacent zones. A properly sealed floor plenum will allow the diffusers and grilles to fulfill their primary role of delivering air at the correct flow rate. As a result, the airtightness of floor plenums can be a serious energy efficiency issue.
BSRIA’s new guide addresses these issues and places upper limits on the air leakage of floor plenums. Distinctions are made between air leakage to adjacent spaces (normally referred to as plenum leakage), and uncontrolled air leakage into conditioned zones (normally referred to as raised access floor leakage). A testing methodology for both plenum leakage and raised access floor leakage is given, and guidance on achieving both is provided.
To download or purchase the guide, go to the BSRIA Bookshop.
N.B. This guide replaces BG 12/2010 Floor Void Airtightness – Air Leakage Specification, which was withdrawn.
--BSRIA
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Air tightness in buildings.
- Airtightness of energy efficient buildings.
- BSRIA articles on Designing Buildings Wiki.
- Building performance evaluation.
- Closing the gap between design and as-built performance.
- Draughts in buildings.
- Energy Performance Certificates.
- Indoor air quality.
- Performance gap.
- Plenum ventilation in buildings.
- Thermographic survey.
- The history of non-domestic air tightness testing.
Featured articles and news
Mental Health Awareness Week with ABS
Architects Benevolent Society programme of activity.
CLC publishes domestic retrofit competency framework
Roadmap of Skills for net zero.
May 13-19: Moving more for our mental health.
Understanding is key to conservation.
Open industry engagement survey seeks responses
Institutions and the importance of engagement.
National Retrofit Hub unveils new guide
Digital Building Logbooks and Retrofit: An Introduction.
Top 50 firms awarded 52bn of projects in the last year
New engineering data shows.
Enhancing construction site reporting efficiency
Through digitisation and the digital revolution.
Noise in the built environment
BSRIA guide TG 20/2021.
17,000 people suffer conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work.
Turning down the noise: Auditory health
A pervasive risk with far-reaching consequences.
Getting the most out of heat pumps and heating
How heat pumps work and how they work best.
Plumbing and heating for successful retrofit and renovation
Low temperature underfloor systems and heat pumps.
Cost-of-living crisis and home improvement plans
Starting on the right footing and top tips for projects.
Delays on construction projects
Types, mitigation and the acceleration of works.
From Chaucer to Fawlty Towers.
Electrotechnical excellence, now open for entries.
Net zero electricity grids BSRIA guide NZG 5/2024
Outlining the changes needed to transition to net zero.
CIOB Global Student Challenge 2024
Universitas Indonesia wins for second year running.