What is the reference pressure for reported air leakage according to USACE 2012?

The correct answer is based on the guidelines established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in their 2012 standards for whole-building airtightness testing. According to these standards, the reference pressure for reporting air leakage is set at 75 Pascals (Pa). This pressure is utilized to standardize the measurement of air leakage and allows for consistent comparisons between different buildings and tests.

Using 75 Pa as the reference pressure helps to account for variations in external wind pressure and other environmental factors that can influence air leakage measurements. It serves as a benchmark that provides clarity when assessing the airtightness of a building, ensuring that all tests are performed under similar conditions, thereby enhancing the reliability of the results obtained. This standard applies to multiple scenarios in building performance evaluations, making it an essential figure in the domain of building airtightness.