NBS

PUBLICATIONS

INST OF STW

hi .iSii^ichnology

project summaries

1976

CENTER for BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

Institute for Applied Technology

National Bureau of Standards

Department of Commerce

100

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NO 4^6-1

1976

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FOREWORD ^ ' p

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The Center for Building Technology (CBT) provides

the technical and scientific bases for criteria and

standards that improve the usefulness, safety, and

economy of buildings. CBT research also aims at conserving building materials and energy. CBPs

activities support the building technology programs of

Federal, State and local government; assist design

professions, building officials, and the research community by developing improved design criteria; and

assist manufacturers of building products by developing

methods for evaluating innovative building materials. Individual projects may emphasize one or more of the

Center's typical activities in providing improved

knowledge, in usable form, to the building community.

Typical activities include: problem analysis to define and

characterize needs for improved building practices;

research to obtain vital new knowledge; technical problem solving to develop improved practices from the

best available knowledge; dissemination of results to users in the building community; and impact analysis to show how well the Center's work has met the building

community's needs and whether elements of the original

problem remain unresolved or new problems exist. In

all these activities the Center works closely with other

organizations in the building community which aid in the Center work or use its results. This report summarizes CBTs research for calendar

year 1976. Each summary lists the project title, its progress, point of contact within CBT, and sponsor.

This report supersedes the 1976 edition of SP446,

which covered the 1975 CBT projects.

The reader is encouraged to review two other

companion documents. NBS Special Publication 439,

The Center For Building Technology: A Perspective,

presents the faciUties and approaches to building research

at the Center. Special Publication 457- 1 , Building

Technology Publications 1976, lists and indexes

all recent reports published by CBT.

The summaries presented in this report are arranged

by subject-matter categories, such as Structural Studies,

Economics, and so on. These categories, however, were

selected merely to group like projects—not to reflect the

structure of the Center. CBT's organization is shown

below.

CENTER FOR BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

CENTER

OFFICE OF

BUILDING STANDARDS AND CODES SERVICES HEADQUARTERS

OFFICE OF

HOUSING AND

.BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

1

STRUCTURES, MATERIALS AND

SAFETY DIVISDN

BUILDING ENVIRONMENT

DIVISION

TECHNICAL EVALUATION & APPLICATION DIVISION

Stru ctures Section

Materials &

Composites

Section

Building Safety

Section

Thermal Engineering

Section

Mechanical

Systems

Section

Building Services

Section

Architectural Research

Section

Bu ilding Economics

Section

Sensory

Environment

Section
STRUCTURAL

39 Materials Standards: Cover Plates 40 Corrosion Of Metals

40 Performance Of Roofing

41 Properties Of Resaturated Roof Membranes

41 Roofing And Coating Research For The Department Of The

Army

42 Organic Coatings

42 Restoration And Preservation Technology

43 Lead-Paint Hazards

43 Aversive Coatings To Reduce Lead-Paint Poisoning

43 Nontoxic Yellow Traffic Striping

44 Effects Of Herbicides On Masonry Structures 44 Wood Foundations And Arsenic

45 Inorganic Building Materials

45 Nondestructive Evaluation Of Building Materials

47 Structural Reliability

47 Structural Modeling

48 The Shear Transfer Phenomenon In Reinforced Concrete

48 Update Excavation And Foundation Standards

49 In Situ Geotechnical Measurements

49 Provisions For Mine Subsidence Locations

49 Capacity Of Reinforced Masonry Shear Walls

50 Preparation Of The American National Standards Institute Standard A41, "Requirements For Masonry"

50 Fundamental Mechanisms Of Wind Loading

51 High Wind Study For Developing Countries

51 Administration Of The Secretariat, The American National

Standards Institute A58, "Building Code Requirements For

Minimum Design Loads In Buildings And Other Structures"

52 Improvement Of Honeycomb Cores

52 Evaluation Of Mobile Shelters 52 Fire-Resistant Structural Design

53 Fire Endurance Of Floor Constructions

DISASTER MITIGATION

55 Building Practices To Reduce Disaster Losses

55 Formulation Of Seismic Design Provisions

55 Earthquake-Resistant Masonry

ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH

SAFETY

58 Architectural Performance Factors In Energy Conservation

58 Architectural Aspects Of Windows

58 Human Behavior In Fires 59 Architect-In-Residence

59 Post-Occupancy Evaluation Of Government Buildings

61 Safety In Building Excavation

61 Safety In Concrete Building Construction

iv
MOBILE HOMES

61 Estimating The Strength Of Concrete

62 Participation In The American National Standards

Institute Committee A 10, "Safety Requirements For

Construction"

62 Slip Resistance

62 Stair Safety

63 Security Systems

63 Door And Window Security Demonstration

64 Electrical Distribution Systems

66 Energy Conservation In Mobile Homes

66 Participation In The American National Standards

Institute Committee A 11 9, "Mobile Homes And Recreation

Vehicles"

66 Wind Forces On Mobile Homes And Anchor Systems

CODES AND STANDARDS

68 Building Standards Development

68 Building Codes Services And Improvement

69 National Conference Of States On Building Codes And Standards

69 Research Conference On The Building Regulatory Process 70 Compilation Of The Laboratory Evaluation And Accreditation

Program

70 Coordinated Metric Dimensions For Building

71 National Institute Of Building Sciences: Technical Support

71 Model Documentation For Energy Standards

71 Performance Standards For Special And Innovative Construction

72 A Risk-Analysis Approach To Building Safety

HOUSING AND BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

74 Housing Technology

74 Federal Building Technology

74 Home Improvement Technology

75 International Building Research

75 Program Evaluation And Planning

75 Building Technology Information

76 Cooperative Training Program With Brazil 76 Technical And Scientific Support To The Tri-Services

Committee

77 The Department Of Housing And Urban Development Long

Range Research

77 The Department Of Housing And Urban Development Quick

Response Studies

V
"V
Energy

Conservation
ENERGY CONSERVATION PLANNING

Robert R .Jones -301 -921 -3892

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Under this project, energy conservation programs

are planned and energy conservation technology is promoted. Plans are developed to coincide with

programs at other Federal agencies, such as the Federal

Energy Administration, the Energy Research and

Development Administration, and the Department of

Housing and Urban Development. Center staff members

prepare background studies and analyses for interagency multidisciplinary projects. Energy program

planning efforts are presented to interested groups. In

this context, the Center's energy conservation research,

consultation, and technical advice reaches all segments

of the building community. Also, responses are made to requests for new research findings and reference data,

and for technical information.

PARTICIPATION IN THE AMERICAN The Center will participate on the American

SOCIETY OF HEATING, Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning

REFRIGERATING, AND AIR- Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90-75, "Energy

CONDITIONING ENGINEERS Conservation in New Buildings" Project Committee and

STANDARD 90- 75, " ENERGY its Sub-Panels, to provide interpretations on the current CONSERVATION IN NEW BUILDINGS" 90-75 Standard and to revise and update this standard.

The use of the standard throughout the building regulaFrank J .Powell -301 -921 -3637 tory community is a major goal.

Building Environment Division Previously, CBT developed the energy design

criteria that were published as Design and Evaluation

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards Criteria for Energy Conservation in New Buildings, which

present requirements for thermal resistance and air leakage in building envelopes and energy-saving

practices in mechanical and electrical design. These

criteria were used by ASHRAE and the Illuminating

Engineering Society, to develop Standard 90-75 of

ASHRAE. In its Standard 90 -75 Workbook, ASHRAE

cited the standard, promulgated in August of 1975, as

its "most significant contribution to our society."

Arthur D. Little Associates in a study under contract to the Federal Energy Administration (FEA) estimated the use of Standard 90-75 will save 60 percent of the energy used in office buildings. Further, construction

cost savings would be 63 cents per square foot. Additional costs of insulation and glazing are more than

counter-balanced by the savings in mechanical systems.

The State of Wisconsin adopted a portion of the standard and the State of Virginia adopted the entire standard. Michigan and New Jersey are considering the standard. An adaptation of 90-75 was developed by the Building Officials Conference of America, and a draft version was prepared for other model code groups by

the Board of Coordination of Model Codes. Proposed

regulations of the FEA cite the standard as a path to

eligibility for Federal assistance to States in energy conservation planning.

2
DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY

CONSERVATION STANDARDS FOR

EXISTING BUILDINGS, THE

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEATING,

REFRIGERATING AND AIRCONDITIONING ENGINEERS

STANDARD 100

Frank J .Powell -301 -921 -3637

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Because of the large number of existing buildings,

the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers Standard 100 may have a much

greater impact on the Nation's energy consumption than

standards for new buildings. Under this project, the

Center will play a leading role in generating technical

data for this standard. The results of other CBT

research will be especially helpful, in developing the

technical data by relying on such research activities as roofing, thermal insulation, and energy efficient building

services. This activity will also serve as a valuable link with CBT activities on performance-based standards for building energy conservation in new buildings.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT FOR

STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT

Jim L.Heldenbrand -301 -921 -3892

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsors: Department of Housing and

Urban Development,

Energy Research and

Development Administration

Conceptual models, economics and technical

data, and performance criteria do not come easily from

the mass of data that is being developed on the way

buildings use energy. This project is the management

framework under which these data will be developed for building energy performance standards and for manuals

of accepted practice for energy conservation in new

building design. The project provides for monitoring

and coordinating the research efforts to develop perfor- mance standards, appraising the sponsors of progress, and liaison with the building community and public

officials. Last year, the output of this project was a white paper on "Energy Conservation Standards" and a

draft of the split residential/commercial program.

Project management also chaired a task force working

group on national energy conservation standards and

made a presentation to the Energy Research Council

Task Force on Thermal Standards.

ENERGY BUDGET APPROACH TO

BUILDING STANDARDS

William L.Carroll -301 -921 -3503

Building Environment Division

Sponsors: Department of Housing and

Urban Development,

Energy Research and

Development Administration

This project is an integral part of the development of building energy performance standards. It approaches energy budgets by way of classification schemes for buildings, their service systems, their use and their environments, and the development of a calculation methodology. Likewise, significant climatic

parameters will be identified and coordinated with the

building classification parameters into an overall set of

building energy performance measures. Correlations

between climate parameters and energy consumption

will be developed. A methodology will be developed to determine the climate classification for actual typical

weather data for any particular location.

Finally, all these will be combined into an overall energy budget methodology, which will be described in several National Bureau of Standards reports: one for

residential buildings, one for commercial buildings, and

one covering the development of the methodology itself.

3
ENERGY USE IN BUILDING

OPERATIONS

S.Robert Hastings -301 -921 -3595

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsors: Energy Research and

Development Administration,

Department of Housing and

Urban Development

To develop realistic energy budgets, the effects of

user behavior on energy consumption must be

considered. This project will provide those data. It will collect and organize data on energy consumption in single-family residences and office buildings. Where

existing data are inadequate, methods will be designed

for collecting and evaluating new data. The results of

this project will be incorporated in the energy analyses

used in developing building energy performance standards and in predicting their energy impacts. In addition,

this project will assist in describing the architectural

(non-mechanical) characteristics of typical single-family

and attached residences, and typical office buildings.

Where it is difficult to describe the architectural

characteristics of a typical building, or to select prototypes for a particular building type, a special methodology will be provided.

PILOT TEST OF THE CONCEPTUAL

BUILDING ENERGY PERFORMANCE

STANDARDS DOCUMENT

Jim L . Heldenbrand -301 -921 -3892

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsors: Department of Housing and

Urban Development,

Energy Research and

Development Administration

This project will provide an early test of the

effects of new building energy performance standards.

Its purpose will be to validate the final approaches

selected by means of a pilot test by representative users: architects, engineers, builders, designers, financial

institutions, and building regulatory officials. An

important facet of the research will be user acceptance,

which is just as necessary to BEPS success as is its technical reliability.

ILLUMINATION CRITERIA FOR

BUILDINGS

Gary T. Yonemura -301 -921 -2177

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

The goal is to develop, test, and quantify the illu- mination required for visual performance in support of

building energy performance standards. Energy

consumed for artificial illumination also has a secondary

heat liberating effect on building heating and cooling

loads; this in turn can be a large factor in energy conservation for certain building types or climates.

WINDOW RESEARCH FOR ENERGY

CONSERVATION

Belinda Lowenhaupt Collins -301 -921 - 2177

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsors: Energy Research and

Development Administration,

Department of Housing and

Urban Development

The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive method for evaluating window performance in support of building energy performance standards. Key

objectives include quantification of the heat transfer properties of windows, identification of user requirements, development of a cost-benefit analysis, and

assessment of window design strategies to optimize

natural light and ventilation. Results from these analyses

will provide criteria and data for assessing the costs and

benefits of windows in the development of energy

budgets for new buildings.

4
COMPUTER PROGRAMS FOR ENERGY

ANALYSES

William L.Carroll -301 -921 -3503

Building Environment Division

Sponsors: Energy Research and

Development Administration,

Department of Housing and

Urban Development

This project will develop a set of computer

routines and programs that will allow energy budgets to be predicted for selected classes of commercial

buildings. In effect, this project provides the overall computational support to building energy performance

standards development. Although this project is just

beginning, today's understanding of building energy per- formance through computerized simulation will have to be advanced significantly before it is completed.

NATURAL VENTILATION FOR

ENERGY CONSERVATION

Charles M .Hunt -301 -921 -3512

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project will assess the energy savings and

comfort provided by controlled natural or forced

ventilation. The project also will develop guidelines for designing and retrofitting buildings with a view toward

the optimal use of the natural cooling effect of outdoor

air. Researchers will select a house and instrument it for measuring temperature distribution and relative humidity throughout. Inside-outside changes in pressure

also will be measured.

Tests are planned both in the Center's environmental chamber and in the natural environment. In the chamber, fans capable of producing air movement

between selected cross-ventilation sites equivalent to 0.1

to 5 air changes per hour will be used. Natural

ventilation between selected windows will be observed.

A ventilation model will be developed and tested

against experimental data. The results of this study will be made available to the public through the National

Bureau of Standards and outside publications such as the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers Journal. The technical data

developed under this program will be used in future energy conservation standards.

SUPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY

SERVICES ADMINISTRATION'S

WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE

PROGRAM

Richard W .Crenshaw -301 -921 -3595

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: Community Services Administration

The poor are often exposed to extreme temperatures or are forced to spend large amounts of their income for energy. Since the cost of energy is significantly increasing, the Federal government has begun a program to help these people retrofit their homes to reduce energy consumption.

The project is reviewing and evaluating the perfor- mance of the Community Services Administration's

program, providing technical assistance where possible,

and evaluating the effectiveness of various

weatherization techniques. Evaluation will consider

durability, cost, safety, user acceptance, energy savings,

and the best combinations of weatherization techniques.

5
EFFECTS OF RESOURCE IMPACT

FACTORS

Stephen F.Weber -301 -921 -3701

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

Public Law 94-385, "The Energy Conservation

and Production Act," calls for the development and implementation of performance standards for new

buildings to achieve the maximum practicable

improvements in energy efficiency. The performance

standards being developed at the Center are expected to take energy prices into account. Resource Impact

Factors (RIF's) are being suggested as a means of

accounting for environmental, social, institutional, and

national-interest issues related to energy resources. This

project addresses the question of whether the energy

prices used in determining the standards should be the

actual market prices or prices adjusted by RIF's. It is conceivable that the use of RIF's could lower the energy consumption allowed by the standard by as much as 40 percent.

