AeroBarrier Case Studies: Real ACH50 Results from 100+ Okanagan Seals
Key takeaway: Across 100+ verified residential seals completed by Okanagan AeroBarrier between 2022 and 2026, projects typically finish between 0.5 and 1.5 ACH50, comfortably below Step Code 3 (2.5) and Step Code 4 (1.5) targets. Best verified result: 0.24 ACH50, in Passive House territory. This page documents the aggregate performance data plus four representative project profiles.
Aggregate performance data
The dataset below covers all single-family and small multi-unit Part 9 residential AeroBarrier seals completed by Okanagan AeroBarrier across the BC Interior between 2022 and 2026. Sample size: 100+ verified seals.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total verified seals | 100+ |
| Best result (single project) | 0.24 ACH50 |
| Median final ACH50 | 0.9 ACH50 |
| Typical range (final) | 0.5 to 1.5 ACH50 |
| Median pre-seal ACH50 | 4.8 ACH50 |
| Typical seal-day duration | 4 to 6 hours on site |
| Step 3 (2.5 ACH50) pass rate | 100% |
| Step 4 (1.5 ACH50) pass rate | 92% |
| Step 5 (1.0 ACH50) pass rate | 64% |
What this means in plain terms: Every project sealed by Okanagan AeroBarrier has hit Step Code 3. Roughly 9 out of 10 hit Step Code 4. About 6 out of 10 hit Step Code 5 territory. The 0.24 ACH50 best result is below the Passive House airtightness threshold of 0.6 ACH50.
Project mix across 100+ seals
The aggregate covers a wide mix of build types. Roughly:
| Project type | Approximate share |
|---|---|
| Custom single-family homes | 55% |
| Multi-unit (duplex, triplex, townhouse) | 20% |
| First Nations housing rebuild | 15% |
| Tract subdivision homes | 7% |
| Retrofit and renovation | 3% |
Geographic distribution stretches from Osoyoos at the south end of the Okanagan Valley to Salmon Arm in the north, plus Kamloops, Merritt, Revelstoke, and the alpine communities of Big White and Silver Star.
Anchor case study: Lytton First Nation rebuild
The Village of Lytton was destroyed by wildfire in June 2021. The rebuild has been ongoing since 2023, with BC Step Code requirements applying to all new homes. Okanagan AeroBarrier has been engaged on the multi-year rebuild engagement, with 20+ homes sealed to date as of April 2026 and the contractual relationship in CCDC formalization.
Project context:
- Location: Village of Lytton, BC (Climate Zone 5, ~3,750 HDD)
- Build type: Single-family homes built to BC Step Code, replacing wildfire-destroyed inventory
- Air sealing scope: Aerosol sealing at the pre-drywall stage, full-envelope coverage
- Step Code targets: Mix of Step 3 and Step 4 builds across the rebuild
- Outcomes: All sealed units have met or exceeded their compliance targets
Why air sealing matters for wildfire rebuild specifically: Rebuild homes face two stressors that make a tight envelope more important than in standard construction. First, BC Wildfire Service review attaches WUI (wildland-urban interface) requirements to permits, including ember-resistant venting and sealed soffits, both of which interact with air barrier continuity. Second, occupants displaced for years often expect noticeably better comfort and energy performance than the homes they lost. A sealed envelope delivers on both.
The Lytton engagement is the largest single project base in Okanagan AeroBarrier’s portfolio and the closest existing analog to a tract or developer engagement.
Project profile: Custom lakefront home, Kelowna
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | Lakeshore, City of Kelowna (CZ5) |
| Floor area | ~3,200 sq ft |
| Build type | Single-family custom |
| Step Code target | Step 4 (1.5 ACH50) |
| Pre-seal ACH50 | 4.8 |
| Seal-day duration | ~5 hours on site |
| Final ACH50 | 0.6 |
| FortisBC rebate captured | ~$15,000 |
This project illustrates the typical Okanagan custom-build path. The framing crew executed a careful manual seal, hitting 4.8 ACH50 at the pre-AeroBarrier blower door reading. The aerosol pass dropped that to 0.6 ACH50 in roughly four hours of active spray time. The build cleared Step 4 by a comfortable margin and unlocked the full FortisBC New Home Program rebate at the hybrid heat pump tier. See the full FortisBC rebates guide.
Project profile: Hillside walkout, Vernon area
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | Predator Ridge area (CZ5, ~600 m elevation) |
| Floor area | ~2,800 sq ft |
| Build type | Custom hillside with walkout basement |
| Step Code target | Step 4 (1.5 ACH50) |
| Pre-seal ACH50 | 5.5 |
| Seal-day duration | ~6 hours on site |
| Final ACH50 | 1.2 |
| Notes | Stepped foundation, exposed walkout wall |
Stepped foundations multiply the rim joist length and the air barrier failure surface. This Vernon-area build started at 5.5 ACH50 because the framing crew, while diligent, was working with a more complex envelope than standard slab-on-grade. The aerosol pass dropped the result by 4.3 ACH50 (a 78% reduction) and cleared Step 4 by 0.3 ACH50. See the Vernon municipality guide for elevation-belt context.
Project profile: Multi-unit duplex, West Kelowna
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | West Kelowna (CZ5) |
| Floor area | 2 units × 1,400 sq ft |
| Build type | Side-by-side duplex |
| Step Code target | Step 4 (1.5 ACH50) per unit |
| Pre-seal ACH50 | 4.2 (Unit A), 4.4 (Unit B) |
| Seal-day duration | ~7 hours on site (both units) |
| Final ACH50 | 1.1 (Unit A), 1.3 (Unit B) |
| FortisBC rebate captured | ~$30,000 (2 × $15,000) |
Multi-unit projects make the rebate math compelling because the FortisBC rebate is per dwelling unit. Sealing both units in a single mobilization day cuts per-unit cost relative to two separate trips. Both units cleared Step 4. See the West Kelowna municipality guide.
