Air Sealing Brings New Life to Old Buildings: 2 Case Studies

Renovating and updating older and historic buildings, while also making them more energy efficient, healthier, and more comfortable is a growing challenge for architects, engineers, and contractors as building owners increasingly seek to reuse buildings rather than replace them with new buildings. Air sealing the building envelope and improving the performance of existing ductwork can play critical roles in these buildings’ retrofits, but many times aren’t considered due to perceived complexity and cost. This session will delve into two case studies of air sealing in historic and older housing facilities. The building envelope and compartmentalization air sealing for a 100 year old student dormitory and duct leakage sealing for a 49 year old affordable senior housing complex will be presented, including measurement and verification  data and lessons learned.