The Center has completed a report sponsored by

the Federal Energy Administration entitled, The Effect of "Resource Impact Factors "on Energy Conservation

Standards for Buildings . Under the current project

sponsored by the Energy Research and Development

Administration, this report is being sent to a group of

over 80 readers selected from industry, building stand- ards committees, and government. These readers will be

asked for comments and suggestions to be incorporated

into a revised, more definitive version of the report. To

disseminate the research results, an article summarizing

and extending this work is to be published in Energy

and Building, a new international journal expected to have wide readership among architects, builders, standards and code officials, and all segments of the building

community.

ENERGY CONSERVATION IN

BLENDED CEMENT

James R .Clifton -301 -921 -3407

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

At present, portland cement manufacturers use almost 1 percent of the energy consumed in the United

States. The replacement of a portion of portland cement

by a suitable waste product such as fly ash will result in a substantial energy savings and also will alleviate waste

disposal problems. Electric utilities now produce about

30 million tons of fly ash annually. While blended

cements have seen only limited use in the United States,

their value has been demonstrated by extensive use in other industrialized countries.

In this project, the behavior of blended cements

containing fly ash and blast furnace slags will be

compared with those of portland cements to develop re- lationships between composition, microstructure, and

performance. The effect of the replacement materials on the alkali-aggregate reaction and the sulfate resistance of cements will be evaluated to provide a

basis for the development of needed durability perfor- mance tests and criteria. This work will be brought to the attention of the cement industry and cement users

6
through symposia and workshops on blended cements.

The Center is also participating on the American

Society for Testing and Materials committees concerned

with Cements (CI) and Waste Materials (E38).

Through this participation, CBT is playing an active role

in the establishment of performance tests and criteria for blended cements and for broadened use of waste

materials in construction.

7
Energy Conservation

in Communities
ENERGY CONSERVATION IN

COMMUNITIES

John D.Ryan -301 -921 -3741

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Communities offer unique opportunities for energy conservation. Interaction between buildings,

joint exchanges of energy and services, areawide management, and economies of scale all hold out the hope

of future savings. Unfortunately, such symbiotic aspects

have not been explored thoroughly. This project exists to fill that research void. Its general plan is first to outline the community's unique energy conservation

potential -- as distinct from that of individual buildings or industrial processes. The product will be a complete

program plan, with options, for the Center for Building

Technology and outside organizations concerned with

improved community services. During the planning

period, technical information exchange will include

workshops and seminars as well as publications.

MODULAR INTEGRATED UTILITY

SYSTEMS: SYSTEMS ANALYSIS

John D.Ryan -301 -921 -3741

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

From the Center's standpoint, Modular Integrated

Utility Systems (MIUS) is an experiment in total energy

management and conservation. As an experiment then

its operation needs to be continuously evaluated on a number of fronts: energy performance, economic performance, plant reliability, and environmental impact. Only

a good score in all these areas will promote the MIUS

concept. In its support role, the Center will be

preparing a number of analytical reports.

The data collected will be used as the basis for a comprehensive comparative evaluation of residential

total energy. This will include analysis of energy performance, environmental economic performance and plant

reliability. The evaluation will be based on impact

analysis of several alternative energy systems.

The comparative systems analysis will produce

monthly evaluations based on site loads and also aggregated evaluations, both actual and referenced to "standard" operations (i.e., typical weather, ideal component performance, etc.) The economic analysis

will produce monthly cost data and also aggregated life- cycle cost and profitability analyses. The environmental

analysis will include combustion and cooling towers,

emissions and noise impacts in a comparative

framework.

MODULAR INTEGRATED UTILITY

SYSTEMS: DEMONSTRATION

John R.Schaefgen -301 -921 -3741

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

This demonstration is intended to actualize the

Modular Integrated Utility Systems (MIUS) concept and

to obtain sufficient data to permit investors to appraise

its cost-effectiveness and risks. Its key objectives are: the collection and analysis of data on the financial per- formance of MIUS; a chronicle and evaluation of the

institutional impediments to the implementation of

MIUS; collection and analysis of data on the technical

performance of MIUS compared with available alterna9
lives; analysis of site utility demand characteristics; and

an analysis of the environmental effects of MIUS

discharges.

The approach is to construct a MIUS

demonstration facility in the new community at St. Charles, Maryland starting in 1977. It will provide

electric power, heating and cooling, domestic hot water,

wastewater processing, and solid waste management

with energy recovery to approximately 700 dwelling

units and 18,580 square meters of commercial shopping

center and other space, as well as a 8,360 square meter

school. CBT will evaluate the institutional impediments

to MIUS and design the measurement system, collect and analyze the data, and evaluate MIUS.

MODULAR INTEGRATED UTILITY

SYSTEMS: TOTAL ENERGY SYSTEM

C.Warren Hurley -301 -921 -3521

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

The objective of this project is to measure the per- formance of the Jersey City Summit Plaza, Total Energy

System. The work involves the operation, and mainte- nance of a data-aquisition system. During the project, some 300 system parameters will be monitored at 5-minute intervals by a data acquisition system. The

monitoring will provide information about on-site

electrical and thermal loads (heating, cooling, and hot

water), service reliability, component efficiency, and

fuel consumption. The information is collected on computer tape at the test facility and analyzed at the National Bureau of Standards.

STANDARDS FOR SOLID WASTE

SAMPLING

David J .Mitchell -301 -921 -3293

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Energy recovery from solid waste is a promising

alternative and partial solution to the solid waste problem. Before it can be counted on, however, much

research is needed. This project is part of that research.

It will develop accurate laboratory test procedures,

methods of measurement and sampling techniques for

solid wastes (refuse), and determine the resource recovery and calorific heating values for refuse derived

fuels (RDF). The project's first activities will be the pre- paration of samples for tests by bomb calorimetry

specialists. Since the Department of Housing and Urban

Development intends to make the Modular Integrated

Utility Systems approach commercially viable, these laboratory efforts must provide the foundation for measurements of integrated (as well as free standing)

incineration systems. This work will focus on guideline

criteria for sampling, which will be required if RDF is ever to be a commercial success.

10
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MIXENERGY SYSTEMS PROGRAM

TECHNICAL ADVISORY SUPPORT

Clinton W .Phillips -301 -921 -3741

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

The Center is providing technical assistance to the Argonne National Laboratory's Program Planning

Committee and its technical sub-committees on the Advanced Technology Mix-Energy Systems (ATMES)

Program. This program examines the present need, the

available technology and recommends the needed

research to the Energy Research and Development

Administration (ERDA). Emphasis is on optimizing the community characterization and community integrated

utility system.

NBS participation in this project will help

produce technical results that will be incorporated into ATMES/ERDA published reports. For example, the

Center's work on the integrated utility system simulation program will be made available to the design profession.

11
0^

*f3

t

! Solar Energy
SOLAR ENERGY RESEARCH FOR THE

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Robert D . Dikkers -301 -921 -3285

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

The Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration

Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-409), and related Federal

legislation provides for the Department of Housing and

Urban Development (HUD), the Energy Research and

Development Administration (ERDA), and other

Federal agencies to design, develop, and demonstrate

solar heating and cooling applications in buildings. To

aid participating agencies and other interested groups in the conduct of the Federal solar energy program, a National Plan for the Solar Heating and Cooling of

Buildings Program, ERDA 76-6, has been prepared and

published by ERDA.

In brief. Public Law 93-409 and ERDA 76-6

specify that HUD will use the research and technical

support of the National Bureau of Standards in its solar programs. For example, last year the Center developed

an interim document. Intermediate Minimum Property

Standards for Solar Heating and Domestic Hot Water

Systems, which when finalized in 1977 will serve as a companion to the Federal Housing Administration

Minimum Property Standards, the basis for mortgage

insurance under a number of HUD housing programs.

Other activities under this project include: (1)

developing plans to define technical data needed to evaluate system performance; (2) establishing a data

center for the storage, processing and dissemination of

technical and non-technical non-instrumentation data;

(3) monitoring and evaluating data obtained from solar

residential demonstration projects; and (4) preparing

improved performance criteria for solar equipment and

dwellings.

SOLAR ENERGY STANDARDS

James E.Hill -301 -921 -3512

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

The goal of this project is to participate in the

development of new standards associated with solar heating and cooling systems and components and to apply the results of the Center's solar energy research in an effective way. During the past fiscal year, a Center

for Building Technology staff member participated on

two separate committees of the American Society of

Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,

which drafted standards for testing and rating solar

collectors and thermal storage devices, respectively.

Two draft standards were completed in June 1976 and

were submitted to the Society membership for vote. A

second member served as Chairman of the American

Society for Testing and Materials Subcommittee

E21.10, "Solar Energy Utilization," which was

organized to identify and draft standards. A list of highpriority standards was completed and work began on

the drafting of several of them in the areas of durability

and reliability.

13
TEST METHODS FOR SOLAR

COMPONENTS

James E.Hill -301 -921 -3512

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

Under this project, the Center is designing,

developing, and publishing the test methods that will be

used on solar collectors and thermal storage devices. The test methods specify the apparatus, instrumentation, and detailed procedures for each device. For each

type of product, the Center constructed the test equipment and is continuing to determine how it might

be improved. Such test procedures are needed to compare the performance of solar components on a common and equitable basis, as is done with fuel- burning equipment, air conditioners, and heat pumps.

Standard test procedures will not only make possible a

basis for selecting products, but will provide a basis for the next generation of design.

Based on Center test methods, the American

Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning

Engineers (ASHRAE) versions of the tests were

approved by the 30,000 members of the Society as ASHRAE Standards 93-77 and 94-77.

TESTING OF RETROFITTED SOLAR

HEATING, VENTILATING, AND AIRCONDITIONING SYSTEM

James E.Hill -301 -921 -3512

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

A solar heating and cooling system has been

designed and installed in a four-bedroom house on the National Bureau of Standards grounds. This project

involves the operation, data acquisition, and evaluation

of the solar energy system. Measured data will be

compared with predicted data for several operation

modes to determine the adequacy of the analytical

models to predict fossil fuel savings. The solar system

consists of flat-plate collectors with water/ethylene

glycol as the transfer fluid, water storage, and an

absorption air conditioner within the existing forced-air

system of the house. The approach is to evaluate the

system during typical summer and winter operation and

compare it with predicted performance.

During this year, the first year's test data and

operating experience are being published. The publication will include comparison of measured and predicted

results as well as a comparison with test data taken

previously when the house was equipped with

conventional equipment. Further experimentation will be done with a modified system (new solar collector panels added) to examine alternate operating and

control strategies that minimize the use of auxiliary energy.

GSA/ MANCHESTER SOLAR A federal office building was designed and

EVALUATION constructed in Manchester, New Hampshire to provide

a laboratory for the installation of both recognized and

James E .Hill -301 -921 -3512 innovative energy conservation technologies.

Building Environment Division jhe construction of the building was completed

in September 1976. It is seven floors tall, with a twoSponsor.- Energy Research and level basement parking garage, located on a site of

Development Administration about 3,600 m^ (40,000 ft^ ) in downtown Manchester.

14
Four separate arrays of solar collectors are mounted on

the roof of the building. They will be used to heat water

or a water-ethylene glycol solution; the energy will be

used to supplement the conventional energy sources in the building for heating, cooling, and hot water. The plan for this project is to initially test at least one individual panel in each of the four arrays to determine to what extent the collector performance

meets or exceeds the requirements in the original

purchase specification. Following this, performance data

will be gathered on the entire collector array over at

least two heating and two cooling seasons to determine

the contribution made by the solar subsystem in reducing requirements for fossil fuels.

COMMERCIAL SOLAR ENERGY

DEMONSTRATION

Robert D.Dikkers -301 -921 -3285

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

Under this project, an interdisciplinary team of

Center personnel is participating in the preparation of

draft standards and performance criteria and in the

evaluation of commercial applications of solar heating

and cooling. As an overall approach to the use of solar heating and cooling, it covers many areas: comparisons

of actual with predicted solar system and component

thermal performance; the evaluation of operational

problems (accidents, equipment failures, substandard

performance); the examination of institutional constraints (code problems); development of improved

performance criteria for solar systems and commercial

buildings, preparation of plans to develop and

implement standards; and the review and monitoring of

tests and evaluations of solar equipment.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON

SOLAR ENERGY

Elmer R.Streed -301 -921 -3503

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

Most countries of the world are investigating the promise of solar energy. But all this activity, in a

relatively new field, could lead to confusion and

duplication unless international standards are developed

for terminology, testing, materials, and performance.

This project deals with the exchange of technical infor- mation and the joint conduct of the following three

subprojects: ( 1 ) investigation of solar heating and

cooling systems; (2) coordination of research and devel- opment on solar heating and cooling components; and

(3) performance testing of solar collectors.

15
Economics
TECHNIQUES FOR ECONOMIC

EVALUATION

Harold E .Marshall -301 -921 -3701

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The goal of this project is to develop, refine, and

apply some of the theories and methods of benefit-cost

analysis, risk-benefit analysis, and life-cycle costing to building evaluations, and to make this information

available to the building community. To reach the goal,

improved analysis techniques will be applied in the areas of energy conservation in buildings, evaluations of

building codes, and in other high-interest areas. Results

will be published in media that will have impact on the building community. Last year, the project published

eight articles in economics and building journals;

completed three major reports and lectures; published

seven papers in the Proceedings of the Purdue

University Conference on Heating, Ventilating, and Air- Conditioning Equipment and Components for Buildings;

and conducted a Federal Workshop on Building

Economics. Similar work will result from this year's

work on the economics of solar heating and cooling,

building codes, reducedsized venting, and energy conservation.

UNIFORM LIFE- CYCLE COSTS

Rosalie T . Ruegg -301 -921 -3701

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

A recent Government Accounting Office report

to Congress virtually demanded the use of Life-Cycle

Costing (LCC) in the evaluation of all Federal projects.

The Center for Building Technology is taking the lead

in the development of LCC methods and their application to buildings. The LCC concept is the only thorough

and reliable way to make rational decisions about

acquiring new space: Is leasing, construction, or

renovation the best method? Further, as a result of the energy crisis, the need to take a life-cycle approach that takes into account energy use as well as first costs is particularly urgent. Project results will be made

available to Federal agencies, building researchers, and

other interested parties. The researchers will also participate in workshops, briefings, seminars, and professional meetings.

ECONOMICS IN ENERGY STANDARDS

Stephen R.Petersen -301 -921 -3701

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

This project will provide analytical support to the

building energy performance standards program (see

Energy Conservation Section), including overall framework development, building construction cost

data, and life-cycle cost analysis of energy-related

building operations. The technical challenge is to provide a straightforward methodology for use in optimizing new building designs for energy conservation

as a function of climate, fuel costs, and other variables

that can influence building energy use. Together with

the cost data and energy savings data, a great deal of

design information is being made available to help

minimize potential life-cycle building costs at the design

stage.

17
THE ECONOMICS OF WINDOW

DESIGN

Rosalie T.Ruegg -301 -921 -3701

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The capital and maintenance costs of windows, as well as their psychological benefits and costs, are important to the overall efficiency of window selection. This economic analysis of windows will provide a more

complete approach to the optimal selection of windows.

Economists from the Center will develop a life-cycle cost model for analyzing alternative window characteristics, in a given application, in terms of the combined

net effect of thermal, construction, and maintenance

costs. Using thermal data developed by the Center's

Thermal Engineering Systems Section, and costs of alter- native window characteristics described by the Center's

Architectural Research Section, the life-cycle cost model will be exercised for selected window applications. Measures of psychological benefits and costs

identified by the Center's Sensory Environment Section

will also be related to the life-cycle costs.

