Philosophy and Approaches for Airtightness Requirements in the USA

Building codes and regulations are not normally done at a national level in the United States. Many states and territories have established their own codes and regulations. In addition, there are thousands of local jurisdictions and authorities that set building and hence airtightness requirements. Because of that, there are many non-governmental organizations that help states, counties, utilities and other institutions in setting airtightness methods, requirements and guidelines. This paper will provide some background of Blower Door testing and an overview of the airtightness situation in the US with respect to standards, requirements and approaches.