气密性测试是指对建筑围护结构进行测试，以量化其空气泄漏，并定性识别通过空气屏障系统的气流路径。测试通常作为新建筑中建筑围护结构空气屏障和机械系统调试过程的一部分进行，或识别空气泄漏路径，以改进现有建筑。对单户住宅进行定量气密性测试是相当普遍的，行业也理解这一点，因为在过去几十年中，作为新建筑的一部分，或作为各种气候化和能源升级计划的一部分，北美各地已经测试了数十万栋住宅。 在北美，商业或大型住宅建筑等大型建筑的定量气密性测试不太常见，因为测试往往复杂且成本高昂，大多数建筑规范都不要求这样做。大型建筑气密性测试的唯一要求是新的美国GSA和美国陆军部队建筑，以及根据最近的华盛顿州和西雅图能源法规建造的大型建筑。在华盛顿州和西雅图，所有三层以上的商业建筑和住宅建筑都需要进行整栋建筑的气密性测试。两种能源规范都要求达到目标气密性测试结果； 然而，这两个规范都有规定，如果进行了足够的气封，规范官员可以放弃失败试验的定量结果。这让设计和建筑行业有时间了解新建造的建筑的气密性，以及可以改进空气屏障系统和材料的地方。作者在设计和测试团队中参与了许多大型建筑气密性测试。从这些项目和几项类似建筑的研究中，我们收集了华盛顿州围护结构气密性值以及建筑类型和空气屏障系统组件的数据库。 数据中开始出现一些趋势，表明某些空气屏障系统可能比其他系统更有效。将分享有关空气屏障密封实践的经验教训，以及对大型建筑气密性测试程序的见解。引文:ASHRAE论文CD:2014 ASHRAE年会，华盛顿州西雅图

Airtightness testing is the process in which the building enclosure is tested to quantify its air leakage and qualitatively identify airflow paths through the air barrier system. Testing is often performed as part of the commissioning process for the building enclosure air barrier and mechanical systems in new buildings or to identify air leakage pathways to make improvements to existing buildings.Quantitative airtightness testing of single-family homes is fairly common and understood by the industry as hundreds of thousands of houses have been tested across North America over the past decades as part of new construction or as part of various weatherization and energy upgrade programs. Quantitative airtightness testing of larger buildings such as those in the commercial or large residential building sector is much less common in North America as the tests tend to be complicated and costly and are not required by most building codes. The only requirements for large building airtightness tests are for new US GSA and US Army Corps buildings and for large buildings built under recent Washington State and Seattle Energy Codes.Within Washington State and Seattle, all commercial buildings and residential buildings over three stories require a whole-building airtightness test. There is a requirement in both energy codes to achieve a target airtightness test result; however, both codes have provisions that allow the code official to waive the quantitative result of a failed test if sufficient air sealing efforts have been made. This is allowing the design and construction industry time to learn how airtight newly constructed buildings are and where improvements can be made to air barrier systems and materials. The authors have been involved with many of these large building airtightness tests on both the design and testing teams. From these projects and several research studies of similar buildings we have gathered a database of Washington State enclosure airtightness values along with building types and air barrier system components. Some trends are beginning to show up in the data which suggest that certain air barrier systems may be more effective than others. Lessons learned about air barrier sealing practices and insight into airtightness testing procedures for large buildings will be shared.