The TightVent Airtightness Associations Committee (TAAC) was launched in September, 2012. The primary goal of the TAAC group is to promote reliable testing and reporting procedures.
In the beginning, the TAAC working group was focusing on building airtightness tests, but in line with its stakeholders needs it has evolved to also deal with ductwork airtightness and inspection of ventilation systems.
Reasons behind
The number of airtightness tests (building and ductwork) and inspection of ventilation systems performed is rapidly increasing either because of the energy penalty for untested buildings in the calculation method or due to the specific requirements of a given programme. Therefore, having reliable procedures to perform tests and inspections of ventilation systems is a growing issue in lots of countries.
In this context, the development of competent tester/inspectors’ schemes represents an opportunity for improving the reliability of these inspections and to monitor the application of policies in practice. Such schemes are for example operational in Germany (FLiB), in Denmark (Foreningen Klimaskærm), in Finland (Rateko), in France (QUALIBAT), in Belgium (BCCA), in the UK (ATTMA and iATS) and in the USA (RESNET). Most of these include additional specifications upon existing standards.
TAAC objectives
The primary goal of TAAC is to promote reliable testing/inspection and reporting procedures.
To this end, TAAC gathers both TightVent partners and TAAC members (experts or representatives of airtightness testers in their countries). The TAAC working group:
- Compares airtightness and ventilation inspection requirements in the countries involved
- Compares competent tester/inspectors’ schemes in the countries involved
- Compares applicable standards and guidelines for testing/inspecting
- Collects relevant guidance and training documents
- Shares knowledge and experience during their meetings
- Gives information on ongoing research work in the field of building and ductwork airtightness and of ventilation inspection
TAAC meetings
The TAAC working group usually meets four times per year; three times remotely (via internet) and one physically. The physical meeting is normally held before or right after the AIVC annual conference.
Web meetings usually focus on a specific subject (e.g. measurement of airtightness on high-rise buildings, inspection schemes for ventilation systems, impact of ductwork airtightness, durability of building airtightness etc.) and consist of 2 to 4 presentations from researchers, testers, or industry. Researchers and testers are either members of TAAC or guests.
During the physical meetings, participants usually present “news from their countries” such as new regulation, labelling, qualification schemes or standards published in the past year.
TAAC deliverables
Information on the TAAC working group deliverables (publications, webinars etc.) is available here.
How to contact & join
Information on how to contact & join TAAC is available here.