THE COSTS OF RECYCLING

BUILDINGS

Stephen F . Weber -301 -921 -3701

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Millions of dollars are spent by builders each year

to demolish existing buildings and to replace them with new buildings. Millions of dollars also are spent by

municipal governments to upgrade public utilities and

services to meet the changed demands brought about by new construction. Large costs in terms of traffic delays,

congestion, and disruption of commerce result from new construction in areas of high land use. The question is: Is all this necessary? To answer

that, the Center will identify and suggest ways of

measuring the life-cycle cost impacts of recycling and new construction on communities, and prepare a report

for use by others facing such a decision. Further, the impacts will be developed for three levels of recycling ~

making additions, interior gutting, and component re- placements with cosmetic improvements - for estimating the dollar costs of resource expenditure. In a recent National Symposium for the Building

Community, recycling was termed "the wave of the

future," and the need for life-cycle information to guide

members of the building community was deemed

critical.

It is urgent that the question be addressed now

because the scarcity of capital funds, fuel, and building

materials is causing communities increasingly to seek means of economizing in the provision of public

services. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF LEADPAINT ABATEMENT TECHNIQUES

Robert E .Chapman -301 -921 -3701

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

Lead paint abatement techniques differ not only

in their efficiency at removing the hazard from the envir- onment, but also in their installation and maintenance

costs. Thus, the choice of abatement technique is neither readily apparent nor easily determined. This

study will help the urban planner make the choice

among abatement techniques for a given set of

constraints (e.g., surface type, substrate condition, or occupancy status) by providing an analysis of costs and

18
by relating those costs to the performance levels of alter- native techniques. The project results so far were

published as "Economic Analysis of Experimental Lead

Paint Abatement Methods: Phase I," which analyzes the key factors in the determination of cost based on

empirical cost data and a method for identifying and

measuring variations in a abatement method cost. An

article, "Lead Paint Poisoning: A Closer Look at the

Costs," which describes the cost procedure, recently

appeared in the Journal of Housing .

ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF LEAD

PAINT ABATEMENT

Joseph G .Kowalski -301 -921 -3701

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

Mandatory abatement of the lead paint hazard

would conceivably cost over $20 billion. But the repair

and remodeling industry's gross output in 1975 was only

$25 billion. Thus lead paint abatement could have an enormous impact on this important sector of the housing industry. However, lead paint abatement

investments could be associated with benefits well in excess of their costs, or benefit levels could be so low as

to justify no investments. Until procedures are developed that can be used for measuring benefits, the optimal level of abatement remains unknown. This

project will gather data on the causes and consequences

of elevated lead levels in the blood. Second, a model

relating the benefits and costs of lead paint abatement

will be developed. Third, estimates of the benefits and

costs of lead paint abatement will be made for a representative local housing submarket in order to test the model and to determine the range of confidence

that can be placed around benefit estimates. Finally,

economists will identify additional research required to narrow the range of the benefit estimates.

19
Thermal Studies
THERMAL MEASUREMENT

TECHNOLOGY

Chock I.Siu -301 -921 -3503

Building Environment Division

Sponsors: National Bureau of Standards,

Department of Housing and

Urban Development

Three areas of thermal engineering measurement

are being pursued in this project. The first is a new and

improved guarded-hot-plate apparatus for use as an

absolute method of measuring the thermal conductivity

of insulation and building materials. This apparatus is to replace the present apparatus (circa 1937) now

approved by the American Society for Testing and

Materials Standard. The second area of research is that of thermal comfort measurement. Here the emphasis

has been on the scanning radiometer as a measuring

device. The third area is air infiltration measurements,

an area where the center is contributing to the developing and testing of both the infiltrometer (sulfur

hexafluoride as a tracer) and the permeameter. The

technical data developed under this project will be

incorporated into standards for thermal conductivity

measurements and for air infiltration measurements.

Results are made available through the Center's publications and those of the American Society of Heating,

Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. A

symposium on the development of thermal comfort data

will present the project's outcome to the public.

ATTIC VENTILATION STUDIES

Chock l.Siu -301 -921 -3503

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Although it has been commonly accepted that

attic temperature during hot summer days can be significantly reduced by attic fans, their effectiveness as an

energy conservation measure has been questioned. This

project exists to answer that question. Its test bed will be an instrumented house at Twin Rivers, New Jersey.

To be measured during the tests are the energy con- sumption for cooling, airflow through the attic, air leakage in the room below (with and without fan),

outdoor temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and

wind speed and direction. Temperatures at four or more

different locations will be measured at several levels. Heat flux meters will be used to measure the ceiling

heat flow under fan-off and fan-on conditions.

Separately, in the case of air-conditioning ducts in the

attic space, duct airflow and the temperature rise in the

duct will be measured to assess the heat gain into the supply and return air streams. The output of this study

will be published by the National Bureau of Standards, an excerpt of which also will be published in the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air- Conditioning Engineers Transactions. The data

developed will impact building energy performance

standards.

21
THE LATENT COOLING

PERFORMANCE OF A FAN- COIL UNIT

James Kao -301 -921 -3521

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: Tri -Services Committee of the Department of Defense

In many military dormitories and family housing

units, space cooling is provided by fan-coil units having

low latent load capacity. When these units are used in Gulf Coast regions having high outdoor dew point temperatures [averaging 21 to 24° C (70 to 75° F)], insuffi- cient moisture is removed from the indoor air. Air

infiltration processes continually introduce moistureladen outdoor air into the building. The result is that condensation forms on cold indoor surfaces whenever

the fan-coil unit operates. The moisture then leads to mildew, fungus growth, and moisture damage.

Indoor summer condensation problems can be

remedied by modifying certain operating parameters of

the fan-coil units to increase their latent load capacities.

However, information provided by fan-coil unit manufacturers is not sufficient to perform these

modifications.

The experimental plan is to instrument a fan-coil

unit in a room-sized environmental chamber. The envir- onmental chamber would simulate various indoor

conditions when the fan-coil unit was operated under

steady-state conditions. Certain operating parameters of

the fan-coil unit such as chilled water temperature,

chilled water flow rate, and airflow rate across the coil would be varied, and the effect of these operating pa- rameters on the latent load capacity of the fan-coil unit would be investigated.

AIR FORCE ENERGY CONSERVATION

HANDBOOK

Douglas M .Burch -301 -921 -3512

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: United States Air Force

To reduce spiraling energy costs, the Air Force

needs an energy conservation program that can be

easily applied to utility systems and buildings on its many bases. To help them with such a program, the Center is developing a 2-volume handbook specifically

for Air Force needs and energy problems. It will cover

adjustments to central heating plants, distribution systems, and building equipment. Other areas include

power factors, waste heat recovery, lighting, hot water

heating and cooling. Volume I will be targeted for baselevel managers and will contain management guidelines on energy conservation. Volume II will be targeted for base-level engineers and technical personnel and will contain detailed technical material and advice on

energy conservation.

GROUND FLOOR HEAT LOSS

Douglas M .Burch -301 -921 -3512

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Ground floor heat loss is thought to represent a

small fraction of the total heat loss of a home. And yet

what we now know about this phenomenon is based on

a very small amount of research. To reduce our

uncertainty about this heat loss - in an age that has

become suddenly energy conscious - this project will be

an analytical investigation of heat loss characteristics

22
from below-grade basements and slabs-on-grade using a mathematical simulation and a finite-difference-solution technique. Design heat-loss factors will be determined

for a range of earth conductivities, different amounts

and positions of edge insulation, and floor dimensions.

THERMAL ASPECTS OF WINDOWS

Tamami Kusuda -301 -921 -3501

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The approach to thermal-related aspects of

windows is to relate artificial lighting and energy requirements to the solar thermal and daylight characteristics of selected window types. Data compatible with the

Bureau's Load Determination Program will be gathered.

These will permit researchers to determine the effect of

any window type on the total energy consumption of

any building. Last year, extensive calculations were made to analyze net energy transfer through windows of

different sizes and designs. The calculations included

the daylight trade-off, fenestration management (control

of shading and insulation), and nighttime thermostat

setback. This year, the project will prepare thermal

guidelines for architects and will participate in a Federal

workshop on window research.

HEAT TRANSFER IN THERMAL

ENERGY STORAGE

Bradley A.Peavy -301 -921 -3503

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The storage of heat for later use is an important

factor in lowering the Nation's energy dependence. To

this end, analytical models will be needed to study the thermal performance of such thermal storage devices as air-rock and water-sand. In addition, studies need to be

undertaken to understand the potential for using these

devices underground in large earth masses. To date, a

scale model of a wet-sand system has been built; its actual thermal storage capacity is being used to fine- tune the theoretical model. Similar work is underway

with an air-rock system. Preliminary results of the work

are being published in Solar Energy, 1976 and the research results will be used in the updating of

American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers Standard 94-77, "Methods of

Testing Thermal Storage Devices Based Thermal

Performance."

PERFORMANCE OF INSULATED

BUILDING ELEMENTS

Chock I.Siu -301 -921 -3503

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Under this project, CBT will develop and

construct a laboratory apparatus for studying the heattransfer properties of large parts of buildings (wall, roof,

ceiling, floor, and combinations) under static or dynamic environmental conditions. The project is being

undertaken for two reasons: to provide bases for nationally accepted standard test methods and to provide reliable data on this particular area of heat

transfer.

23
AIR INFILTRATION IN REACTOR This project will measure the air leakage of

CONTROL ROOMS atomic power plant control rooms by the use of sulfur hexafluoride (SF^) tracer gas. At present, there is no es- Charles M .Hunt -301 -921 -3512 tablished procedure for measuring the air leakage into a Building Environment Division control room operating in the emergency mode -- shut

off from its surroundings. However, CBT has developed

Sponsor: Nuclear Regulatory Commission a SFg tracer gas technique, which is well suited to this task. The rate of dilution of SF^ (in parts-per-billion) is used to estimate the air infiltration rate. Control rooms

at Beaver Valley, Pennsylvania, and Brown's Ferry,

Alabama, have been visited and specific measurements

and sampling problems identified. Leakage rate measure- ments were made at Beaver Valley and a letter report was sent to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Smallscale tests of possible loss of tracer by absorption on

concrete or plaster also were made prior to full-scale

tests in a control room. The full scale study of Brown's

Ferry will begin this year.

PARTICIPATION IN THE AMERICAN

SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND

MATERIALS COMMITTEE C16,

" THERMAL INSULATION"

Frank J .Powell -301 -921 -3637

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Under the project, CBT participates in the work

of the American Society for Testing and Materials

(ASTM) Committee CI 6, "Thermal Insulation," to

assist them in the development of consensus standards on the characteristics and performance of thermal insulation. Also, there is some controversy concerning

ASTM methods for testing thermal performance of insulation. It is the responsibility of CBT to assist in the

resolution of these measurement discrepancies and to take the initiative in developing new test methods that determine thermal performance more accurately.

Special emphasis is given to broadcasting the results of

CBT research through their incorporation in standards.

24
Mechanical Systems
OIL BURNER ENERGY CBT research has found that significant energy

CONSERVATION and dollar savings are possible through oil burner

modifications. In field work involving 429 oil burners, it George E .Kelly -301 -921 -3521 ^as determined that tuneups improved average steadyBuilding Environment Division state efficiency from 74.2 to 76.1 percent. This

translates to a seasonal fuel savings of about 3 percent.

Sponsor: Federal Energy Administration Moreover, virtually all the units were found to be

oversized in relation to design heating requirements.

Other simple retrofitting changes have been found to have fuel savings ranging from 8 to 21 percent. A

homeowner's brochure and a serviceman's guide to reducing the nozzle size on oversized units have been

written and are now being published. The Center will soon continue this work with evaluations of the

installation of sealed combustion systems, stack dampers, flue restrictors, heat reclaimers, and blue- flame burners. This will involve a field study to evaluate

the pre-retrofit performance of a number of heating

systems, the installation of one or more retrofit options,

and a reevaluation of the oil burner's performance.

ENERGY USAGE IN HOUSEHOLD

APPLIANCES

Richard A .Grot -301 -921 -3293

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: Federal Energy Administration

This project will gather actual performance data on the energy usage of major household appliances in a

series of six townhouses at Twin Rivers, New Jersey.

The data-logging and computer equipment is now

installed and its output will be compiled into a report on winter seasonal performance and summer seasonal

performance. Overall, the output of the project will be a

reliable data base to be used in standardized appliance

testing to support the energy labeling program.

APPLIANCE ENERGY LABELING

George E .Kelly -301 -921 -3521

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: Federal Energy Administration

Over the years, certain consumer products have

become known as "energy hogs." Moreover, critical in- formation on energy consumption has been denied to buyers because there was no way of evaluating the operational and energy costs of such appliances. Today,

however, the Center is developing laboratory tests, computer models, and calculation procedures to predict

the dynamic and seasonal performance of furnaces, hot water boilers, central air-conditioners, and heat pumps.

Close contact is being maintained with various

manufacturers and standards writing organizations to ensure the accuracy, fairness, and acceptability of these

standards. By such interaction, it is hoped that the recommended procedures will be readily adopted as consensus standards by such organizations as the American National Standards Institute, Air-Condition

and Refrigeration Institute, American Society of

Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers,

and American Gas Association. The draft test and

calculation procedures will be given to the Federal

26
Energy Administration, which is required by law to publish test procedures for manufacturers to use in labeling their products. Then, the Federal Trade

Commission will decide upon the type of label to be

placed on each product.

PART- LOAD HEATING,

VENTILATING, AND AIRCONDITIONING EQUIPMENT (LARGE

BOILERS)

Joseph Chi -301 -921 -3521

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project is developing test methods in support

of consensus standards for part-load performance and

rating of building heating and cooling equipment,

particularly for industrial boilers. At present, equipment

performance ratings are based on steady-state test methods. This has led to a continuing dispute on their actual field performance. Ultimately, laboratory

methods that more closely simulate field performance

will be necessary if manufacturers are to accurately rate

their equipment under part-load operation. Part-load

ratings will in turn allow designers to use the most

energy effective equipment and to design more efficient systems.Last year, laboratory studies were performed on

the dynamic performance of a nonmodulating gas-fired

boiler. A test rig was constructed for furnaces and part- load performance testing of a gas-fired furnace and an

oil-fired furnace began in the laboratory. A

mathematical model was developed to predict the part

load and seasonal performance of nonmodulating

boilers. During this year, the Center will complete the process of generalizing its boiler model to large

commercial and industrial boilers and compare

predicted performance with experimental results available on total energy boilers. The results of this work will be published and presented to the American

Boiler Manufacturers Association for their use.

EVALUATION OF THE STIRLING

ENGINE

David A . Didion -301 -921 -2994

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The performance of the Stirling engine to date

has been solely measured by its manufacturer and was

generally oriented toward transportation applications.

Therefore, a laboratory evaluation of a prototype engine

(10 horsepower) is underway in this project to verify

claims under total energy application conditions.

Conclusions from this laboratory evaluation will be used

to verify or modify manufacturer's performance claims

for the larger total energy engines.

The 10-horsepower Stirling engine has already

been set up in the laboratory and most of the data

collected. In addition, a first cut at mathematically

modelling the Jersey City Total Energy site (with its diesel generator sets) has been completed. The analysis

of both these efforts and the report writing remains.

