Skip to main content    

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

**Official websites use .gov**              A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.            

**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**              A **lock** (  LockA locked padlock) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.            

https://www.nist.gov/el/energy-and-environment-division-73200/nist-multizone-modeling/case-studies/case-3

            -  Topics  -  All Topics 
-  Advanced communications 
-  Artificial intelligence 
-  Bioscience 
-  Buildings and construction 
-  Chemistry 
-  Climate 
-  Cybersecurity 
-  Electronics 
-  Energy 
-  Environment 
-  Fire 
-  Forensic science 
-  Health 
-  Information technology 
-  Infrastructure 
-  Manufacturing 
-  Materials 
-  Mathematics and statistics 
-  Metrology 
-  Nanotechnology 
-  Neutron research 
-  Performance excellence 
-  Physics 
-  Public safety 
-  Resilience 
-  Standards 
-  Transportation 
 
            -  Publications 
            -  Labs & Major Programs  -  Laboratories    -  Communications Technology Laboratory 
  -  Engineering Laboratory 
  -  Information Technology Laboratory 
  -  Material Measurement Laboratory 
  -  Physical Measurement Laboratory 
-  User Facilities    -  NIST Center for Neutron Research 
  -  CNST NanoFab 
-  Research Test Beds 
-  Research Projects 
-  Tools & Instruments 
-  Major Programs    -  Baldrige Performance Excellence Program 
  -  CHIPS for America Initiative 
  -  Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) 
  -  Office of Advanced Manufacturing 
  -  Special Programs Office 
  -  Technology Partnerships Office 
 
            -  Services & Resources  -  Standards and Measurements    -  Calibration Services 
  -  Laboratory Accreditation (NVLAP) 
  -  Quality System 
  -  Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) 
  -  Standards.gov 
  -  Time Services 
  -  Office of Weights and Measures 
-  Software 
-  Data    -  Chemistry WebBook 
  -  National Vulnerability Database 
  -  Physical Reference Data 
  -  Standard Reference Data (SRD) 
-  Storefront 
-  License & Patents 
-  Computer Security Resource Center (CSRC) 
-  NIST Research Library 
 
            -  News & Events  -  News 
-  Events 
-  Blogs 
-  Feature Stories 
-  Awards 
-  Video Gallery 
-  Image Gallery 
-  Media Contacts 
 
            -  About NIST  -  About Us    -  Leadership 
  -  Organization Structure 
  -  Budget & Planning 
-  Contact Us 
-  Visit 
-  Careers    -  Student programs 
-  Work with NIST 
-  History    -  NIST Digital Archives 
  -  NIST Museum 
  -  NIST and the Nobel 
-  Educational Resources 
 

Engineering LaboratoryBuilding Energy & Environment Division 

## NIST Multizone Modeling

-  SOFTWARE  Expand or Collapse    -  CONTAM  Expand or Collapse      -  Download 
    -  Documentation 
    -  Disclaimer 
    -  Input Data 
    -  Program Revisions 
    -  Help 
    -  Tutorials 
    -  User Group 
  -  CFDO Editor 
  -  CONTAM 3D Exporter 
  -  Type98 
  -  CONTAM Weather File Creator 
  -  WPC Translator 
  -  ContamLink 
  -  CONTAM Particle Distribution Calculator 
  -  ContamRV 
  -  CONTAM Results Export Tool 
  -  1D Zone Data File Converter 
  -  LoopDA 
  -  Climate Suitability Tool 
  -  Particle Model - Single zone, Single size 
  -  Particle Model - Single zone, Size-resolved 
  -  VHP Mask Disinfection Tool 
  -  FaTIMA 
  -  ViPER 
-  APPLICATIONS  Expand or Collapse    -  Airflow and Ventilation 
  -  IAQ Analysis 
  -  Smoke Management 
-  CASE STUDIES 
-  CHIMP 

## Connect with us

GovDelivery

# Case 3

## Share

Facebook

Linkedin

Twitter

Email

## Energy Impacts of Infiltration and Ventilation in U.S. Office Buildings

### [Emmerich, S. J., A. K. Persily, et al. (1995), Emmerich, S. J. and A. K. Persily (1998)]

The purpose of this study was to estimate the energy use in commercial buildings due to infiltration and ventilation airflows and to investigate the potential for energy savings that could be realized by envelope tightening efforts. A set of 25 buildings was used as a representative sample of the U.S. commercial building stock as of 1995. Buildings were located in cities throughout the U.S. so that a representative sample of climates was also taken into account. Leakage characteristics were assigned to each building based on limited envelope leakage data that exist for U.S. office buildings.

Infiltration airflows were estimated using CONTAM to account for the effects of weather and ventilation system airflows on infiltration. For each building, a relatively simple CONTAM model was created that consisted of three zones per floor - one for the main occupied area, one for the plenum, and one for the elevator and stairwell shafts combined. WYEC (Weather Year for Energy Calculation) weather data was obtained for each of the cities in which the buildings were located. A bin method was used to handle the large amount of data involved in the study. For each building, a set of simulations was performed based on bins of weather and ventilation airflow data to determine infiltration rates for each bin of data. These infiltration rates were then used in the form of a lookup table along with thermostat set points and inside-outside temperature difference (used to determine whether cooling, heating or free-cooling) to calculate hourly heating and cooling (both sensible and latent) loads attributable to infiltration.

The results of this study estimated that infiltration is responsible for about 15% of the total heating energy and 4% of the total cooling energy for U.S. office buildings. Results also indicated that potential energy savings on the order of 26% for heating load and 15% for cooling load could be realized by tightening building envelopes by 25% to 50%. The study also revealed the difference in the contribution of infiltration to the heating and cooling load depending on whether the building was pressurized or depressurized with respect to the outdoors.

Buildings and ConstructionIndoor air qualityEnvironmentAir / water / soil qualityEnergy

## Contacts

                -  Steven Emmerich  steven.emmerich@nist.gov      (301) 975-6459   
                -  William Stuart Dols  william.dols@nist.gov      (301) 975-5860   
                -  Brian Polidoro  brian.polidoro@nist.gov      (301) 975-6445   

### HEADQUARTERS

301-975-2000

Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices

TwitterFacebookLinkedInInstagramYouTubeGiphyRSS FeedMailing List

Feedback

            -  Site Privacy 
            -  Accessibility 
            -  Privacy Program 
            -  Copyrights 
            -  Vulnerability Disclosure 
            -  No Fear Act Policy 
            -  FOIA 
            -  Environmental Policy 
            -  Scientific Integrity 
            -  Information Quality Standards 
            -  Commerce.gov 
            -  Science.gov 
            -  USA.gov 
            -  Vote.gov