Inferring ventilation and moisture release rates from field psychrometric data only using system identification techniques

System identification techniques are developed allowing room or building ventilation and moisture release rates to be inferred from field psychrometric data only. The techniques have been developed primarily to allow the surveying of a large number of houses so that statistical properties can be compiled, in which high accuracy of individual results is not required. This system provides an alternative to PFT tubes, with some economic advantages. These techniques give rise to two parameters (describing the hygroscopic properties of the room) from which ventilation and moisture release rates can be calculated given indoor and outdoor psychrometric data only. Results within 30% of measured values have been obtained, except for the case of moisture release rates under air-tight conditions where results seem unreliable.