The report and conclusions will be forwarded to those

industry and Government groups with an interest in

27
Total Energy and Stirling engine systems: the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Energy Research and Development Administration, the Department of Defense, Philips Corporation, General

Electric, the American Gas Association, and selected design firms.

COMPUTER CONTROL OF HEATING, Early on, the National Bureau of Standards

VENTILATING, AND AIR- (NBS) realized that its own campus -- including numerous buildings and laboratories of various sizes —

was a national laboratory for developing energy conser- David A .Didion -301 -921 -2994 vation techniques -- especially those that promise

Building Environment Division savings to large government and industrial consumers.

Earlier Center programs have already accounted for a Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards nearly 20 percent savings in fuel consumption. Under

this project, a central computer control facility is being

installed to save a further 20 percent in one test building. The computer will allow a closely timephrased control and shutdown of all external air during

hours when the building is not occupied (for a savings

of 28 percent); will give enthalpy control of all external

air (for a 12 percent savings); and off-coil temperature

re-set (15 percent). Eventually, these techniques will be

applied to all the NBS buildings in Gaithersburg as well

as other Federal buildings nationwide.

28
Plumbing
TECHNOLOGY OF WATER Many answers have been suggested for the CONSERVATION problem of water shortages. Two frequently mentioned

are ( 1 ) matching the supply water quality to the usage

Mary Jane Orloski -301 -921 -3293 ^j^h a dual-pipe supply system, and (2) technological

Building Environment Division innovation such as reduced-flow systems and fixtures. However, before such techniques can be depended

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards upon, a rigorous testing program must be undertaken to evaluate the claims of the new systems and their impact on the users. For example, a recently marketed

reduced-flow toilet had to be flushed twice for hygenic

reasons, thereby doubling its water consumption. This

project, then, will undertake a number of tasks: establish an evaluation matrix for immediate application

to the wide variety of water and energy conserving

systems and fixtures; prepare performance evaluation

testing procedures for classes of devices; conduct

selected testing of water economy measures; determine

base-line demand from field studies in instrumented

dwellings; and prepare laboratory simulations of usage

patterns. The results of the work will be made available

to manufacturers and code groups alike, as well as to conservation organizations and the utilities.

PLUMBING SYSTEMS DESIGN

CRITERIA

Paul A.Kopetka -301 -921 -3293

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project is the core activity studying the total water supply distribution and wastewater drainage for

buildings. It aims at providing the technical basis for the American National Standards Institute A40

Performance-Based "National Plumbing Code." The

economic cost benefits derived from laboratory

reduced-size vent findings are being accepted in the

building community; model code amendments have

been drafted based upon CBT recommendations. The

validity of a new plumbing vent performance standard

that protects the public is now being demonstrated in the field. The 40-year-old Hunter Water-Demand

Design Curves are also being updated. These and other

activities are continuing, with special emphasis this year on storm drainage criteria. The outcome of this research are reports that constitute a major source of

plumbing data for national and international groups.

Presentations of technical findings are made at wide

variety of meetings, and to the American Society of

Plumbing Engineers, American Society of Sanitary

Engineering, the National Conference of States on

Building Codes and Standards, Federal Workshops, and

Federal Agency planning groups.

30
PARTICIPATION ON THE AMERICAN

NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE

STANDARD A40, " THE NATIONAL

PLUMBING CODE"

Lawrence S .Galowin -301 -921 -3293

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard A40, "National Plumbing Code," was

last revised in 1955 and is in serious need of upgrading.

The Center for Building Technology (CBT)

participation on this standards committee is an

opportunity for CBT to be influential in the language

adopted in the code, particularly as related to the perfor- mance approach. The impact of the new code will fall directly upon the financial interests for developers,

builders, and users of residential, commercial, and

industrial buildings. The interactions with other water

supply and drainage engineers, inspectors, designers,

and contractors provide special situations for direct exchange of needs and for problems to be investigated

in laboratory projects.

LIQUID WASTE MANAGEMENT

RESEARCH

Richard A.Symuleski -301 -921 -3293

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Water quality problems have in some areas brought a complete halt to building. At present, the

building industry has a need for a longer look at the

problems and solutions of wastewater treatment. The

project will survey all liquid-waste disposal methods and

will develop a series of manuals and guidelines.

Together, these sources will constitute an information

base that the developer, municipal official, planner, and

general public alike can use in determining the alternatives available in providing new housing with environmentally sound wastewater management plans.

CRITERIA FOR WATER SERVICES

Richard A .Symuleski -301 -921 -3293

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The National Sanitation Foundation has recently

formed a committee to develop information about

suspected contamination of water from polyvinyl

chloride piping materials. Current CBT activity in the Modular Integrated Utility Systems demonstration has

identified the need to determine the measurement tech- nology and quality criteria necessary for nonpotable

water reuse. The problems of known contaminants of

organic, inorganic, and biological content entering

water supplies from fixtures and piping materials (e.g.,

heavy metals, leachates from plastics, lead from joints

and packing) require precise measurement. This project

is a first attempt to evaluate the quality of such water at the tap. It will determine required levels of precision

and statistical validity of measurements to satisfy

prescribed water quality criteria, evaluate gas

chromatography as a measurement technology, and

recommend possible strategies for automation of

evaluated test methods for laboratory and field applications. This project produced the paper "An Evaluation

of the Applicability of Pyrolysis-Gas-Liquid

Chromatography for the Identification of

Microorganisms in Water and Sewage Treatment Plant

Effluents," which was presented at the Third National

Conference on Complete Water Reuse.

31
Sensory Environment
WINDOW RESEARCH: DESIGN

Belinda Lowenhaupt Collins -301 -921 - 2177

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project covers the behavioral aspects of

CRT's multidisciplinary study of windows. Ahhough the

simplest solution for reducing energy consumption

might be the total elimination of the window, this may

not always be desirable from the standpoint of the user, the designer, or the engineer. As a result, the benefits

and drawbacks of windows must be specified in many

terms before design criteria can be developed.

A CBT survey of the importance people hold for windows has brought together for the first time a wide

variety of information on the subject. This information was published as Building Science Series 70, Windows

and People: A Literature Survey .The study found that one function performed by a window is the addition of

a dynamic, active quality to an interior environment.

Other functions are to give a view to the outside world

and contribute to room spaciousness. The broad appeal

of this review is suggested by the fact that it has been

republished in the United Kingdom, Italy, and France

(as Les fenetres et les gens) .

ENVIRONMENTAL SIMULATOR

Robert A .Glass -301 -921 -2177

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

Under this project, a mobile energy conservation

laboratory will be built. The laboratory will enable

studies of the thermal and visual characteristics of

spaces - with and without windows, and with windows

of different types and sizes. The flexibility of the laboratory will enable us to study the effect of various

orientations of a window on daylight and heat-transfer. The advantage of the proposed simulator over existing

laboratory apparatus is the ability to investigate the

combined effects of solar radiation, wind pressures, temperature, and rainfall of actual outdoor conditions on

the indoor environment and on exterior wall elements,

and, more important, on windows. This facility will also permit behavioral studies to be performed in areas such

as human reactions to window configurations.

NOISE IN AND AROUND BUILDINGS

Simone L .Yaniv -301 -921 -2177

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project is designed to uncover the human

response to noise in buildings. It is generally agreed that human response to noise depends upon three parameters: its amplitude, its frequency spectrum, and the

variations of both of these quantities with time. To

describe the noise environment, these three parameters

must be combined. The result is a psychophysical scale and algorithm that relates the noise parameters to a

subjective response. The function actually used in developing the psychophysical scale and algorithm

depends upon which aspects of the response and the

noise are considered to be most important. Since this selection is made on the basis of a human judgment, it

is not surprising that there are numerous such scales (at

33
least 35), each reflecting the particular idiosyncracies of

the researcher and his subjects.

This project is designed to evaluate existing scales

to determine their relative importance and effectiveness

in developing appropriate acoustical ratings for building

environments ones which will satisfy the needs for

quiet. The work will impact new building construction

of all types since it will contribute to the development

of codes, standards, and regulations for acoustical

properties of both rooms and buildings.

COLOR APPEARANCE

Gerald L .Howett -301 -921 -2177

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The first part of this research deals with surface

color. Color coding is a common method for rapidly

communicating safety information. Many Government

agencies and trade associations have developed over the years their own sets of colors for use in identifying

different categories of traffic signs or warning labels. Most of these color codes contain, for example, a red, but the exact shade of red prescribed is not the same in

all the codes. This project aims at encouraging all these groups to choose their colors from a single, limited set of precisely defined colors with explicit meanings.

The colors of the standard code have already

been selected and proposed to the American National

Standards Institute (ANSI) Committee Z53, "Safety

Color Code for Marking Physical Hazards." The

remaining effort will involve consultation on the

detailed wording of the Z53.1 standard, and of other

standards that will reference the same colors. The second part of the research is on illumination

color. The intensity of flashing lights strongly affects

visibility, but not in proportion to the intensity. Thus a

light of twice the intensity is not twice as conspicuous.

The project will concentrate on developing a conspicuity scale that numerically measures subjective

impressions. Lights differing not only in intensity, but in color, flash rate, or other physical parameters, under

different viewing conditions, can then all be

comparatively rated on this common scale.

VISUAL ENVIRONMENT

Gary T. Yonemura -301 -921 -2177

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsors: National Bureau of Standards,

Energy Research and

Development Administration

Preliminary studies conducted at the Center indi- cate that the current experimental basis for reccom- mending levels of illumination may be in error for many

common tasks. Experiments will be conducted to quantify the amount of light really needed by describing

the performance of the eye under real-world conditions.

A second part of this research is related to veiling reflectance. One of the most important determinants of

lighting quality is the geometrical distribution of light flux and the resulting veiling reflectance (reflectance

that partially obscures the details seen because it

34
reduces the contrast). A good lighting system even with

a lower illumination level can be more effective visually

than a system with a higher illuminance but with poor

geometric light distribution. Five different types of

luminaires are being installed in the Manchester Energy

Conservation Demonstration Building. They all use the same power, but may differ significantly in their effec- tiveness for visual performance.

The results of the study will go to the Illuminating

Engineering Society (lES), the principal source for

lighting standards. They are the sponsors of the American National Standards Institute standards on

lighting. The research results will be presented to the

Illuminating Engineering Research Institute, the research arm of lES. Data also will be presented to the American Institute of Architects.

VISUAL ALERTING SYSTEMS:

AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS

INSTITUTE SECRETARIAT

Kenneth L.Kelly -301 -921 -2177

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The visual-alerting-systems secretariat was established at the Center for Building Technology. A prime

function of this project will be to maintain liaison with

all committees of the American National Standards

Institute (ANSI) that are developing or applying visual

alerting systems, as well as with similar committees in government, industry, and other standards organizations. Also, it is anticipated that ANSI Committees Z53,

"Safety Color Code for Marking Physical Hazards," and

Z35 on "Accident Prevention Signs and Tags," will transfer their secretariats from the National Safety

Council to the CBT facility. A combination of these

committees, either through formal fusion by ANSI or at

least by maintenance of a coordinating joint secretariat,

will create an entity corresponding in function to the

International Standards Organization Committee TC80

on "Safety Colours and Safety Signs." All major

research work on visual alerting, both here and abroad,

thus will be coordinated through CBT.

BUILDING ILLUMINATION

STANDARDS

A .Theodore Hattenburg -301 -921 -3293

Building Environment Division

Sponsors: Energy Research and

Development Administration,

General Services Administration,

National Bureau of Standards

This project will develop, under combined

General Services Administration, Energy Research and

Development Administration and the National Bureau

of Standards sponsorship, new technical data and test requirements for standards related to energy-conserving

lighting requirements in all buildings. The results will have impact upon the Building Energy Performance

Standard. Initially the project will provide a framework

for the major steps toward development of performance

standards for illumination. The project also will study

the energy use, efficiency, and interactions of the

lighting system with other elements in buildings, such as the heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems,

water systems, windows, furnishings, architectural

35
design. Overall energy impacts of dissipated heat gains

will require a great deal of evaluation. The final outcome of the study will be new standards; to that end,

the Center is expanding its contribution to committees

of the Illuminating Engineering Society, the National

Electric Code, and the American National Standards

Institute.

36
Materials
DURABILITY PREDICTION

METHODOLOGY

Larry W . Masters -301 -921 -3371

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Durability is often the most important attribute required of a building component or material, but it is the most difficult attribute to measure and predict on

the basis of short-term tests. At present, short-term tests are seldom satisfactory for predicting long-term perfor- mance. Thus, there is an urgent need to improve

durability prediction techniques. This research is aimed

at developing durability standards. It involves

developing and applying a general method for durability

prediction, maintaining seven natural exposure stations,

studying the effects of natural weathering and

accelerated laboratory weathering, and undertaking a complementary program with the Canadian National

Research Council to develop international standards for natural weathering of building materials. To date, a recommended practice for durability prediction has

been prepared and balloted in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Committee E6.22,

"Durability Performance of Building Construction," and

the important phase of durability prediction,

identification of failure mechanisms, has been studied

using metal-to-metal electrical contacts. The methodology is now being applied to organic coatings.

Eventually, the recommended practice for durability prediction will be processed as a consensus standard by

ASTM. ASTM and other standards-setting groups will use the standard to improve durability tests. It also is planned to present the philosophy of the standard and

the results of the Canadian program to international

standards groups.

SOLAR MATERIALS: PROBLEMS

DEFINITION

Leopold F . Skoda -301 -921 -3371

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

This project will study the currently available operating solar systems, with an eye to the problems now being experienced. This survey will then form the

basis for identifying needed standards particulary atuned

to the demands and environment of solar components.

The outcome of the study will be guidelines for the use of solar materials, and a list of areas where materials

standards are most urgently needed. The final report

will be a publication distributed to the Energy Research

and Development Administration, other Federal

agencies, and to standards setting groups such as the American Society for Testing and Materials, for use in the development of materials standards.

MATERIALS STANDARDS:

ABSORPTIVE COATINGS

Larry W .Masters -301 -921 -3371

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

While numerous standard test methods have been

developed for coatings in building construction, the per- formance requirements involved in solar systems are

quite different. For example, temperatures on the absorptive surface may reach 250 °C or greater, but

standard test methods for coatings seldom involve temperatures as high as 100 °C. Thus standard test methods

to evaluate absorptive coatings are urgently needed.

38
The purpose of this project is to prepare draft standards. These standards will be based upon results of

laboratory studies and will be submitted to the American Society for Testing and Materials for consideration as consensus standards.

MATERIALS STANDARDS:

COLLECTOR INSULATION

McClure Godette -301 -921 -3441

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

Any loss of heat, other than through the transfer

fluid, reduces the efficiency of a solar collector. For this reason, evaluation and identification of thermal insulation as a material to provide resistance to the flow of

heat from the back of the absorber plate or side of the

collector is of primary importance. For the user, proper

insulation results in an increase in the heating or

cooling efficiency; for the Nation, it promotes our

energy independence.

The project will involve a detailed study of solar insulation materials. Environmental conditions within

the solar collector, and properties of the insulation material that contribute to the performance and

durability of insulation will be identified and evaluated.

Assessment of this work will lead to the development of

draft performance standards to be submitted to the American Society for Testing and Materials.

MATERIALS STANDARDS: SEALANTS

AND GASKETS

Larry IV . Masters -301 -921 -3371

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

Numerous standard test methods have been

developed for sealants and gaskets for use in buildings.

