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Investigation of the Hygrothermal Performance of a SIP Test Hut with an

Unventilated and Ventilated Attic for the Canadian North

Conference Paper · May 2013

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
Investigation of the Hygrothermal Performance of a SIP Test Hut with an Unventilated
and Ventilated Attic for the Canadian North

CCTC 2013 Paper Number 1569695823

A. Kayello1, P. Fazio1 and J. Rao1

1
Concordia University, Quebec, Canada

Abstract

The Canadian North subjects building envelope systems to extreme climatic loads. Energy-
efficient housing designed for such severe conditions requires testing and performance
evaluation. In this study, a pre-engineered, full-scale structural insulated panel (SIP) test hut, for
a new housing system being implemented in Nunavut, is built inside an environmental chamber
to investigate the hygrothermal performance of an unventilated and ventilated attic and of the
SIP system. This paper presents the test setup and protocol with results from hygrothermal
simulations on the attic and SIP performance. Further results are expected for the presentation
at the conference in May.

Keywords: hygrothermal, arctic, attic, SIP, pre-engineered housing, environmental chamber

Le Nord canadien expose les systèmes d’enveloppe des bâtiments à des charges climatiques
extrêmes. La conception d’habitations écoénergétiques dans des conditions aussi difficiles
requiert des essais et une évaluation du rendement. Dans cette étude, une unité résidentielle
d’essai à échelle réelle, faite de panneaux structurels isolés (PSI) et destinée à un nouveau
système d’habitations en cours d’implantation au Nunavut, a été construite à l’intérieur d’une
chambre climatique dans le but d’évaluer le rendement hygrothermique d’un comble ventilé,
d’un comble non ventilé et du système de PSI. L’article présente le montage et le protocole
d’essai ainsi que les résultats des simulations hygrothermiques sur le rendement des combles
et du système de PSI. Des résultats supplémentaires devraient être présentés à la conférence
de mai.

Mots-clés : hygrothermique, arctique, comble, PSI, bâtiment industrialisé, chambre climatique

1. Introduction

Northern communities have experienced not only significant climate changes in the last few
decades, but also cultural and technological changes. The rising temperatures contribute to
unpredictability in sea ice travel and in diminished access to country food and other resources
[1]. At the same time, Northern communities are growing rapidly and residential overcrowding is
an ongoing social issue, contributing to the ill health in Inuit populations [2]. Therefore, the need
for housing development in the Canadian North must also be coupled with sustainable and
durable solutions that will benefit both the people and the environment.

Housing development in the North poses many challenges. Lack of local resources means
building materials have to be shipped from southern Canada by sealift, which is costly and
infrequent. Building construction is limited by a short summer season, while limited skilled
labour and equipment make matters all the more difficult [3]. Energy for heating and powering
buildings is very costly and the extreme climate leads to high energy consumption, making high-
performance sustainable housing essential.

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
One recent effort by the Nunavut Housing Corporation to address the aforementioned housing
issues saw 142 pre-engineered structural insulated panel (SIP) houses constructed in several
communities in the territory [4]. These houses are highly insulated, airtight, and rapidly
constructed. The walls, floor, and roof of these houses are all made of SIPs composed of OSB
(oriented strand board) facings and an EPS (expanded polystyrene) insulating core. The
manufacturer of these SIP houses has since made a number of revisions to their SIP house
design, most notably the elimination of the SIP cathedral roof for a cold attic space insulated at
the ceiling level. In the interest of avoiding snow infiltration into the attic, the attic is airtight,
sealed and unventilated. In such an extreme climate, an unventilated cold attic is highly
susceptible to moisture problems if not executed properly. Studies into the performance of these
SIP houses in the extreme cold are limited. An in depth investigation for long-term durability of
such systems is being carried out by the authors in collaboration with the manufacturer.

