Description

Blower Door Airtightness Testing in Hospital Isolation Rooms — Hospital de Terrassa, Barcelona

Praxis carried out Blower Door airtightness tests in 17 hospital bedrooms in the isolation ward of the Hospital de Terrassa, Barcelona, as part of the verification of spaces designed to accommodate patients with infectious diseases.

The objective of the testing was to measure the air permeability of individual isolation rooms and support an assessment of the potential risk of aerosol contamination between rooms and adjacent hospital areas. The test strategy was informed by BSRIA BTS 3/2018 — Air Permeability Testing of Isolation Facilities, which provides guidance for assessing air leakage in isolation facilities.

Testing methodology

The airtightness tests were carried out using fan pressurisation equipment in accordance with EN 13829 (now superseded by ISO 9972). Each room was tested in both depressurisation and pressurisation, with measurements taken between approximately 20 Pa and 70 Pa.

Results

The results were considered satisfactory, with no room showing excessive air permeability according to the project assessment. The testing provided useful evidence for the commissioning and risk assessment of the isolation ward, supporting the control of unintended air leakage paths between patient rooms and surrounding hospital spaces.

This type of airtightness testing helps support infection-control strategies, ventilation commissioning, and risk assessment for airborne contamination in healthcare environments.