However, the performance requirements for sealants and gaskets used in solar energy systems are not entirely

covered by the available standards. The purpose of this study is to prepare draft standards for liquid sealants and preformed gaskets. The standards will be based

upon the results of laboratory studies to evaluate

available materials according to the performance

required in service. Among the factors that affect gasket

performance are temperature and temperature cycling,

moisture, ozone stress, ultraviolet radiation, and contact

with transfer fluids. The final standards will be

submitted to the American Society for Testing and

Materials for consideration as a consensus standards.

MATERIALS STANDARDS: COVER

PLATES

Elizabeth J .Clark -301 -921 -3441

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

Many solar collector designs incorporate a cover

plate whose purpose is to transmit solar energy while

both protecting the inner areas of the collector from

damage and reducing the heat losses. Any loss in the transmittance of solar energy through the cover plate

results in a decrease in the efficiency of the entire solar heating and cooling system. However, the transmittance

and other important properties of cover plate materials

are frequently deteriorated by sunlight and the tempera39
tures encountered in solar collectors. Thus, there is an

overriding need for standards to be developed for cover

plates of solar collectors. Many standard test methods are available to evaluate materials such as glass and plastic. However,

the performance requirements for cover plates of solar collectors are not entirely covered by the existing test methods. The purpose of this project is to prepare a

draft performance standard for cover plate materials for

flat plate solar collectors. The standard will be based on

the results of laboratory studies to evaluate available materials according to performance required in-service. The draft is being developed in cooperation with the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) Task

Group on Cover Plates E21.10, "Solar Heating and

Cooling Application," and will be submitted to ASTM

for consideration as a consensus standard.

CORROSION OF METALS The corrosion of pipes and structural metals can

increase the maintenance cost and affect the structural James R .Clifton -301 -921 -3407 integrity of buildings. In the past, the Center's work on

Structures, Materials and Safety Division epoxy coatings for reinforcing bars has resulted in the incorporation of epoxy coated bars in a large number of

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards recently constructed concrete bridges. This year, work

will concentrate on metallic pipes. Electrochemical

techniques and weight change measurements will be

used to evaluate the effectiveness of inhibitors in reducing the corrosion of black steel, copper, and

galvanized pipes. The effects of pH, water flow rate, soluble salts, and concentration of inhibitors on

corrosion rates also will be determined. The results of

this project will be published in the open literature and

brought to the attention of the American Society for Testing and Materials, the National Association of

Corrosion Engineers, corrosion scientists, and

government and industrial organizations. A conference on corrosion of metals in buildings will also be held at the Bureau.

PERFORMANCE OF ROOFING A performance approach to the evaluation of

bituminous membrane roofing is needed to overcome

Robert G . Mathey -301 -921 -3407 the traditional roadblocks that prescriptive specificaStructures, Materials and Safety Division tions of roofing materials present. Roofing technology

has progressed slowly partly because roofing is a highly

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards fragmented, high-volume, low-profit business. Further,

the characteristics of built-up membranes are seldom

identified or specified quantitatively. Manufacturers of

roofing products need criteria for guidance on the properties of their products. We as a nation need such

guidelines from an energy standpoint alone. A

conservative estimate suggests that 20 million barrels of

40
oil per year could be saved by improving roof perfor- mance.The Center has approached this problem by first identifying and studying 20 critical performance characteristics of roofing materials. These include tensile strength, coefficient of thermal expansion, flexural strength, tensile fatigue strength, flexural fatigue

strength, moisture expansion, effects of moisture on

strength, shear strength (horizontal and vertical),

impact resistance, notch tensile strength, creep, wind

uplift resistance, weather test, fire resistance, ply

adhesion, permeability, abrasion resistance, fungus

resistance, tearing, and pliability. In addition, the project has published a well received study of asphalt viscosities at various application temperatures. Another report showed the effects of

insulation on the surface temperature of roof

membranes. A proposed standard method of test for the

viscosity of asphalt at its service temperature was

submitted to the American Society for Testing and

Materials and a videotape on roof performance was

prepared for the Built-Up Roofing Systems Institute.

PROPERTIES OF RESATURATED

ROOF MEMBRANES

Robert S.Mathey -301 -921 -3407

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

The goal of this project is to develop data on the performance of old bituminous roof membranes that have and have not been subjected to "resaturant"

coatings. This information will provide a basis for the

selection of materials and procedures for the mainte- nance of bituminous roofing systems. In addition, it will provide information on the condition of old roof

membranes to help with the decision to replace or

repair.

Roofing membrane samples for laboratory tests

will be selected from buildings that have had part of the roof membrane coated with a resaturant coating.

Laboratory samples will include membranes of various

ages without coatings and samples with resaturant

coatings that were applied 1 to 3 years ago. The

laboratory tests will be carried out as described in the National Bureau of Standards report. Building Science

Series 55, Preliminary Performance Criteria for

Bituminous Membrane Roofing

ROOFING AND COATING RESEARCH

FOR THE ARMY

Robert G .Mathey -301 -921 -3407

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Department of the Army

This project work will include laboratory tests and evaluations as well as field investigations, directed

to the critical roofing, coating, and waterproofing

problems of the U.S. Army.

In most cases, CBT staffers are able to visit problem sites and recommend cost-effective fixes based on available technology and experience. Deficiences in current standards and practices are noted as a guide to future research activities.

41
ORGANIC COATINGS

Paul G .Campbell -301 -921 -3441

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsors: Tri -Services Committee of the Department of Defense,

National Bureau of Standards

About $3.5 billion is spent annually on paints and

allied products, but this represents only 20 percent of

the total amount spent each year on painting. The value

of the paint is rarely as much as 1 percent of the value

of the building or object being painted, yet marketability and subsequent maintenance is dependent on the per- formance of the coating. Durability and performance

studies, test method development, and cooperative

efforts with voluntary standards organizations play

important roles in improving coating performance and

in reducing maintenance costs. This year, a new field test site will be established

for the evaluation of coatings applied to actual

buildings. Laboratory tests and outdoor exposures of new coatings will be carried out to evaluate the

applicability of existing test methods and, if necessary,

develop new ones. The coatings to be studied will include vinyl primers and coatings, water repellent

coatings, and latex maintenance coatings. In each case, the results obtained from a range of commercially

available materials will be used as the basis for a draft specification for consideration by the military. A series of lectures will be given as part of a new coatings course being developed by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command. The project is of direct benefit

to the military by providing them with specifications for the purchase of paints and coatings. However, the Center's draft specifications generally become Federal

specifications, in which form they will have a great

impact on the industry.

RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION

TECHNOLOGY

Geoffrey J .C . Frohnsdorff -301 -921 -3458

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Park Service

The National Park Service maintains many

buildings as part of its role in preserving our national

heritage. Because of the wide variety of materials and

types of construction in historic buildings, the Park

Service sometimes requires consultation on paints,

mortars, cleaning procedures and preservatives for building materials. The Center's Materials and

Composites Section provides consultation and advice

when called upon to do so. Examples might be in advising on the selection of paints for the White House,

preservatives for an Indian sculputure in the earth, and

advising on the possible deleterious effects of cleaning

procedures on a stone building. This project makes the

services of the Materials and Composites Section

available to the National Park Service on a rapidresponse basis whenever special knowledge of the

durability and preservation of materials in historic buildings arise.

42
LEAD-PAINT HAZARDS Continuing the Center for Building Technology

Harvey W Berger -301 -921 -3281 (CBT) research on lead-paint poisoning, this project has

Office of Housing and Building Technology examined the cost effectiveness of numerous ways of

removing lead paint from the environment and the rela- tionship between lead paint in older houses and body

Sponsor: Department of Housing and ^^^^^^^ j^^^ children. Housing officials,

Vrban Development

contractors, and homeowners have been provided with

a broad spectrum of techniques for either removing or covering up lead paint. CBT also helped local authorities determine the severity of lead poisoning in their communities by producing a manual covering an

explicit survey method.

As a result of a CBT-coordinated survey in Pittsburgh, which found low incidences of lead poisoning among children living in lead-paintcontaminated homes, researchers are more seriously

considering other environmental factors (lead piping, lead air pollutants) as causes of lead poisoning. The

Pittsburgh findings may have avoided large and

expensive programs to eliminate lead-paint hazards from

housing. This year, work will continue on an evaluation

of the accuracy and calibration standards for lead-paint

detectors; field testing will continue on paint abatement

techniques; and a model will be developed to compare

costs, materials, and effectiveness of all abatement

techniques.

AVERSIVE COATINGS TO REDUCE

LEAD- PAINT POISONING

Paul G .Campbell -301 -921 -3441

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

Aversive coatings that will discourage children

from eating lead paint flakes have been considered by

the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Since little is known about the ability of aversive

coatings to retain their deterrent properties over long

periods of time, tests for the durability of aversive

coatings had to be developed.

For each aversive coating selected for evaluation,

three main tasks were carried out: the development of a

suitable analytical procedure for determining the

quantities of the essential aversive ingredients; a study

of extraction procedures; and an evaluation of their

ability to be retained on laboratory-prepared painted

surfaces after artificial weathering and repeated

washing. The outcome of the research was the report,

"A Study of the Material Applied to Painted Surfaces."

NONTOXIC YELLOW TRAFFIC

STRIPING

Paul G .Campbell -301 -921 -3441

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Department of Transportation

The most widely used yellow paint pigment in traffic striping is lead chromate. With the restriction on

lead pigments in buildings and the possibility that they

will be banned from use in highway markings, there is a need to identify and evaluate the performance of

substitute yellow pigments. While this project is specifically concerned with nonlead pigments for

43
marking paints, the technology gained will provide

knowledge about nonlead yellow pigments for use in paints and buildings. In this project, the performance of

yellow traffic stripings exposed at the outdoor test sites and by road testing will be evaluated. The results and

laboratory tests will be incorporated into a final report on the performance criteria for yellow traffic striping.

EFFECTS OF HERBICIDES ON

MASONRY STRUCTURES

James E.Fearn -301 -921 -3407

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Park Service

Vegetation can cause severe damage to masonry

structures. This problem is particularly acute for the National Park Service, which is responsible for the preservation of several historic forts along Florida's gulf

coast. There the roots of persistent vines and grasses

easily penetrate mortar joints and cause them to crumble. To keep the forts free from destructive

vegetation requires either a continuing grooming by

hand or periodic spraying with herbicides. The use of

herbicides is usually less costly and more effective in keeping the vegetation under control. However, there is an important question about the long-term effects of

herbicides on the durability and appearance of masonry

structures. The Center for Building Technology is reviewing

commercially available herbicides and their use in historic building preservation programs in the United

States and other countries. At the same time, the types

of masonry units and mortars used in historic buildings

that are candidates for herbicide treatment will be

noted. Then, the processes by which herbicides might

cause deterioration will be identified and a judgment

will be made as to whether the types of herbicides

commonly used, or considered for use, are likely to cause further damage. Examples of possible effects are

dissolution of the materials, swelling of mortar

constituents, color changes caused by complexing of

heavy metals or nonuniform removal of surface soil, and

reducting bond strength between mortar and masonry

units.

WOOD FOUNDATIONS AND

ARSENIC

Harvey W . Berger -301 -921 -3281

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

A report submitted to the Department of Housing

and Urban Development by the National Concrete

Masonry Association indicated that air, dust, and wood

samples obtained from houses built with wood foundations contained arsenic. Furthermore, the report stated

that the arsenic levels were greatly in excess of toxic

limits established by the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration for industrial exposures. To investigate

this statement, the Center has been called upon to determine the levels of arsenic in dust, soil, wood

surfaces, and air, in or near dwellings with wood foundations. The project also will evaluate the way arsenic

44
leaches from wood and the adequacy of chemical and

other tests that show the presence of arsenic.

INORGANIC BUILDING MATERIALS

James R.Clifton -301 -921 -3407

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

In this project, relationships are sought between

in-service performance of inorganic building materials

and their composition and structure. Knowledge of

these relationships provides a basis for performance

tests and criteria. These contribute to improved effectiveness. They also aid in making decisions about the

substitution of materials. The porosities, phase

compositions, mechanical properties, and durabilities of

inorganic materials are determined using techniques

that include optical scanning electron microscopy;

mercury porosimetry; tensile and compressive strength

measurements; fracture mechanics; thermal analysis;

and x-ray diffraction. The durabilities of materials to freeze-thaw cycles, to wetting and drying, and to temperature extremes also are being investigated. Nearly

completed aspects of the project include a study of the

use of waste materials in construction, a report on

polymer impregnated fiber-reinforced concrete, and a study of the microstructure of cement paste.

NONDESTRUCTIVE EVALUATION OF

BUILDING MATERIALS

James R . Clifton -301 -921 -3407

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project will evaluate nondestructive methods

for determining the in situ mechanical properties and

the physical condition of inorganic building materials. Present studies are concentrating on measuring the properties of concrete and on measuring the moisture

content of other inorganic materials. Last year. Center

staffers tested concrete using the Windsor Probe,

Schmidt Rebound Hammer, Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity

measurements, pullout of cast-in-place inserts, and the maturity concept. They also identified the need for development of standard calibration methods and

materials for measurements of moisture in building

materials. A paper, "Nondestructive Techniques for Evaluating Metallic Artifacts of Historic Interest," also was prepared. In conjunction with other units of the

Bureau, staffers are evaluating the feasibility of using

neutron diffraction as a method for the analysis of

cements, and developing methods for interpretating

x-ray diffraction patterns.

45
Structural
STRUCTURAL RELIABILITY

Bruce R.Ellingwood -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

What are the margins of safety and risk in building design? This is an important question —

especially since the costs of excessive safety margins are

high, and because there is a critical shortage of certain

materials. Moreover, current design criteria do not

provide a consistent margin of safety because of failure

to explicitly consider uncertainty and risk, and

consequently may unduly penalize certain materials and

innovative structural designs if extrapolated to apply to them.

Existing realistic data on applied loads and

strength of building materials are being compiled and

their statistical variability analyzed in an effort to assess

reliability as a risk associated with various limit states. The American Concrete Institute standard, which

governs concrete design in the United States, has been

selected for a case study. Using probabilistic analysis,

design criteria consistent with current acceptable risk and uncertainty levels and with the objectives of this standard will be developed. Alternate formats are being

studied to see if one material-independent set of load

factors can be provided that could then appear in a "loads and general design" type of document.

This research will be of great assistance to national standards organizations in their continuing

efforts to set appropriate safety and serviceability

criteria to structural design. It also will be helpful to Federal agencies involved in building standards development.

STRUCTURAL MODELING

Edgar V . Leyendecker -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Full-scale testing of structures is seldom practical.

As a result, experimental structural research is normally

conducted using reduced-scale structural models.

However, since the parameters affecting resistance

usually cannot all be scaled simultaneously, similitude

requirements of the structural model are frequently

distorted. The validity of scale model tests is sometimes

questioned.

The development of a methodology that would

accurately account for the distortions from reduced

scale structural models would be a valuable contribution

to structural engineering and should lead to cost savings

by decreasing the need to test larger models than are necessary. At the Center for Building Technology,

preliminary study has resulted in a partial listing of

needed research on very large full-scale structures or

elements. Examples are composite concrete-steel

columns, concrete filled pipe (thin walled) columns,

continuous deep beams, and interface shear transfer in reinforced concrete. Current large scale studies in interface shear transfer in nuclear reactor containment

vessels will be assisted by these basic studies in structural model distortion.

