Modeling of Stack Effect in High-Rise Buildings Under Winter Conditions: Evaluating the Validity of Field Observations (LV-17-C071)

To characterize the magnitude of stack effect in existing buildings, differential pressures measurements were taken in fifteen high-rise buildings during the winter of 2013. Four observations were made: (1) unless conservative leakage values are used, typical hand calculations may under-predict the shaft-to-building differential pressures, (2) introduction of cold air into pressurized stairwells cooled the stair, but temperatures remained significantly higher than ambient (3) introduction of cold air into pressurized stairwells caused significant pressure and increased door opening forces required at the bottom of the stairs, (4) pressurization of the stairwells increased pressure and stack effect flows via the elevator shafts.