| Conceptual Reference Database for Building Envelope Research |
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| Essay:current hygrothermal research - a positive view*** StatusA loose consensus has been achieved on the mechanism of the HAM transport. Although there are different theory and formula, the main structure is set, A considerable amount of the material hygrothermal property of common building envelope materials has been collected, and the work is continuing. Many computer codes, including several relative mature ones, have been developed and checked against experimental data. The models are of various complexity, ranging from simple, to 1-D to 2-D. Many laboratory and field experimental works have been carried out.
** Current emphasis -- goal to develop guideline for achieving higher hygrothermal performance in building envelopes ? to improve moisture performance during renovation of buildings. -- methodology copied over from the building thermal analysis. to rely on the simulation results from analyses on a large amount of envelope design and configurations to carry out simulations with a variety of climatic conditions, or with records of real climatic conditions, for prolonged periods (such as year round). -- procedure computer models are used to perform on a large collection of building envelopes of different materials and configurations by analyzing the simulation results, the hygrothermal performance of these designs are assessed. ranking the designs according to the performance, general guidelines are derived. -- experimental support is supported by experimental facilities and research. to ensure the correctness and accuracy of the employed computer simulation models, experiments are carefully designed to allow comparisons, and to allow the models to obtain more material properties of a specific design, models with experimental data are more refined for ( more accurate representation of) the specific envelope design, thus provide more reliable simulation results. -- research teams IRC/NRC, use of LATENITE program in the "Consortium for Moisture Management for Exterior Wall Systems ", backed up by a leading laboratory for measuring material properties Oak Ridge National Laboratory: development of the "Applied moisture engineering" concept, also use LATENITE program, with a large climatic simulator (4m by 4m for roof panels) VTT Building Technology/Finland: limited capacity in this regard, but advanced research on others such as vapor barrier.
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