SIP building construction is not entirely new to the arctic, but their suitability for that climate has
been assessed mostly in the last decade. A field evaluation of a demonstration SIP house
located in Repulse Bay, Nunavut, concluded that SIPs are suitable for Northern housing for a
number of reasons including: reduction of thermal bridging by reducing structural framing, faster
and easier construction than wood frame housing, and excellent airtightness (0.49 ACH at 50
Pa) [5]. At Summit Station, Greenland, an administration building composed primarily of SIPs
was assessed for its thermal performance after 20 years of service [6]. Using a blower door and
an infrared camera, it was found that the joints between the wall SIPs leaked very little air,
suggesting that they still perform well even after the building had been lifted from its steel
support columns several times. Of course, the performance of SIP houses also relies on good
workmanship. About twenty SIP houses in Juneau, Alaska, suffered moisture damage at the
exterior OSB of the roof SIPs six years after being built [7, 8]. The investigation concluded that
inadequate, and lack of, sealing of the joints was the cause, allowing warm, moist air to migrate
through the joints and condense at the exterior facing. The absence of damage away from the
panel edges suggested that vapour diffusion and the lack of a vapour barrier were not a factor.

A recent experimental study on SIPs by this research team at Concordia University

demonstrated their effectiveness in extreme cold environments as well as the advantage of
having thermal breaks at the SIP wall connections [9]. The author suggests that the SIP system
will fail most likely if air leakage paths form across the joints caused by poor design or
workmanship. This study investigates the joint between two SIPs in a flat wall subjected to
temperature differences of up to 50°C.

With regards to the roof, most buildings in Nunavut with sloped roofs have cathedral ceilings as
opposed to attics. Cathedral ceilings are generally preferred where wind-blown snow could be
driven into the roof cavity [10]. This is not the case for all Inuit communities, however; in
Nunavik, the standard housing construction uses ventilated cold attics, and there are many
reasons to opt for attics in extreme cold climates. Compared to cathedral ceilings, attics can
accommodate more insulation, which is very beneficial in the North, and reduce the indoor
volume to be heated. Cathedral ceilings are intrinsically more prone to moisture damage
because of the isolated conditions created in the cavities between the rafters [11]. They also
require heavy equipment for construction whereas truss roofs do not.

Ventilating cold attics has long been standard practice internationally, but it may not always be
justified or desirable. In the North, snow particles are very fine and get blown into small
openings and cracks in buildings [12] as reported by this research team [13]. This penetrating
snow can accumulate in large quantity in the building (Figure 1) and can endanger the integrity
of the building fabric once it melts. One study shows that snow infiltration can be mitigated by

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
modifying the configuration and geometry of the soffit while still allowing the attic to be ventilated
[14]. In Nunavik houses, in Northern Quebec, snow infiltration is reduced in ventilated attics with
the use of filter membranes located behind and at the bottom of the cladding. These spaces
between the furring behind the cladding are used to channel air to the attic.

Figure 1. Snow accumulation in a crawl space due to snow infiltration through cracks in the
building envelope (courtesy of Tim MacLeod, Nunavut Housing Corporation).

Well performing unvented attics in cold climates have been demonstrated in literature, but few
existing buildings with unvented attics have been studied and even fewer have been assessed
under extreme cold conditions. Unvented attics are said to perform well in cold climates if the
indoor relative humidity remains low and air leakage into the attic from the indoor space is
minimized [7, 11]. In the interest of avoiding ice damming, one study suggests that a well-
insulated roof can be unventilated if the snow accumulation depth outdoor is shallow [15]. In
fact, snowfall in the artic is not that abundant and snow is readily blown about [12], which
explains why low-sloped roofs are commonly used. A year-long test with several attic
configurations exposed to outdoor climate in Sweden showed that throughout most of the year
unvented attics, insulated with either mineral wool or cellulose, had lower average values of
relative humidity than those with natural and mechanical ventilation [16]. It is important to note,
however, that air infiltration from the indoor space below the attic was prevented by using a
continuous plastic film at the ceiling level and exhaust fans to keep the indoor space negatively
pressurized. An experimental study of cold attics exposed to Finnish climate shows that
unvented attics perform just as well hygrothermally as those ventilated, given that the roof
sheathing is vapour permeable [17]. In the same study, unvented attics also exhibited better
thermal performance. In a two year long experimental study of several attic configurations under
central Illinois climate conditions, the moisture performance of vented and unvented attics was
similar when the ceilings were airtight [18].

