Measuring the Invisible: Whole Building Air Leakage Testing for High-Performance Buildings

Whole building air leakage testing and diagnostic air leakage testing are critical tools for evaluating and improving the performance of the building enclosure. By quantifying unintended air movement through the enclosure, these tests help reveal how design decisions, construction quality, and material interfaces influence energy efficiency, occupant comfort, moisture control, durability, and overall building resilience. As energy codes and performance standards continue to evolve, air leakage testing has become an essential component of high-performance building delivery.

In this complimentary one-hour webinar, WJE building science and air leakage testing experts Justin Boone and Bill O’Brien will provide an overview of whole building and diagnostic air leakage testing, including testing principles, equipment, procedures, and commonly referenced standards and metrics. The presentation will focus on the practical application of testing at various stages of a building’s lifecycle, key differences between compliance-driven whole building testing and investigative diagnostic testing, and how test results can be used to inform enclosure design, guide construction practices, and troubleshoot performance issues in both new and existing buildings.

By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Describe the fundamentals of whole building and diagnostic air leakage testing
• Explain how air leakage affects energy performance, comfort, moisture control, and durability
• Identify appropriate testing approaches at different project phases and building types
• Distinguish between testing approaches used for compliance versus investigation

more to learn

View this webinar in our interactive audience console to earn 1 AIA HSW learning unit, access related resources, submit questions to the presenters, and download a certificate of completion.