The continued growth of the high rise residential building market in conjunction with the latest releases of energy codes demonstrates the importance of considering the design of mechanical and building enclosure systems on a holistic basis. Modern energy codes require air tight construction which can lead to problems with the ventilation strategies that mechanical system designers have historically used, specifically reliance on natural ventilation through either operable windows or “incidental air leakage”. This paper discusses the areas where building enclosure and mechanical systems have an important effect on one another including air quality, air pressure control, condensation, and energy. The paper also discusses how traditional ventilation strategies, including operable vents in fixed fenestration systems, can have unintended consequences.