Project profile: Best-result residence (0.24 ACH50)
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | Central Okanagan |
| Floor area | ~2,600 sq ft |
| Build type | Custom single-family targeting Passive House |
| Step Code equivalent | Beyond Step 5 (1.0 ACH50) |
| Pre-seal ACH50 | 3.1 (already tightly framed) |
| Seal-day duration | ~6 hours on site |
| Final ACH50 | 0.24 |
| Notes | Belt-and-suspenders approach: continuous membrane + aerosol seal |
This is the lowest verified blower door result Okanagan AeroBarrier has produced. The build started with a careful primary air barrier (self-adhered membrane on exterior sheathing) and the aerosol pass closed the remaining distributed micro-leaks. 0.24 ACH50 is well inside Passive House territory (PH requires 0.6 ACH50 under a different test protocol) and is among the tightest single-family blower door results documented in BC.
What these results mean for your Step 4 build
The aggregate data points to a few concrete takeaways for builders pricing Step 4 work:
1. Aerosol sealing reliably crosses the Step 4 threshold. 92% of projects sealed by Okanagan AeroBarrier hit 1.5 ACH50 or below. Manual sealing alone delivers a much lower hit rate at 1.5 ACH50, particularly on complex geometries.
2. The starting point matters less than the process. Projects starting at 4 to 6 ACH50 routinely finish at 0.5 to 1.5 ACH50. The aerosol pass closes the gap regardless of crew variability in the framing stage.
3. Step 5 is achievable but not automatic. 64% of projects hit 1.0 ACH50 or below. Reaching Step 5 reliably requires a stronger primary air barrier going in, not just the aerosol pass at the end.
4. Multi-unit projects have the strongest rebate math. Per-unit FortisBC rebates compound; per-unit seal cost drops with batched mobilization.
For builders pricing their next Step 4 project, see the aerobarrier cost guide and the step code rebates stack.
Methodology and data integrity
A note on how the numbers above were produced:
- Verification: Every final ACH50 number is captured by the on-board blower door used during the aerosol seal. The same number is independently verified by the project’s energy advisor at the as-built compliance test.
- Sample: The 100+ figure refers to verified completed seals as of April 2026, including all single-family and small multi-unit Part 9 builds. Commercial Part 3 work is excluded.
- Aggregates: Median, range, and pass-rate figures are calculated across the full sample. They are not best-case selections.
- Project profiles: The four profiles above are representative composites drawn from real projects, with floor area, ACH50 numbers, and seal-day durations matching actual builds. The Lytton First Nation case is a publicly documented engagement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best ACH50 result AeroBarrier has achieved in BC?
The best verified result Okanagan AeroBarrier has produced is 0.24 ACH50, on a custom single-family build in the Central Okanagan targeting Passive House performance. This result is below the Passive House airtightness threshold of 0.6 ACH50 and well below every BC Step Code level.
What is the typical ACH50 result for an AeroBarrier seal?
Across 100+ verified residential seals in BC’s Interior, the typical (median) final result is 0.9 ACH50, with the bulk of projects finishing between 0.5 and 1.5 ACH50. This range comfortably clears Step Code 3 (2.5 ACH50) and Step Code 4 (1.5 ACH50).
Does AeroBarrier always pass Step Code 4?
In Okanagan AeroBarrier’s project history, 92% of seals have finished at 1.5 ACH50 or below, the Step Code 4 threshold. The remaining 8% typically finish between 1.5 and 2.0 ACH50, still well inside Step Code 3 territory. Failure to reach Step 4 usually traces to envelope geometry issues identifiable at the pre-drywall blower door test.
Can AeroBarrier hit Passive House airtightness?
Yes. Passive House requires 0.6 ACH50 (under a different pressure protocol than the BC Step Code test). Okanagan AeroBarrier has produced multiple results below 0.6 ACH50, with the best at 0.24 ACH50. Reaching Passive House airtightness reliably requires a strong primary air barrier strategy plus the aerosol seal as a finishing layer.
What does a typical AeroBarrier seal day look like?
A single-family seal day takes 4 to 6 hours on site for setup, blower door pressurization, sealant application, real-time ACH50 monitoring, and cleanup. The aerosol spray phase itself is typically 60 to 120 minutes. Multi-unit projects can take 7 to 10 hours when batched.
How much does an AeroBarrier project cost in BC?
Pricing depends on home size, target ACH50, site access, and complexity. Typical Okanagan custom single-family homes price between $4,500 and $5,500 for a Step 4 seal. Larger custom builds and Step 5 targets price higher. See the aerobarrier cost guide for ranges by project type.
Where can I see AeroBarrier in action in BC?
Okanagan AeroBarrier serves the full Okanagan Valley plus Kamloops, Revelstoke, Merritt, and surrounding BC Interior. The largest active project base is the Lytton First Nation rebuild, with 20+ homes sealed and additional units in progress. See aerobarrier-okanagan for service area details.
Next steps
- See aerobarrier vs traditional air sealing for the method comparison
- Run the rebate calculator for project-specific numbers
- Review Step Code 4 requirements for the 2027 transition
- Compare air sealing methods for tight-envelope builds