“Build tight, ventilate right” is a building science rubric that describes the approach of combining airtight envelopes, whole-house mechanical ventilation (WHMV), and effective and quiet kitchen and bathroom exhaust to achieve energy efficiency while promoting good indoor air quality (IAQ). This session will present findings from the U.S. Department of Energy Building America research study that has gathered data on mechanical ventilation systems, indoor air quality parameters, and house and household characteristics from 180+ occupied homes in CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, OR, and SC. Notable differences were found in the test results, which will be presented.