When it comes to the arctic and extreme cold climate, however, existing research on SIPs and
cold attics is rather limited. There is information in the literature, which suggests, but does not
confirm, that a cold, unventilated attic can perform well in extreme cold climates when the indoor
moisture levels are controlled and relatively low, and air leakage into the attic is minimized.

The research reported herein assesses the feasibility of unventilated attics in extreme cold
climates by examining the hygrothermal performance of both ventilated and unventilated cold
attics subjected to design interior and exterior conditions. The influence of low rates of air
leakage on its performance is considered. The effectiveness of short-term testing under design
conditions in determining the hygrothermal behaviour of attics is addressed as well.

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
2. Test setup

A test hut made up of SIPs (Figure 2) is assembled in a large environmental chamber (Figure 3)
located at Concordia University in Montreal. The internal dimensions of the environmental
chamber measure 4.66 m by 8.77 m by 7.17 m (15.3’ by 28.8’ by 23.5’) in width, length, and
height, respectively. The test hut design and components are similar to those of a
demonstration SIP house located in Iqaluit, Nunavut, which is also being monitored [13]. The
test hut features a rectangular 4.27 m by 3.05 m (14’ by 10’) plan, while the walls are 2.44 m (8')
high. Twelve SIPs make up the walls while the floor consists of three SIPs. The wall SIPs are
composed of 15 mm (19/32") OSB facings with a 275 mm (10 13/16”) insulating EPS core,
achieving a nominal RSI value of 7 (R-40). The floor SIPs are similar to the walls, though the
EPS is 341 mm (13 7/16") thick, resulting in an RSI value of 8.8 (R-50). The SIPs do not have a
specific vapour barrier, which may invite moisture problems caused by excessive vapour
diffusion. Two of the wall SIPs are coated with vapour retarder paint on the interior OSB to
compare the hygrothermal performance of panels with and without vapour retarder.

Figure 2. Isometric view of test hut being Figure 3. Environmental chamber

tested in environmental chamber. with solar simulator.

The joints between panels have a tongue-in-groove like configuration. A wood I-joist is
embedded at the female edge of the panel to provide structural reinforcement (Figure 4).
Between the I-joist and the interior OSB facing, 32 mm (1 1/4") of EPS insulation acts as a
thermal break. All other joints and connections utilize thermally broken framing elements that fill
the gaps at the SIP joints and also provide structural stability (Figure 5). These elements consist
of two 38 mm by 89 mm (1 1/2" x 3 1/2") wood members separated by 95 mm (3 3/4") of EPS
insulation, all held together by a 6 mm (1/4") plywood board. SIPs are pressed together during
construction and the joints are sealed with tape applied on the inside and outside to prevent air
leakage.

The test hut has a cold attic composed of six trusses supporting 13 mm (1/2") plywood roof
sheathing with a 25% slope. About 432 mm (17") of cellulose insulation is located at the ceiling
plane. To reduce thermal bridging through the trusses, 38 mm (1 1/2") of polyisocyanurate is
applied continuously below the trusses and the cellulose insulation (Figure 6). The total resulting
RSI value is 12.3 (R-70). The gables are made of 15 mm (19/32”) OSB. The joints between the

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
polyisocyanurate boards are taped from the inside. The polyisocyanurate insulation is foil faced
on both sides, so it doubles as a vapour barrier for the roof.

Figure 4. Panel joint containing an I-joist Figure 5. Panel joint with thermocouples
structural stiffener. installed and end of framing element
corresponding to this joint.

To examine the effects of ventilation and lack thereof, the attic space is separated in the middle
with 38 mm (1 1/2") polyisocyanurate board and sealed such that the attic space is divided into
two symmetrical bays. One bay is unvented while the other is vented at the soffit and ridge. The
test hut has two windows with fiberglass frames (one is triple-glazed and the other is double-
glazed) on opposite sides as well as one door with a polyurethane core. There will be no
finishing materials installed on either the interior or the exterior of the test hut (i.e. no cladding
on the exterior, no gypsum on the interior). To simulate the raised floor construction commonly
employed in Nunavut, the test-hut is raised 451 mm (17 3/4") off the floor and supported on
casters.