47
THE SHEAR TRANSFER

PHENOMENON IN REINFORCED

CONCRETE

Edgar V . Leyendecker -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The containment building at many nuclear power

plants is currently reinforced concrete consisting of a system of orthogonal and diagonal reinforcement in each face of the wall. Large reinforcing bars and high

percentages of reinforcing steel are used. Current design

assumptions rely heavily upon the resistance of the reinforcing steel and very little on the resistance of the concrete or the resistance contributed by the interaction of the concrete and the reinforcing steel. The

mechanism of interface shear transfer may provide a

rationale by which these effects can be taken into consideration in the design of the containment building.

Improved design criteria could result in substantial savings of reinforcing steel. Stress or deformation fields and the resulting

mechanisms that will be studied in this research occur

to some extent on all reinforced concrete building structures, especially when they are subjected to seismic

loading. Thus, results from this research will not only be

applicable to nuclear power plants but also to the walls,

beams, footings, and pile caps in other types of

buildings.

This project will begin with laboratory tests on

relatively small specimens proportioned from a prototype structure. This approach will allow study of

the basic mechanisms before investments are made in large test specimens and test equipment. The initial tests

will use quasi-static loading. If found to be appropriate, an experimental program will be continued to further

verify the use of the interface shear mechanism using

larger test specimens and cyclical loading.

UPDATE EXCAVATION AND

FOUNDATION STANDARDS

Felix Y .Yokel -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsors: Department of Housing and

Urban Development,

National Bureau of Standards

The National Bureau of Standards (NBS) is cooperating with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in the preparation of an updated

National Standard for foundations and excavations. The

Department of Housing and Urban Development funds

are being used to prepare a draft standard. The NBS

funds help support the secretariat of the committee,

which is a full ASCE committee chaired by the project

leader. After reaching committee consensus, this stand- ard will become an official ASCE and American

National Standards Institute Standard that can be

adopted by reference by the United States building

codes. It is hoped that a national standard will help

reduce the losses caused by foundation failures which now average 83 billion annually.

48
IN SITU GEOTECHNICAL

MEASUREMENTS

Felix Y. Yokel -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The recent emphasis in geotechnical engineering

has shifted to in situ measurements. This shift has come

about from the realization that disturbance and scale

factors place unsurmountable limitations on the

reliability of laboratory measurements. Likewise, great

strides in in situ measurement technology have recently

been made.

As a first step it is planned to produce calibration

techniques for the Standard Penetration Test (SPT),

which will in turn lead to an improved SPT standard.

Considerable benefits will be derived from an improvement in this test, since it is widely used in soil exploration and foundation design, and more recently in

soil liquifaction studies. Calibration will help to clear up

the confusion now caused by differences between

various test procedures used in the United States and in other countries. In a later stage other in situ measure- ment techniques will be examined, in particular the

recently developed pressure meters. Since foundation

failures have historically been such an important factor

in building loss, the improvements offered by this research will go a long way toward making our buildings

safer and longer lasting.

PROVISIONS FOR MINE SUBSIDENCE

LOCATIONS

Felix Y. Yokel -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

This project is preparing a set of guidelines under

which the Department of Housing and Urban

Development can permit the construction of housing

under one of its programs in areas that are already

undermined, or areas that are likely to be undermined

in the future. These guidelines will cover four areas; Guidelines for Site Evaluation and Acceptance;

Guidelines for Site Development and Housing

Construction; Supplement to the Minimum Property

Standards for Mine Subsidence Areas. Since the mine

subsidence problem will become more severe with the increased utilization of our energy resources the guidelines are important and will help reduce losses by rec- commending appropriate preventive measures.

CAPACITY OF REINFORCED

MASONRY SHEAR WALLS

S.George Fattal -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Research needs for seismic-resistant masonry construction were identified in a September 1976 National

Bureau of Standards/National Science Foundation

Workshop. One of the top priorities was the need to establish reinforcement requirements in masonry shear

walls. At present, 90 percent of the masonry construction in the United States is unreinforced and is located

in seismic zones 2 or below (relatively low seismicity on

a scale of 1 to 4). While there was general agreement on the need to use reinforced masonry in high seismic

risk areas (zones 3 and 4), and a good deal of ongoing

research is focused on masonry construction for such

49
regions, there evolved a considerable divergence of

opinion about whether the masonry in lower risk areas should be reinforced, and if so, what amount of

reinforcement would be needed.

This project will establish a new test method that

offers: loading of masonry walls in the reverse flexural mode typical of masonry pier elements in actual

buildings; an accurate assessment of the forces transmitted at the specimen boundaries; a procedure

that can be effectively applied to masonry having

diverse composition, sectional configuration, and

reinforcement arrangement; and a plan that readily lends itself to study the effect of oblique forces on shear

wall strength.

PREPARATION OF THE AMERICAN

NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE

STANDARD A41, " REQUIREMENTS

FOR MASONRY"

Felix Y .Yokel -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Present masonry standards are fragmented and

sometimes contradictory and do not adequately reflect the state-of-the-art. This is especially true in view of

recent developments, such as the revision of seismic

design standards and the introduction of ultimate-load

designs for concrete. A new comprehensive masonry

standard is urgently needed. The overall goal of this project is to eventually introduce a single comprehensive national standard for masonry through the American National Standards Institute, as Standard

A41.

As a first step, the present Standard A41, which

is outdated, is being revised and re-issued as an

empirical standard (at least 80 percent of all masonry

construction is not engineered and thus would fall under

the provision of the empirical standard).

The approach is to provide CBT sponsorship until the empirical standard is adopted, and to subsequently

act as a catalyst to bring resources from within the profession to adopt a standard for engineered masonry.

FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMS OF

WIND LOADING

Richard D .Marshall -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project will investigate the intensity and

spatial extent of wind pressure fluctuations acting on

buildings. It also will develop simplified equivalent

loadings that can be used in building codes and standards. The project will involve the use of wind pressure

measurements obtained on full-scale buildings over the

past several years and from recent wind tunnel studies, the validity of which has been established through

correlation with full-scale measurements. Design wind

speeds will be reassessed for the purpose of ensuring

consistent levels of structural safety.

In the past, the American National Standards

Institute (ANSI) Committee A58.1, "Building Code

Requirements For Minimum Design Loads In Buildings

and Other Structures" has relied heavily on the Center

50
for technical support. This support has included

research into those areas which have not received the

attention of trade associations and which are not suffi- ciently basic in nature to merit the support of the

National Science Foundation. Because some model

building codes have expressed specific reservations

about provisions of the ANSI Standard A58. 1-1972,

which relate to localized loads on building elements, it

is important that a reassessment of tributary loadings be

carried out.

HIGH WIND STUDY FOR DEVELOPING

COUNTRIES

Richard D.Marshall -301 -921 -347.5

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Agency for International

Development

Research is needed to supplement what is known

about the effects of wind on low-rise buildings. Existing

design criteria for wind loads do not make adequate

provisions for fluctuating wind pressures along the edges

of roofs and walls, (extreme negative pressures in these

regions being one of the primary contributors to building damage). This research effort has great

potential for reducing wind damage (thereby greatly

reducing loss of life and property, the disruption of

development, and the costs of disaster relief) in the

United States and in other areas of the world.

Beneficiaries of this research will be the design

profession, regulators, researchers, financial lending

institutions, manufacturers, and building owners and

users. Technical data resulting from this study will be

made available to the American National Standards

Institute A58.1 subcommittee, "Minimum Design Loads

in Buildings and Other Structures." The project's results have provided the first step in revising the Philippine

National Building Code, Section 2.05, "Wind Pressure."

Project results also will be considered as building codes

in the Caribbean area are revised. A 5-volume report,

Building To Resist the Effect of Wind (Building Science

Series 100), and a user-oriented report, 43 Rules: How

Houses Can Better Resist High Winds (NBSIR 79-1 197)

will be published in the Spring of 1977.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE

SECRETARIAT, THE AMERICAN

NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE

ASS, " BUILDING CODE

REQUIREMENTS FOR MINIMUM

DESIGN LOADS IN BUILDINGS AND

OTHER STRUCTURES"

Robert A .Crist -301 -921 -3471

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

A measure of today's national need is the flow of

inquiries to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Center for Building Technology (CBT)

regarding the use of the present standard for loads on

buildings. It is obvious that a consistent set of design

loads should be used and that a particular structure in a particular geographical location should be able to withstand the same load on it regardless of which code

is applied. This is not the case today. A primary

problem that the committee is directly addressing is the confusion in the use of load factor design, which has

resulted in different load factors being used for different

structural materials.

51
The CBT Secretariat also includes the USA

Technical Advisory Group Administration for the

International Organization for Standardization

Committee TC-98, "Bases for the Design of

Structures." The Secretariat responsibilities will be maintenance of the current Standard, ANSI A58.1-1972;

formulation, organization, and coordination of the A58

Committee; and coordination of revisions to the current standard (estimated for completion by 1980).

IMPROVEMENT OF HONEYCOMB

CORES

Thomas W . Reichard -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Department of the Army Natick

Laboratories

All branches of the military use lightweight, air- transportable, rigid structures that serve as combination

shipping containers and shelters for many types of

tactical and life-support services. The use of these

shelters has increased so rapidly in recent years that

life-cycle costs have become a major economic factor. These shelters are fabricated from either paper

honeycomb core or foamed plastic sandwich panels.

The shelters however suffer from any of four frequent

defects: improper panel fabrication procedures

(adhesive bonding), inadequate performance of the

core, poor choice of materials, or inadequate design. To

solve these problems, the Center is undertaking a three- phased study that will: establish a technical data base

for improved honeycomb core criteria and companion

test methods; evaluate trial manufacturing runs of

honeycomb cores made to the improved requirements;

and help the industry establish improved quality-control

procedures for all honeycomb sandwich panels.

EVALUATION OF MOBILE SHELTERS

James R. Shaver -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: United States Air Force

The Air Force accepts its mobile shelters based on the results of structural tests that are believed to simulate the transporation and operational loads that the shelters experience during their service lives. However, this procedure can lead to shelters that are over-designed with respect to certain service loads; it can also be costly when the shelter fails to pass some of

the required tests. In this project, structural models are developed to predict the response of particular shelters

to loads that the shelters will experience in use. Field

tests are then used to prove the validity of the models.

The models in turn will lead to better shelter designs.

FIRE-RESISTANT STRUCTURAL

DESIGN

Bruce R . Ellingwood -301 -921 -3475

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Fire resistance and reserve load-carrying capacity

for reinforced concrete structural members exposed to severe fires is an important engineering problem in view

of the economic and human costs involved. Fire resistivity of structural members is currently determined by

evaluating their behavior when subjected to a standard

American Society for Testing and Materials fire test. This may be quite costly. Previous research by the Center has produced a computer program that

52
numerically simulates the structural response to the

standard fire furnace test of a simply supported beam.

In this project, the limiting states of structural per- formance to which the design criteria are directed will be identified. Although current practice is to determine

fire resistivity on the basis of endurance, other criteria may be more relevant, such as reserve load-carrying

capacity. Moreover, the occurrence, duration, and

severity of fires are random events, and many of the

material properties and design parameters are random

variables. In view of this, the development of design

aids should have a statistical basis. Accordingly, existing

data on fire performance of structural members will first be examined to determine variability of behavior and

correspondence, if any, with behavior in the laboratory.

Correlation of member performance to current fire design criteria will be established, and factors over which the designer has some control and which significantly affect performance in fires will be identified.

FIRE ENDURANCE OF FLOOR

CONSTRUCTIONS

Jin B .Fang -301 -921 -3461

Center for Fire Research

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

Fire statistics indicate that basement fires are

responsible for approximately 26 percent of the total residential fire fatalities, exceeded only by fires originating in the family or living rooms. The problem is that unprotected loadbearing structural elements may

collapse or burn through. This project, with technical

support from the National Bureau of Standard's Center

for Fire Research, will establish a realistic researchbased foundation for fire growth in residential basements. The test procedure to be developed will be

based on measurements from full-scale fire tests using

actual representations of residential furnishings, rather

than extrapolated estimations based on conditions

existing many years ago. By performing the basic research on fire growth, followed by evaluation of

typical protected and unprotected floor constructions,

and by supporting these with analytical calculations, the ultimate recommendations will be technically sound and

adaptable to many alternate types of construction.

Project results will be given to the Department of

Housing and Urban Development in the form of reports

with recommended criteria; to professional engineers,

such as the American Society for Testing and Materials

and the National Fire Protection Association Fire Test Committees, in terms of test procedures; and to code

officials in the form of recommendations for safety.

53
Disaster Mitigation
BUILDING PRACTICES TO REDUCE

DISASTER LOSSES

Charles G .Culver -301 -921 -3126

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This is a continuing project to improve the way

buildings are built -- specifically to help them survive

floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. The

program results in design requirements and standards

that become a part of professional practice. The seismic

design provisions being developed as part of the program will reduce human and property loss due to earthquakes. The General Services Administration has

used a method developed by the Center to establish

their hazard assessment computer program. Also under

this project, post-disaster investigations are conducted

after earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other

extreme or unusual loading conditions, such as construction failures.

FORMULATION OF SEISMIC DESIGN

PROVISIONS

James R.Harris -301 -921 -3361

Office of Building Standards and Codes

Services

Sponsor: National Science Foundation

The purpose of this project is to facilitate the development and use of the seismic design provisions

that are currently being developed for the Center's

Disaster Mitigation Program by the Applied Technology

Council (ATC). This is a collaborative effort with

Carnegie-Mellon University.

The seismic design provisions address the earthquake problem on a national basis with inputs

from research, design and industry groups. In addition,

the proposed provisions are more comprehensive than

existing provisions; they include requirements for archi- tectural and mechanical/electrical components as well

as for structural design.

This project assists ATC by making

recommendations to them concerning the clarity,

completeness, consistency and accessibility of the

provisions. The project assists the implementation and

use of the provisions by publishing a formal

documentation of the logic of the written provisions and

alternate organizations of the provisions for special

interest groups. The recommendations, formal

documentation, and alternate organizations are based

upon a systematic analysis incorporating decision tables,

topological networks, and hierarchical classifications. This project, then, is designed to facilitate the goals of

earthquake disaster mitigation by assuring that the design provisions produced are usable for building

regulations.

EARTHQUAKE- RESISTANT MASONRY

Robert A.Crist -301 -921 -3471

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Science Foundation

Research projects on earthquake resistant masonry construction are now in progress nationally

and internationally. Researchers, code and standards

writers, designers, and the construction community need

to be informed of the new information and have access

to it. Design criteria for masonry structures are

technically lagging by 10 to 20 years behind other

55
materials such as wood, reinforced concrete, steel, and

aluminum. The development of improved design criteria for masonry is a significant component of the disaster mitigation program. The Center ran a week-long

conference on the topic at Boulder, Colorado, last year. The proceedings of that meeting are available to designers concerned with seismic loads and to the professional community in general.

56
Architectural Research
ARCHITECTURAL PERFORMANCE

FACTORS IN ENERGY

CONSERVATION

Edward A .Arens -301 -921 -3595

Building Environment Division

Sponsors: Department of Housing and

Urban Development,

Energy Research and

Development Administration

This project will determine the energy consumption implications of architectural design, particularly

design that adapts to and capitalizes on its surrounding

climate, for input to the development of energy budgets

for buildings. CBT researchers will study the range of

energy use and the mathematical functions describing

these design factors: siting relative to terrain and other

buildings; orientation; envelop (walls, windows, doors,

roof, floor); thermal mass, interior proportions, and

space utilization. The results of this work ~ on singlefamily residences and on buildings - will serve as input

to proposed building energy performance standards.

