Test method for function and durability of rain and wind protection

In RISE's test lab in Borås, the researchers in this project have put the rain and wind protection to the test. If this layer does not work well, the insulation material risks getting wet or the wind can blow through the insulation material. This in turn leads to the insulation material losing its insulating ability, with high energy consumption as one of the consequences.

At RISE, researchers in previous projects within E2B2 have studied the air density in the climate shell. In this project, they have studied the layer outside the insulation. In many accepted methods of testing products for rain and wind protection systems, the tests of the products are carried out under favorable conditions of normal indoor temperature and humidity. In this project, the method has been supplemented, so that tests are also carried out in environments that resemble realistic construction site conditions. Tests have been carried out in three different environments: ideal conditions (normal lab climate), in a cold and humid environment, approximately 5°C 90–95 percent relative humidity and in a dusty environment.

The researchers have carried out tests of three different rain and wind protection systems from different manufacturers. The systems included foil, tape, cuffs for grommets and seam sealing.

The testing method has worked well in the pilot tests. It is possible to see a change in the air density during measurements before and after the heat treatment. The three rain and wind protection systems tested were very airtight, which is good from an energy point of view.

The heat treatment gave slightly different results. Some measurements showed increased leakage after the heat treatment, while other measurements showed reduced air leakage after the heat treatment.

When subjected to rain and gusts of wind, all three rain and wind protection systems had leakage - but to different extents. The fact that the rain and wind protection systems are not completely waterproof is not good because it is one of the prerequisites for being able to maintain a low energy consumption in the long term. It can also be a problem as the rain and wind protection systems are sometimes used instead of a separate weather protection on a construction site.

Important results

• A new method has been developed and tested for rain and wind protection systems. In the new method, the systems are also tested in realistic construction site conditions. 
• The method has worked well in the pilot tests. You can see a change in the air density when measuring before and after the heat treatment. 
• All three tested rain and wind protection systems are very airtight. This means that you can get a substantial improvement in air tightness and thus lower energy consumption in buildings where the investigated air tightness systems are used. 
• The heat treatment gave slightly different results, some measurements showed an increased leakage after the heat treatment while other measurements showed a decrease in air leakage after the heat treatment. 
• All the the investigated rain and wind protection systems showed leakage in tests in combined rain and wind. 
• If the facade is not rainproof, the insulating material gets wet and thus loses its insulating ability.