2.1 Instrumentation and equipment

The instrumentation layout aims to provide in-depth measurements of the conditions in the test
hut. The main parameters monitored are temperature (T), relative humidity (RH), and moisture
content (MC). Each MC probe is coupled with a T sensor for temperature corrections, and each
RH probe contains a RTD (resistive temperature detectors) temperature sensor. All other
temperatures, unless stated otherwise, are measured by TCs of type T, 30 gauge, and with
special limits of error. A data acquisition system is placed inside the test hut. Table 1 provides a
list of these sensors and their locations, and they are displayed on a vertical section of the test
hut in Figure 6.

Eighteen SIP joints on one side of the test hut are monitored for temperature along the
thickness of the panels. One TC is placed on the interior face of each joint and another on the
exterior. Four or five TCs, depending on the type of joint, are placed within the joint (Figure 5). A
total of 110 TCs are used to monitor the SIP joints. To install the TCs, small holes are drilled in
the interior OSB such that the TC wires are fed through them. These holes are then sealed so
the air tightness of the joint is not affected. The TCs are embedded in the EPS such that they do
not protrude and affect the performance of the joints. Each TC wire follows the plane of the wall,
the direction of minimal change in temperature, for at least 10 cm from the thermocouple
junction to maintain accuracy in the readings.

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013

Figure 6. Section of test hut including placement of temperature,

relative humidity, and moisture content sensors.

Table 1. Summary of temperature, relative humidity, and moisture content sensors installed.
Index Description Count
A TCs (6) at connection of ceiling and two perpendicular walls 2
B TCs (6) at connection of ceiling and wall 3
C TCs (6) at connection of ceiling and two in-line walls 2
SIP Joints

D TCs (6) at connection of two perpendicular walls 2

E TCs (7) at connection of two in-line walls 2
F TCs (6) at connection of floor and two perpendicular walls 2
G TCs (6) at connection of floor and wall 3
H TCs (6) at connection of floor and two in-line walls 2
I RH and T sensors in air space 1
J RH and T sensors under roof sheathing near ridge 1
Each Attic Bay

K RH and T sensors under roof sheathing near soffit 1

L RH and T sensors in top portion of cellulose insulation 1
M RH and T sensors in bottom portion of cellulose insulation 1
N MC and T sensors on underside of roof sheathing near ridge 1
O MC and T sensors on underside of roof sheathing near soffit 1
P MC and T sensors on top chord of roof truss 1
Q MC and T sensors on inside of gable 1
R RH and T sensors in interior air space 2
S MC and T sensors on interior OSB without vapour barrier paint 2
T MC and T sensors on interior OSB with vapour barrier paint (1 of 2 shown) 2
U RH and T sensors in exterior air space (3 of 5 shown) 5

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
A number of parameters are monitored in the attic bays. The sensors listed in Table 1 are for
each of the two attic bays. The RH measurements of the attic air space and the underside of the
sheathing are of key interest in this study: typically the coldest surface in the attic, the roof
sheathing is the most likely to experience condensation or frost formation. The moisture
conditions of the materials in the attic are also monitored. Because wind-induced air infiltration
of the attic bays cannot be directly simulated in the environmental chamber, regulated flow is
provided by a mechanical ventilation system. The pressure differential between each attic bay
and the exterior is monitored.

The ambient indoor air conditions of the test hut are monitored with RH and temperature
sensors. Also, MC probes are installed on the interior OSB of 4 wall SIPs, two of which have
paint coating as vapour barrier. An air pump with flow rate control is used to pressurize and
depressurize the test hut, while the pressure difference between the interior and exterior is
monitored. Low flow rate sample pumps are used to supply indoor air into the attic space at
controlled rates. The test hut also houses a heater and humidifier to maintain internal
conditions. The ambient air conditions in the environmental chamber are monitored on the four
sides of the test hut as well above the roof. An infrared camera is also used to evaluate
occurrences of air leakage and thermal bridging, if any.

