Acacia Engineering Ltd.

08/28/2026

A practical look at Large Building Blower Door Testing in the field.

Following Part 1 of our Applied Learning Series, here’s a real project example from Paul Jifon showing how guarded blower door testing can be carried out in a building.

This project involved guarded blower door testing of two units within a multi-unit residential building in accordance with E779. Blower door fans were used in the test units and adjoining units to maintain similar pressure conditions, helping minimize air movement through shared walls, floors, and ceilings and isolate leakage through the exterior building envelope.

Our team completed both and testing and used a smoke puffer to help identify specific areas of air leakage within each unit. The collected airflow and pressure data were then analyzed to determine the applicable air leakage rate and documented in a final report for the client. - with Dawson Wallace Construction Ltd.

Our series continues with two upcoming sessions that take a closer look at the practical side of the testing process:

💻 Online and free to attend.
➡️Session Part 2 – Preparing the Building | September 2
Learn how to prepare a building for testing, including test boundaries, building conditions, equipment setup, temporary sealing and test-day readiness.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-2-tickets-1998454220370

➡️Session Part 3 – Testing, Results & Solutions | September 9
Explore what happens on test day, how results are interpreted, and how testing can help identify air leakage and guide practical solutions.
Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-3-tickets-1998454583456

08/27/2026

What needs to happen before a large building is ready for blower door testing?

In this video, Stephen Farrell introduces Part 2 – Preparing the Building, where the focus shifts from understanding the standards to putting them into practice. The session will look at building setup, blower door and equipment requirements, walls and mechanical systems, and the coordination needed between the testing and project teams to properly prepare for test day.

Part 2 is one stage of our complete Large Building Blower Door Testing Applied Learning Series, taking participants from standards and performance requirements in Part 1, through building preparation in Part 2, and finally to testing, results and practical solutions in Part 3.
Follow the full series for a practical look at large building airtightness testing from preparation through to results.

Large Building Blower Door Testing
Part 2 – Preparing the Building | September 2
Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-2-tickets-1998454220370

Part 3 – Testing, Results & Solutions | September 9
Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-3-tickets-1998454583456

08/27/2026

08/26/2026

Acacia Engineering recently provided energy consulting services for an Apartment in Terrace, BC, as part of ’s Residential Building Retrofit Program.

Our team assessed the existing building and explored energy-efficiency opportunities across the building envelope, space heating and cooling, domestic hot water, lighting and controls, and electrical capacity to help support future electrification. The assessment also considered potential retrofit measures, including heat pump technologies, giving the client a clearer pathway for prioritizing future investments that can reduce energy consumption and operating costs, improve building performance and occupant comfort, and support long-term decarbonization goals.

For owners and managers of existing multi-unit residential buildings, the BC Hydro MURB program can be a valuable starting point for understanding where energy-efficiency improvements may be possible and how to plan for future upgrades.

Interested in learning more? Visit our BC Hydro MURB Opportunity Assessment page for an overview of the program, the assessment process, and how VT Group can support your project:

https://vtgroup.ca/bc-hydro-murb-opportunity-assessment/

08/24/2026

A look back at Large Building Blower Door Testing!
In this video, Sree from our Nanaimo office walks through some of the important considerations when planning a large building airtightness test, including understanding the testing standards that may apply to your project.

With our upcoming three-part Large Building Blower Door Testing Applied Learning series just around the corner, this is a great introduction to some of the topics we’ll be exploring in more detail—from understanding the standards to building preparation, testing and results.

Part 1 – Understanding the Standards | August 26
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-1-tickets-1995130515078

Part 2 – Preparing the Building | September 2
Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-2-tickets-1998454220370

Part 3 – Testing, Results & Solutions | September 9
Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-3-tickets-1998454583456

08/22/2026

Coming up soon.
Part 1 of our Large Building Blower Door Testing series!

Join us on August 26 for Understanding the Standards, where we’ll cover the key standards, performance targets and metrics behind large building airtightness testing.

💻 Online | Free to attend
👉 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-1-tickets-1995130515078

08/21/2026

Understanding the standards is the first step toward a successful large building airtightness test.

In this video, Stephen Farrell shares a preview of Part 1 – Understanding the Standards, taking place August 26. The session will explore key testing standards such as ASTM and CGSB, the different performance metrics used in airtightness testing, and how these requirements relate to project planning and testing.
Part 1 provides the technical foundation for the full three-part series. Participants can then continue with Part 2 – Preparing the Building and Part 3 – Testing, Results & Solutions for a practical look at the process from preparation through to interpreting the final results.

💻 Online | Free to attend
Part 1 – Understanding the Standards | August 26
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-1-tickets-1995130515078

Part 2 – Preparing the Building | September 2
Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-2-tickets-1998454220370

Part 3 – Testing, Results & Solutions | September 9
Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/large-building-blower-door-testing-session-part-3-tickets-1998454583456

08/20/2026

We'll be looking forward to seeing you there!
With the VT Group of Companies.

08/07/2026

Thank you for the collaboration!

08/04/2026

Join us for our next Applied Learning Session:
Testing Services | Applying Building Science to Real Projects on Wednesday, August 19 at 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time.

Presented by Bererton, this free session will explore hashtag diagnostic testing services offered by Qualistat Building Performance Consultants, including Attic Rain Diagnostics, Water Ingress Testing, and Smoke Testing. Learn how building science and evidence-based testing can help identify hidden issues, determine the source of building performance concerns, and support effective repair decisions.

Register for free: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/diagnostic-testing-services-tickets-1995094470267?keep_tld=true
https://lnkd.in/gVDQQNFK