Infiltration simulation in a detached house – empirical model validation

This study discusses the empirical validation of a multi-zone infiltration model of an existing two-storey detached house in the cold Finnish climate. Empirical validation was performed by comparing simulated and measured pressure conditions of the building during a three-week test period in the heating season. The simulations were carried out using a dynamic simulation tool, IDA-ICE, which combines whole-building energy simulation and infiltration modelling. The initial data of the building model were obtained with extensive field measurements including the measurements of airtightness and leakage distribution of the envelope and performance of a ventilation system. According to the results, pressure conditions are slightly negative on the first floor and positive on the second due to the stack effect in the heating season. The empirical validation shows that the correspondence between the simulated and measured pressure conditions is good and the studied building model can be used for th