3. Test methodology

Two main tests are conducted in this study. The first test (test #1) examines the effects of low
temperatures and pressure differences on the hygrothermal performance of the test hut. The
second test (test #2) focuses more on the hygrothermal performance of the attic, where the test
hut is subjected to alternating periods of design arctic winter and summer conditions whilst
controlled rates of air leakage are delivered from the interior space to the attic. Figure 7 shows
the imposed boundary conditions for the two tests. The detailed procedure follows. Note that the
ventilation rate of the ventilated attic is 5.0 ACH throughout the experiment.

Test #1 Test #2
80

T outdoor (°C)
60 RH outdoor (%)
Indoor RH increased to T indoor (°C)
80% every 12 hours RH indoor (%)
40 Pressure differential (Pa) vs Time (days)

5 LPM air leakage 3 LPM air leakage 1 LPM air leakage

into attic into attic into attic
20

−20

−40

−60
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Time (days)

Figure 7. Boundary conditions applied in the experiment.

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
Test #1 begins with the exterior temperature dropping to -20°C. The interior temperature and
RH are maintained at 22°C and 40% throughout the test. The exterior temperature is kept
constant so that thermal steady-state conditions are achieved for all test hut materials. The test
hut is then pressurized at 10 Pa, 30 Pa, and 50 Pa sequentially, and thermal steady-state
conditions are obtained for each pressure difference. In a similar fashion, the test hut is then
depressurized at 10 Pa, 30 Pa, and 50 Pa. The preceding steps are then repeated at -30°C and
-40°C, and each of these temperatures is maintained for a week.

Test #2 begins immediately after the end of the first. The indoor temperature is kept at 22°C,
whereas the relative humidity is briefly increased to 80-90% every 12 hours and allowed to
dissipate, simulating periods of high moisture generation in a house (i.e. shower, cooking).
Momentary rather than continuous high RH levels more realistically represent the typical indoor
moisture conditions of housing in the arctic regardless of occupant density, as surveys have
shown [6, 19]. An exhaust fan ventilates the indoor space at a rate of 0.5 ACH.

The design outdoor conditions implemented in test #2 are 10°C, 80% RH for summer and
-35°C, 70% RH for winter; high outdoor RH conditions are common year-round for Northern
communities since almost all of them are located by the sea. The first part of test #2 imposes
summer conditions for ten days while sample pumps supply indoor air into each attic bay at a
rate of 5 LPM. This controlled air leakage rate is maintained through ten days of winter
conditions, followed by another ten days of summer conditions. The air leakage rate is reduced
to 3 LPM for the next winter-summer cycle, and then 1 LPM for the last cycle.

4. Simulation Results

The experiment for this study is in progress, however we expect to have some test results to
report at the time of the conference. With the help of computer-aided simulation, the expected
results of the experiment are presented and discussed.

To predict the steady-state temperature profile of a SIP joint in test #1, software THERM is
used. THERM models two-dimensional steady-state heat transfer through building materials.
This type of simulation accurately describes the temperature profile across the joints provided
that the joints do not leak air from the exterior or interior, which is generally expected to be the
case in this housing system. Also, the simulation is limited to two-dimensional thermal
processes for joints where isotherms exist normal to the cutting plane (joints between walls, for
example). Joints with no theoretical isotherm perpendicular to any cutting plane can be
modelled accurately only with three-dimensional heat transfer analysis.

Figure 8 shows the steady-state temperature distribution of a joint between two perpendicular
walls with 22°C interior conditions and the three exterior conditions posed in test #1 (-20°C, -
30°C, and -40°C). The temperature conditions at the locations of the six installed TCs are also
shown. The effect of thermal bridging due to the presence of structural components is very
small and not very pronounced in the temperature maps. This indicates the effectiveness of the
joint design at attenuating heat losses. The temperature values obtained from the experiment
are compared with those from simulation for verification.

