On Thursday, April 13, from 5 to 8:30 pm, the OAA will be conducting a commercial blower door test at its Headquarters in Toronto. Those with OAA status can register to attend the session, earning 3.0 Structured Learning hours toward the Continuing Education (ConEd) program. (Space is extremely limited—sign up now!)

Used to determine airtightness, a blower door test can be an important tool during the design or retrofit process of any project and is an important consideration in sustainable building design. For a major renovation project, like the OAA Headquarters Renew+Refresh, an initial test provided data on the existing structure and was integral to assisting in the redesign of the building. During construction, after upgrades to the air barrier were completed, subsequent tests were conducted to verify the work was done properly, showing conformance with contract documents. (You can learn more about the OAA’s 2019 testing in an article published on Daily Commercial News.)

The event includes explanatory talks, a tour of the building, and light refreshments. (Please note: the test begins sharply at 5:30 and from that point, no one may enter or leave the building.)

The evening will also feature infrared testing, where special photography detects the locations of air leakage and thermal bridges that can then inform the retrofit scope of work.