ARCHITECTURAL ASPECTS OF

WINDOWS

S.Robert Hastings -301 -921 -3595

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Until recently, the energy consumption of

competing architectural designs were of little concern. The mechanical and illumination systems could always

be designed to compensate accordingly. The rapid

escalation of energy costs has changed this situation. It

is now important that architectural design strategies that

will conserve energy be identified and that lighting,

cooling, heating, and ventilation load calculations be

sensitive to such design subtleties. Windows are a

critical consideration because they may be responsible

for up to 40 percent of a building's heating and cooling

loads, or they may actually reduce these loads. This

project will identify energy conserving design strategies

for windows, evaluate their energy effectiveness, and

assess non-energy consequences of strategies to conserve energy. In addition, this project will assist in the synthesis of architectural design strategies from the thermal, psychological, and economic constraints. A set of interdisciplinary guidelines will then be published and

a Federal workshop on window research will be

conducted.

HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN FIRES

Fred I .Stahl -301 -921 -3595

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: Department of Health, Education

and Welfare

Each year, a great many people die or are injured

in fires. And among the elderly and infirm the statistics are, not surprisingly, especially high. Thus, the primary

aim of the project is to develop a model of occupant

behavior in fires in health-care facilities, for the purposes of: exposing and estimating critical parameters

and relationships, guiding future research and data

collection, and constructing tools with which architects can predict the impact of design decisions upon

occupants' ability to escape, and otherwise protect

themselves, during building fires. As a first step, the Center is developing a computer simulation with the emphasis on human behavior. Peripheral systems such

as fire/smoke migration or computer-graphics are important to the overall research program. The

simulation shall be designed to be compatible with

58
existing threat-migration and graphics routines. This

project will provide an opportunity to explore the problems of simulating human responses to fire events much more systematically, in greater depth, and solely

in relation to health-care facilities. The end product will be reports that document the systematic development of

the simulation model as well as the operational characteristics of the simulation program.

ARCHITECT- IN- RESIDENCE To strengthen the link between the design professions and the building research community, the

Porter Driscoll -301 -921 -3704 American Institute of Architects and CBT jointly select Technical Evaluation and Application a practicing architect to work in the CBT setting for 1 Division year. This is the third year of the project. In previous

years, the architects have worked on solar energy.

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards natural lighting, and acoustics. This year, the architect

will concentrate on the effectiveness of the way CBT

research is communicated to working architects. The

immediate beneficiaries of this project will be the

architects of the United States who will be encouraged

to interact with the National Bureau of Standards

through their professional society, the American

Institute of Architects. This project is supportive of

other National Bureau of Standards activities,

particularly other architectural projects and the

Architectural Graphic Standards Task Force.

POST- OCCUPANCY EVALUATION OF

GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

Arthur I .Rubin -301 -921 -2177

Technical Evaluation and Evaluation

Division

Sponsors: Government Services Administration,

National Institute of Health

In 1974, the Arts Endowment Federal

Architecture Project recommended that Federal

buildings specifically consider human needs. One of

their recommendations: "Post-occupancy evaluation of

buildings should include an analysis on how buildings

meet community and user needs." In addressing the

subject of research it states: "What can safely be said is that there is not enough architectural research and

development, in or out of government, and more

specifically, not enough dealing with the ways that buildings relate to their users." The report underlines

the Endowment's responsibility for upgrading the design

function for federal buildings through "extending the concerns of Federal design excellence to government

personnel, to design consultants and to the general

public." The post-occupancy evaluation project is a response to these issues. The central purpose of this project will be to develop a preliminary set of measure- ment procedures for post-occupancy evaluation.

A building will be chosen from each participating

Federal agency and will be evaluated from one or two

environment-behavior aspects (direction-finding,

auditory privacy) of interest to the researchers and to the agency. Since each building will have different

activities, the aspects studied and the methodologies

used can be evaluated across more than one building

type.

59
Safety
SAFETY IN BUILDING EXCAVATION

Felix Y. Yokel -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials, and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Under this project, the Center will develop a measurement system and install it in braced excavations to determine the forces acting on braces, their variability,

and their relation to displacements. The measurements

will then be used to verify CBT's analytical methods for evaluating the stability of excavations. The technical

challenge of the work is to develop a reliable measure- ment system for determining the pressures acting on

excavation bracing and the displacements experienced

by the bracing system as the excavation proceeds, and

to later use these measurements to determine actual pressure and displacement and their correlation with the type of bracing system used.

SAFETY IN CONCRETE BUILDING

CONSTRUCTION

Hai S.Lew -301 -921 -3852

Structures, Materials, and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project is concerned with criteria and stand- ards for safe design, erection, and removal of formwork

and shoring during concrete construction. The first phase includes a study of strength gain characteristics of concrete and a determination of the effects of shoring

imperfections. Previous research has shown that the

magnitude of load imposed on the structure during construction is sometimes greater than the load that the

finished structure is designed to safely support. An

analytical procedure in the form of a computer model

will be developed to study the parameters that affect the distribution of loads between the formwork system

and the structure. The technical information developed

from this project will be applied to industry, through the American National Standards Institute, and to mandatory Federal standards through the Occupational

Safety and Health Administration. It is expected that the project's results will significantly improve safety in construction.

ESTIMATING THE STRENGTH OF

CONCRETE

Hai S.Lew -301 -921 -3852

Structures, Materials, and Safety Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

One of the most critical judgments to be made in concrete construction is the decision to remove the

formwork and shoring. Most of the serious accidents in concrete construction occur when formwork or shoring

is removed too soon. However, recent research at the Center indicates that the strength of concrete can be

reliably estimated using a factor combining the curing

temperature and the curing period. This factor is termed the maturity of the concrete. This project will develop and test an electronic measurement device that

will automatically and continuously compute and

display the estimated early-age concrete strength, using

the maturity concept. This instrument, if shown to be

reliable, would be useful to the construction industry.

61
PARTICIPATION IN THE AMERICAN

NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE

COMMITTEE AlO, " SAFETY

REQUIREMENTS FOR

CONSTRUCTION"

James O .Bryson -301 -921 -3851

Structures, Materials, and Safety Division

Sponsor: Occupational Safety and Health

Administration

Voluntary standards committee work for improved safety standards is a continuing effort. New

standards are developed when new or different procedures are put into use, and old standards are

revised when new and better information becomes

available. In this regard, this program is a continuing

one. The Center will assume the leading role in developing and providing the basic technical information for updating safety standards, particularly in the area of concrete construction, trenching, and

excavation. CBT will participate in subcommittee

activities and contribute to updating standards in areas where new research information is available or where

studies are currently underway. Reports will be

prepared on critiques of specific standards. CBT is also working directly with the Occupational Safety and

Health Administration, the American Federation of

Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (Building

and Construction Trades Department), Associated

General Contractors, and others on matters dealing with

this problem.

SLIP RESISTANCE

Sanford C.Adler -301 -921 -3852

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The nearly 10,000 deaths and 1 1/2 million

disabling injuries caused by slips and falls in American

homes each year (as reported by the National

Commission on Product Safety) point up the need for improvements in slip-resistance measurements. Work

began on these improvements last year, when the Center developed the NBS-Brungraber portable slip tester. The tester provides highly repeatable and

accurate results; is usable under wet or dry, laboratory

or field conditions; accepts sensor materials

representative of bare or shod feet; and can be easily

and reliably calibrated. The tester has been

incorporated in a draft American Society for Testing

Materials standard for slip-resistance of bathtub and

shower surfaces. This year, the research has three goals: to establish a standardized, quantitative test procedure; to establish a data base for flooring and shoe sole materials

to recommend acceptable, quantitative levels of slipresistance; and to study the mechanism of slips and

falls.

STAIR SAFETY

John C .Archea -301 -921 -3595

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The goal of the stair safety project is to reduce

the frequency and severity of stair accidents. These

accidents cost the U.S. public over a billion dollars annually in medical costs alone. Key objectives are to substantiate stair safety requirements and to provide

and deliver stair safety information for use by

researchers, building code officials, model building code

62
organizations, government agencies with building regulatory functions, architects, other building designers, and

building managers. This year the project will publish the reports Stair Safety Performance Requirements for

Retrofitting Buildings, and Stair Safety Performance

Requirements for New Construction .A stair safety design

guide for architects and a technology transfer system

also will be developed.

SECURITY SYSTEMS This project is to provide performance criteria and test methods for evaluating the resistance of

Thomas W .Reichard -301 -921 -3475 residential and light commercial door and window

Structures, Materials, and Safety Division assemblies to forced entry. In the past, project staffers have instrumented typical doors, windows, and burglary

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards tools, so that the actual forces imposed during a breakin could be measured. Technical data then were used in developing criteria and test methods. Proposed criteria for swinging door assemblies were delivered to the Bureau's Law Enforcement Standards Laboratory

(LESL) and then submitted by LESL to the Law

Enforcement Assistance Administration for promulgation as a voluntary standard (NILECJ-STD0306.00). LESL also published a user-oriented

brochure, Home Security Starts at Your Door, a free,

illustrated folder covering doors, locks, frames, and

hinges. Moreover, the technical and trade press have

also published information regarding the door security standards. Proposed standards developed by the Center

for windows and sliding glass doors also have been

delivered to LESL and are being circulated for comment in both private and public sectors. The

swinging door standard has been widely disseminated

and has encouraged the upgrading of doors and locks

by industry. The standard's minimum requirements have

been incorporated in a model code (the Uniform

Building Code) and the standard's test methods have

been adopted by the American Society for Testing and

Materials.

DOOR AND WINDOW SECURITY

DEMONSTRATION

John S.Stroik -301 -921 -3595

Technical Evaluation and Application

Division

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

In an earlier project, the Center developed door

and window security standards for the Department of

Justice. In this project, the standards are being field tested in three public housing sites. The field test demonstration is recording the actual performance of

specific door and window components to measure just

how well they survive actual break-in attempts. The

outcome of the project will be a set of specifications for bidding, installation, and maintenance of door and

window components and assemblies built to door and

window security standards for use by local housing

authorities. Further, the study will develop

63
recommendations for changes in model building codes

and the Department of Housing and Urban

Development's Minimum Property Standards.

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION

SYSTEMS

Adolfo A . Camacho -301 -921 -3293

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project will identify the performanceoriented needs of electrical service systems in buildings.

Its first step will be a state-of-the-art survey and review

of existing codes such as the National Electric Code

(NEC), standards such as those of the American

National Standards Institute, and fire safety requirements such as those of the National Fire Protection

Association (NFPA). The study will also identify tech- nology gaps to improve performance from the building

service entrance to point of use, with respect to fire safety, shock prevention, and efficient distribution of

energy. The findings of the study will contribute to NFPA 70 and NEC standards.

64
Mobile Homes
ENERGY CONSERVATION IN MOBILE

HOMES

Bradley A . Peavy -301 -921 -3503

Building Environment Division

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

PARTICIPATION IN THE AMERICAN

NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE

COMMITTEE A119, " MOBILE HOMES

AND RECREATION VEHICLES"

James H .Pielert -301 -921 -3447

Office of Building Standards and Codes

Services

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

This project includes the instrumentation and

study of the thermal performance of a new furnished

mobile home, built to the American National Standards

Institute A1 19. 1-1975, Mobile Homes Standards (with

foam insulation in the walls and under the floor). The

outcome of the work will be methods of factory testing

mobile homes to determine air infiltration rates and to

identify areas of excess air leakage. Also, predicted

versus actual energy use will be compared under

simulated weather conditions to develop energy budget

figures for mobile homes. Moisture condensation

problems in the mobile home envelope also will be

studied. Emphasis will be placed on developing criteria for the installation of water vapor barriers and for ventilation control equipment.

As part of its role in transmitting the results of its mobile home research, the Center takes an active part

in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Committee A 11 9, "Mobile Homes and Recreation

Vehicles." There are presently on-going Institute for Applied Technology mobile home research projects in the areas of fire safety, wind resistance, thermal performance, and performance evaluation. CBT work in energy conservation can have a direct economic impact

on mobile home consumers as well as impacting a national problem. Work in these areas needs to be

rapidly incorporated into mobile home standards. The

project's overall goal is being met by attendance at meetings of the ANSI Correlating Committee, the Mobile Home Sectional Committees and the Mobile

Home Installation Sectional Committee; coordinating

the National Bureau of Standards staff input to the standards development deliberations; formulating ballot responses; and supporting the Federal Mobile Home

Standard.

WIND FORCES ON MOBILE HOMES

AND ANCHOR SYSTEMS

Richard D . Marshall -301 -921 -3475

Structures, Materials and Safety Division

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

This project involves full-scale studies of wind

forces and the response of a mobile home to these

forces. A 3.7 by 18.3m (12 by 60 ft) unit will be fully

instrumented to measure internal pressures, external

surface pressures, lift and drag forces, and racking

deformations. Corresponding measurements of the mean

and fluctuating components of the oncoming wind also

will be measured. Finally, the data will be reduced to dimensionless coefficients and applied to appropriate

reference wind speeds to obtain design loads in terms of

equivalent static loads. A final report will be prepared which fully

describes the experimental setup, the experimental

techniques used, the test results and results of the data

analysis. Finally, recommendations will be developed for the next revision of those sections of the Department of

Housing and Urban Development's Federal Mobile

Home Construction and Safety Standards dealing with

wind loads.

66
Codes and Standards
BUILDING STANDARDS

DEVELOPMENT

James H . Pielert -301 -921 -3447

Office of Building Standards and Codes

Services

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

It is important for the Center to encourage a

unified building standards and codes system because of

the added economic burden on builders, regulators, and consumers caused by a fragmented regulatory system.

The technical content of national building regulations

also needs to be harmonized with international

regulations. The performance concept is an important

vehicle for accomplishing this goal.

The project's primary objective is to transfer the

results of research programs into the building

community as well as to identify research areas where

CBT could effectively work. A secretariat has been

provided to CBT's present unit within the Bureau, the

Institute for Applied Technology (IAT)/Building

Standards Council (BSC). This covers scheduling of

meetings, preparation of agenda and the development of

special reports. Objectives of the lAT/BSC are to develop policy on building standards issues and to coordinate standards activities which overlap various

lAT units. High-priority building standards activities funded under separate projects will be monitored to improve their impact on the standards development

process. These include: the American National

Standards Institute (ANSI) A58 "Design Loads in Buildings;" ANSI A4I "Masonry; Foundations and

Excavations" (formerly ANSI A56); the American

Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning

Engineers (ASHRAE) 100 "Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings;" ANSI A40 "National Plumbing

Code;" ASHRAE 90-75 "Energy Conservation in New

Buildings;" Solar Energy Standards; American Society

for Testing and Materials CI 6 "Thermal Insulation;"

Secretariat for Building Safety Communications

Standards; ANSI A 10 "Safety in Construction;" and

ANSI Al 19 "Mobile Homes." Each of these standards

activities is related to ongoing research in CBT.

CBT is also represented at the International

Standards Organization Divisional Council for Building

and Construction, which has responded to a United

Nations request for technically coherent international standards. This response includes a plan to develop

international standards describing methodology,

terminology, and format for rewriting building

regulations in performance terms.