When the SIP joints are also subjected to pressure differentials, the temperature profile should
not change for airtight joints. If the joints are not airtight, however, the temperature profile
becomes difficult to predict. The complex geometry and ambiguity of airflow paths across the
joints cannot be accounted for with current computer-aided simulation means. Compared to the
case where no air leakage occurs through the joint, higher temperatures are expected in leaky

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
joints when the test hut is pressurized while lower temperatures are expected under
depressurization in cold climates. The actual, quantifiable effects of pressurization and
depressurization on the joints are provided by the experiment.

a) Corner joint modelled as 2D section b) -20°C exterior temperature

c) -30°C exterior temperature d) -40°C exterior temperature

Figure 8. 2D simulation results of a corner joint for three exterior temperatures using THERM.

To predict the behaviour of the attic bays in the experiment, whole building hygrothermal
simulation software, WUFI Plus, is used. WUFI Plus accounts for one-dimensional coupled heat
and moisture transfer through interior and exterior walls using hygrothermal properties of the
constituent material layers. Assuming the air is well mixed, each room is treated as one node
with uniform temperature and RH. Movement of air through the materials is not accounted for,
but airflow rates can be defined between the building zones and with the exterior as well.
Depending on the presence of heating and humidification equipment, each zone can be
classified as actively or passively conditioned. To model this experiment, one conditioned zone
is defined for the indoor space and two unconditioned zones represent the attic bays. Some
simplifications are made in setting up the simulation. The initial temperature conditions of the
materials and the zones are set at 20°C while the RH conditions for the materials and zones are
set at 40% and 20%, respectively. Both boundary conditions of tests #1 and #2 are used,
though the effects of pressurization and depressurization in test #1 are not accounted for in the
simulation.

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
The attic temperature and relative humidity conditions resulting from simulation (see Figure 7 for
loads, excluding pressure differences) are shown in Figure 9. In terms of thermal performance,
the temperature conditions of the attics follow a near identical path throughout the tests, closely
following the outdoor conditions. This similarity is largely due to the highly insulated ceiling and
lack of significant thermal resistance in the plywood roofing and OSB gables. The thermal
conditions of the two attics are less likely to affect each other significantly compared to the
influence of the exterior conditions because the polyisocyanurate board separator is still much
more insulating. Air leakage into the attics at the rates provided has no significant effect on their
temperature conditions (Figure 9).

The relative humidity conditions in the attics brought about by these tests are a result of slower
and more complex physical phenomena. In test #1, as the temperature drops from 20°C, the RH
of both attics climbs as the air in the attics is cooled. In the case of the ventilated attic (VA) the
RH reaches about 40% and then increases gradually to 63% as the outdoor temperature
decrease to -20°C, -30°C, and finally to -40°C, and at the same time air exchange occurs with
the outdoor. The RH in the unventilated attic (UA) climbs up to about 55% as T drops to -20°C
and then decreases to 52% as T remains at -20°C. The RH increase to 55% is due to the
cooling of the air in the unventilated attic, while the decrease to 52% can be attributed to
sorption of moisture in the air by the surrounding wood and the cellulose. Similar, but smaller
steps in RH occur as T drops to -30°C and then to -40°C.
100 100
Test #1 Test #2

80 80

Relative Humidity (%)

60 T ventilated attic (°C) 60
RH ventilated attic (%)
T unventilated attic (°C)
RH unventilated attic (%)
Temperature (°C)

40 40
5 LPM air leakage 3 LPM air leakage 1 LPM air leakage
into attic into attic into attic
20 20

0 0

−20

−40

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Time (days)

Figure 9. Temperature and relative humidity of unventilated & ventilated attics from simulation.

