New research from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has revealed new Australian homes are up to 50 per cent more airtight than those tested in 2015.
This is good news for homeowners, as houses and apartments that meet recommended air tightness levels are more comfortable, have lower energy bills and healthier indoor air quality.
Air tightness minimises unintended air movements within a building, preventing outdoor air from entering and indoor air from escaping.
Poor air tightness can cause draughts, increasing energy bills by up to 20 per cent. Conversely, homes that are too airtight without controlled ventilation can lead to condensation, mould and health issues for residents such as headaches and nausea from higher carbon dioxide and monoxide levels.
Researchers tested a total of 233 apartments and detached houses built in the last four years in Melbourne, Sydney Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide. Homes specially designed for air tightness were excluded.
While the research results were positive and compare well to standards in other countries like the UK, the study found room for improvement.
Senior experimental scientist and project lead Michael Ambrose said the research used a blower door test to identify the leakage rate and determine where leakages occur.
“Leakages were found in most new homes, mainly from bathroom fans, sliding doors and poor or missing door seals,” Ambrose said.
“Some other homes, particularly apartments, were found to be extremely airtight, which can result in issues impacting building performance and resident health, if controlled ventilation is not included.
“Fortunately, there are simple and affordable ways to rectify these issues and preventative measures that can be implemented during construction."
The report outlined a range of recommendations for Australian building codes to address common air tightness issues, including:
- establishing air tightness standards in the National Construction Code (NCC)
- requiring controlled ventilation in new buildings, particularly apartments to reduce indoor pollutants and moisture
- making air barriers, such as building wraps mandatory in all new residences
- providing on-site training and educational resources to connect builders with cost-effective solutions that improve building performance
RMIT University Professor Ralph Horne said the Australian building code is less stringent than comparable nations in similar climate zones, such as the US and Europe.
“As far back as 2005, research comparing Australian cities to those overseas found housing in compatible climate zones in North America and Europe was 55 per cent more efficient for heating and cooling energy compared to minimum standard housing in Australia,” Horne said.
“The average energy efficiency (NatHERS) rating of all the overseas comparison homes was over seven stars, and we have yet to implement seven stars here in Australia almost 20 years later.
"Across Australia, there has been a longstanding awareness of drought, water efficiency and extreme events such as floods and bushfires, but much less focus on energy efficiency in homes.”