BUILDING CODES SERVICES AND

IMPROVEMENT

James M .Hicks -301 -921 -3146

Office of Building Standards and Codes

Services

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The CBT building research can reach code and

regulatory agencies with a minimum of delay by

working through established groups such as the model

codes, the National Conference of States on Building

Codes and Standards, the American Major City Building

Officials, the Council of American Building Officials,

etc. This will be accomplished by the distribution of publications and representation at important meetings,

68
participation on advisory committees of various model

code groups, maintenance of a building code file on

current regulations, and other activities for advancing

the trend toward greater uniformity between building

codes. The model code change hearings and annual

meetings represent unique opportunities for the dissemination of CBT research. Prior to these meetings,

the proposed code changes will be reviewed for relevance to on-going National Bureau of Standards

research. Where appropriate, technical input will be

provided through written testimony or through

attendance at the hearings by CBT staff.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATES

ON BUILDING CODES AND

STANDARDS

James H .Pielert -301 -921 -3146

Office of Building Codes and Standards

Services

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The building regulatory system, increasingly a

State function, represents the public interest in the

design, construction, and operation of the built environ- ment. The National Conference of States on Building

Codes and Standards (NCSBCS) is a means by which

the Center's research can reach the regulatory agencies

with little delay. NCSBCS is a vehicle for helping the Center identify building research needs because State regulatory agencies are in direct daily contact with

building users and constructors. This is an effective means for cooperative participation of all levels of

government in reaching decisions regarding supportive

technical assistance, research, and finance.

This year, the Center is providing NCSBCS with

continuing technical assistance; providing a senior

technical advisor to its Board of Directors; providing

technical support to participating organizations of

NCSBCS; and providing liaison between the States, the codes and standards generating organizations, and the Federal Government. The Center also is giving direct technical input to NCSBCS standing committees.

RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON THE

BUILDING REGULATORY PROCESS

Patrick W .Cooke -301 -921 -3361

Office of Building Codes and Standards

Services

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This annual conference is intended to inform and

assist decision-makers in the regulatory area by

reporting on building regulatory developments that advance or retard technological change. Why is this necessary? Because regulatory policy is too often made

and enforced without the benefit of objective

knowledge of the impacts of those policies on the

building community and whether those policies are achieving the desired effect. Last year, a Center for Building Technology/National Conference of States on

Building Codes and Standards Joint Conference on

Research and Innovation in the Building Regulatory

Process was held at Providence, Rhode Island. Proceedings of the sessions, including the 26 papers

presented, are being published. A Directory of Current

Research on the Building Regulatory Process also will be

69
published, as will the proceedings of a workshop on

Innovations in Building Regulatory Agency Management

and Procedures held in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

COMPILATION OF THE LABORATORY

EVALUATION AND ACCREDITATION

PROGRAM

Patrick W .Cooke -301 -921 -3361

Office of Building Standards and Codes

Services

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

It is not enough for the construction industry to evaluate and approve its buildings and the materials

used in them. Steps must also be taken to certify the

laboratories where building research is undertaken.

Thus, for the National Conference of States on Building

Codes and Standards (NCSBCS), the Center began a Laboratory Evaluation and Accreditation Program

(LEAP) to develop criteria to determine the capabilities

of laboratories to perform engineering analysis, testing,

and inspection.

The work uncovered a technical basis for the

evaluation of laboratories that certify manufactured

buildings, mobile homes, and building components. To

date, the project resulted in the creation of two

voluntary consensus standards generating committees

(the American Society For Testing and Materials E-32,

"Criteria for Evaluating Agencies Concerned with

System Analysis Testing and/or Compliance Assurance

of Manufactured Buildings" and E-36, "Criteria for the Evaluation of Testing and/or Inspection Agencies,") to further process the LEAP documents into final standards for national use. Further, a joint cooperative effort was undertaken in Massachusetts to demonstrate the impact of such a program on the building regulatory

processes of the Nation. The LEAP final document to be developed this year will regulatory agencies,

manufacturers, and users of buildings and building

products.

COORDINATED METRIC DIMENSIONS

FOR BUILDING

Ward V.Buzzell -301 -921 -3146

Office of Building Codes and Standards

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project provides research and technical

studies as a basis for assisting all segments of the building community (including governmental agencies)

in the development of an acceptable national program

of metrication and dimensional coordination. The

project produced NBS Technical Note 915, Metrication

Problems in the Construction Codes and Standards Sector and a select bibliography on the subject. The Center

accepted the role of secretariat for two sectors of the Construction Industries Coordinating Committee of the American National Metric Council and provided liaison with the International Standards Organization and with

many industrialized nations. Late in the year the Center

obtained the consulting services of the Assistant

Secretary for Housing Research, Australian Department

of Environment, Housing and Community Development.

While this project is targeted to benefit the building community as a whole, its major benficiaries

70
will be those organizations and governmental agencies

involved in either the promulgation or the administration of building standards and codes.

However, much of the research results will be used by

the design and engineering members of the community,

both those who are concerned with the design and

planning of products/materials and assemblies and those

concerned with total structures.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BUILDING

SCIENCES: TECHNICAL SUPPORT

James G .Gross -301 -92 1 -3447

Office of Building Standards and Code

Services

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The National Institute of Building Sciences

(NIBS) was established by Public Law 93-383. The

Center's role is to provide technical services and

technical studies to the Board of Directors of NIBS to

assist them in organizing NIBS to develop, promulgate,

and maintain nationally recognized performance

criteria, standards, and other technical provisions.

Studies will be conducted in the areas of: frequency and

area of existing building standards in building

regulation, existing usage of performance standards and

criteria in building regulation and procurement,

identification of technical issues and problem areas

related to development of performance standards and

criteria, and technical studies on preferred format of

performance standards and criteria.

MODEL DOCUMENTATION FOR

ENERGY STANDARDS

Patrick W .Cooke -301 -921 -3361

Office of Building Standards and Codes

Services

Sponsor: Energy Research and

Development Administration

Considerable impetus was given to the development of energy conservation standards by the passage of

the Building Energy Conservation Standards Act of

1975, providing for development of component perfor- mance standards as well as building performance standards. This project will focus on the preliminary development of model documents, formats, and administrative

approaches to building energy conservation. The devel- opment of such a system will consider and be based in part on existing regulatory programs and evaluation or approval systems.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR

SPECIAL AND INNOVATIVE

CONSTRUCTION

Thomas K.Faison -301 -921 -3231

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

Under this project, the Center for Building

Technology is preparing a document on performance

criteria and methods of evaluation — to be used by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in their mortagage insurance program. In effect, these new

standards will have national impact because they will be

used as a supplement to the HUD Minimum Property

Standards. As new materials or types of construction

are submitted to HUD for acceptance, these new

supplemental performance standards will be used in those cases where the traditional Minimum Property

Standards prove to be inadequate.

71
A RISK- ANALYSIS APPROACH TO

BUILDING SAFETY

Robert J . Kapsch -301 -921 -3447

Office of Building Standards and Codes

Services

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

The network of building regulations, standards,

and codes provides a certain level of safety for makers

and users of buildings. However, there is little understanding of people's attitudes toward different types of

building related risks, and there is no uniform set of in- formation on costs and safety losses that can be used to

assess building regulations. In effect, this situation could

simply raise building costs without improving safety.

This project consists of four major steps. The first step is to extensively review the behavioral and

economic literature to identify information, theory, and

studies concerning attitudes toward building-related

risks, and human response to risk. The second step is to collect and identify source data on safety losses and

costs. The third step is to compare the economic and

behavioral studies in step one and the information

compiled in step two to identify problem areas and

further research needs. The final step is to formulate a workable approach to decision-making that will relate

levels of risk to performance-based safety criteria. This

tool also will be used to assess present and proposed

building regulations.

72
Housing and

Building Technology
HOUSING TECHNOLOGY

Thomas K .Faison -301 -921 -3231

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsors: National Bureau of Standards,

Department of Housing and

Urban Development

This project is an open-ended source of technical

assistance to provide answers to problems related to solving the Nation's housing needs. Last year, for example, the Center for Building Technology sponsored

a solar energy roundtable to bring consumer-oriented

magazine editors together with Federal technical policy

makers to discuss solar demonstration programs. The

Center also helped the Department of Housing and

Urban Development (HUD) in program development

through project proposal generation and analysis of

program opportunities and coordinated semiannual

project reviews for HUD long-range research. The

Center also participated in the generation of plans ^br the Solar Heating and Cooling (Residential and

Commercial) National Program. Technical support on

these and other like projects will continue this year. The

results of the research will be available in Center and

HUD documents as well as professional papers.

FEDERAL BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

Harry E .Thompson -301 -921 -3233

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project is designed to promote building

research within the Federal agencies, to coordinate

Federal activity in building research, and to provide

technology to support Federal building. These

objectives are met by sponsoring monthly workshops on

building technology for Federal representatives, participating in the Federal Construction Council meetings,

disseminating research results and reports, maintaining

liaison with other Federal agencies, developing new

techniques for use by other agencies, participating in committees, seminars, and workshops, and maintaining

a Federal building criteria reference service. In addition,

a Federal Building Research Panel will be established

this year to study the research needs of the Federal

building community.

HOME IMPROVEMENT TECHNOLOGY

Harvey W .Berger -301 -921 -3281

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

This project will investigate the role of technology

in conserving the Nation's existing housing stock

through the improvement and encouragement of repair,

replacement, and renovation. The project will begin

with an assessment of the state-of-the-art in renovation,

especially those techniques which have promise but

which are not now being used. A further study of

technological gaps will identify targets of opportunity as well as likely areas of innovation. Concurrent with this research will be a look at constraints to technology,

such as building codes or high investment and retooling

costs.

74
INTERNATIONAL BUILDING

RESEARCH

Noel J .Raufaste -301 -921 -3106

Center for Building Technology

Headquarters

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project is a forum for researchers from CBT

and foreign research organizations to exchange information and coordinate their research activities. The project

responds to foreign requests for technical information on building technology, supports complementary

building research activities, provides a mechanism to exchange technical staff, provides a means to participate in international conferences as members in international organizations, and provides technical

assistance to developing countries. In the recent past,

CBT has conducted international programs with Brazil,

Jamaica, Canada, France, Japan, Philippines, England,

and Egypt and has served on numerous international- panels (such as the International Council for Building

Research Studies and Documentation, International

Organization for Standards, the International Union of

Testing and Research Laboratories for Materials and

Structures, and the International Institute of

Refrigeration). This year such work will be expanded to cover cooperative research with Poland, Israel, and

Spain, among other nations. The Center also publishes an annual report on its international activities.

PROGRAM EVALUATION AND

PLANNING

NoelJ . Raufaste -301 -921 -3106

Center for Building Technology

Headquarters

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

This project supports the evolution, presentation,

and documentation of the National Bureau of Standards

building science and technology program. Among other

things, the project is the focus of activity for coordinating the preparation of the CBT 5-year research plan.

The project aims to develop and update the impact of

CBT research projects; fully develop CBT's

communications with the building community; increase

participation with other National Bureau of Standards

units concerned with buildings; develop the Congressional budget narrative and the subcategory

document; and publish guides for preparing manuscripts

and visual arts. Overall, these tasks assist CBT in reaching its institutional goals of a better built environ- ment.

BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

INFORMATION

NoelJ . Raufaste -301 -921 -3106

Center for Building Technology

Headquarters

Sponsor: National Bureau of Standards

Information is the Center's ultimate product. This

project is aimed at effective delivery of that product

through skillful dissemination techniques and an understanding of the information needed by the building

community. To this end, the Center has established a multidimensional information program. It broadcasts

research findings, accommodates specific inquiries, and

interacts with the building community through liaison

activities with building groups, hosts tours and

conferences at the Bureau, and participates at select meetings and conventions of building organizations. All

this permits a two-way information flow; feedback

75
assists the information program in meeting the needs of

the building community's research, policy-making, application, and consuming sectors. Recent productions were

three companion reports, Center for Building

Technology: A Perspective, which presents an overview

of the Center's status and prospects; Building

Technology Project Summaries, which summarizes the Center's research activities during 1975; and Building

Technology Publications , a cumulative listing of

all the Center's publications over the decade;

brochures on select Center building research activities,

and a draft report scheduled for printing in the Spring of 7975, History of Building Research at the National Bureau of Standards, 1968 - 1974 .

COOPERATIVE TRAINING PROGRAM

WITH BRAZIL

Thomas K . Faison -301 -921 -3231

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Agency for International

Development through State of

Sao Paulo, Brazil

This project is a cooperative one between the Center and the Institute for Research Technology

(Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnologicas, IPT), Brazil. It provides for IPT trainees to work on ongoing Center

studies. A recent trainee worked on, among other

things, performance criteria for windows, which will become the basis for similar Brazilian Standards. This

year's three trainees will work in the areas of plumbing,

electrical research, and materials durability. Center

staffers also helped form a team of specialists within

IPT to address the total performance of buildings.

TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC

SUPPORT TO THE TRI- SERVICES

COMMITTEE

Harry E .Thompson -301 -921 -3231

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Tri -Services Committee of the Department of Defense

This project provides technical assistance and

engineering support to assist the Tri-Services Committee

of the Department of Defense in their building research

and development activities. During FY77, nine areas of

building research will be studied: earthquake-resistant

design of masonry structures; reduced-sized venting;

underground heat distribution; methods for reducing air leakage; building joint sealants; guidelines on foam

polyurethane roofing systems; the effects of increased in- sulation on roofing performance; the cooling perfor- mance of fan-coil units; and polysyrene roof insulation.

In addition, the Center's technical staff daily receive

telephone inquiries requesting advice from the Tri- Services Committee. Typical of such requests are calls about material durability, heat transfer, insulation,

underground pipe criteria, hydraulic criteria, paints,

coatings, adhesives and structural related issues.

76
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT LONG RANGE

RESEARCH

Harvey W .Berger -301 -921 -3281

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

The United States has a continuing need for adequate, safe and durable housing at reasonable costs. To respond to this need, Congress, by legislation,

assigns to the Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) certain regulatory and

administrative functions in the housing field which

require the application of housing technology and

research capability. Since HUD has no laboratory

facilities and its in-house technology based research

capability is limited, they have turned to the Center for technical assistance and research support. The specific

projects funded this year are summarized elsewhere in this report.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT QUICK

RESPONSE STUDIES

Harvey W .Berger -301 -921 -3281

Office of Housing and Building Technology

Sponsor: Department of Housing and

Urban Development

The Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) frequently receives inquiries or

requests for information regarding problems in the

building technology area. Many of these requests or problems require technical analysis or investigation.

This project is designed to provide HUD with the

capability of quickly bringing the Center's expertise in the building technology area to bear on these problems.

Specific tasks may encompass such studies as conducting a fire test on a questionable material or

assembly, a racking test on a panel wall, testing for arsenic leaching from preservative treated plywood,

making air quality tests in homes where asbestos

materials have been used, evaluating a component for

durability, measuring the capability of an in situ brick

testing device, writing a state-of-the-art report on

plumbing trees, or develop criteria for hallway width.

77


Center for Building Technology

Institute for Applied Technology

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary

Sidney Harman, Under Secretary

Jordan J. Baruch, Assistant

Secretary for Science and Technology

National Bureau of Standards

Ernest Ambler, Acting Director

Nat. Bur, Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ. 446-1, 83 pages

(September, 1977)

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents

U.S. Government Printing Oflice, Washington, IJ.C. 20402