When summer conditions (10°C, 80%RH) are applied at the beginning of test #2, the increasing
temperature causes the RH conditions of the UA to decrease to 45%. The RH conditions
increase steadily to 56% in ten days as indoor air leaks into the UA. The VA RH levels, on the
other hand, increase directly to 75% in ten days as its air is exchanged with the outdoor air. The
small peaks in attic RH levels correspond to periods of high interior RH every twelve hours.
When winter conditions (-35°C, 70%RH) are imposed, the effect of air leakage on the RH
conditions of both attics is much more pronounced. The RH levels in the UA increase more
rapidly than those of the VA, and the peaks in RH levels of the UA eventually reach saturation

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
within ten days of winter conditions with 5 LPM air leakage into the attic. The RH conditions in
the VA do increase in the winter period but not to the same extent as the UA and saturation is
not reached. The capacity of the attic materials to buffer moisture from air leakage helps
regulate the RH in both attics. At the lower air leakage rates in test #2, saturation is not
achieved in either attic, though the UA exhibits less tolerance to air leakage than the VA. Under
summer conditions, the RH of the UA is consistently lower than that of the VA. The UA is slower
to gain moisture from the exterior when the outdoor RH is high, but it is also slower to dry out
when outdoor conditions are favourable. Based on the results, an unventilated attic can
maintain lower RH conditions than a ventilated attic provided that the air leakage rate is very low
and indoor RH is moderated. These results will be compared with experimental ones, which are
expected to be available before the conference.

5. Conclusion

Emerging energy-efficient housing systems for the Canadian arctic climate, expected to endure
severe climate conditions, require performance testing and validation. An experimental study
has been designed to investigate the hygrothermal performance of SIPs and cold attics, both
vented and unvented, in the extreme cold. The thermal performance of SIPs has been proven to
be suitable for Northern housing. The isotherms of corners of this SIP system have been
presented. The durability of this housing system depends on the airtightness of the joints
between the SIPs.

An analysis of the moisture conditions of cold attics under design winter and summer conditions
shows that unventilated attics can perform well provided that the air leakage from the living area
is kept below 5 LPM. The capacity of the attic materials to buffer moisture from air leakage
helps regulate the attic relative humidity, but excessive air leakage eventually leads to very high
relative humidity conditions where the accumulated moisture is slow to diffuse out. If significant
leakage of moist air is expected to occur through the ceiling, it is prudent to ventilate. Of course,
ventilated attics for the artic require special design considerations to avoid snow infiltration.

6. References

[1] Bolton K., Lougheed M., Ford J., Nickels S., Grable C., Shirley J., “What we know,
don’t know, and need to know about climate change in Inuit Nunangat”, Bolton et al.,
Canada, 2011
[2] Knotsch C., Kinnon D., “If Not Now…When? Addressing the ongoing Inuit housing
crisis in Canada”, National Aboriginal Health Organization, Ottawa, Ontario, 2011
[3] Saïd M. N. A., “Task 2: literature review: building envelope, heating, and ventilating
practices and technologies for extreme climates”, National Resource Council Canada,
Ottawa, Ontario, 2006
[4] CMHC, “Nunavut housing corporation — Nunavut”, Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation, Visited on February 15, 2013 from:
http://www.cmhc.ca/en/inpr/afhoce/sust/sust_111.cfm
[5] CMHC, “Building with structural panels repulse bay”, North Series, About Your
House, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Ottawa, Ontario, 2001
[6] Burnside J., Mercer J., Barna L., Haggerty P., Crain R., Buska J., Claffey K.,
“Thermal analysis of an elevated building at Summit Station, Greenland”, Cold
Regions Engineering 2012, pp. 210-220

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 EIC Climate Change Technology Conference 2013
[7] Trechsel H. R., Bomberg M. T., “Moisture control in buildings: the key factors in mold
prevention”, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, 2009
[8] SIPA, “SIPA report on the Juneau, Alaska roof issue”, Structural Insulated Panel
Association, Visited on February 15, 2013 from:
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7. Acknowledgements

This project is a subproject within the NSERC Smart Net-Zero Energy Buildings Strategic
Research Network (SNEBRN), sponsored by the Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and 14 industrial partners including KOTT Group.
The project is aslo supported through a NSERC discovery grant. The materials and
installation of the test hut are supplied by KOTT Group.

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