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The effects of ventilation systems and building fabric on the stability of indoor temperature and humidity in Finnish detached houses

Kalamees, T., Korpi, M., Vinha, J. and Kurnitski, J.
2009
Building and Environment, 44(8): 1643-1650
Moisture buffering; Relative humidity; Temperature; Indoor climate

Kalamees, T., Korpi, M., Vinha, J. and Kurnitski, J., (2009), "The effects of ventilation systems and building fabric on the stability of indoor temperature and humidity in Finnish detached houses", Building and Environment, 44(8): 1643-1650.
Abstract:
Interest in finding out passive ways to keep the variation in the indoor climate within the comfort zone is gaining in popularity. One possible solution is the use of the moisture-buffering property of materials. In this study, the effects of the ventilation system and moisture-buffering properties of the building fabric on the stability of the indoor temperature and humidity are analysed by means of long-term field measurements. Indoor climate measurements were carried out in 170 detached houses (248 rooms). Temperature and relative humidity were measured continuously in bedrooms and living rooms at one-hour intervals over a one-year period. In general, it may be concluded that in this study, the ventilation had a greater effect on the indoor climate than the properties of the building fabric. The dampening effect of hygroscopic materials was remarkably less in the field measurements than it was in simulations in different studies. This indicates that completely non-hygroscopic and fully hygroscopic houses do not exist in reality. The hygroscopic mass of furniture, textiles, etc. is probably a factor that plays a significant role in indoor humidity, as do real air change rates, including window airing. Simulation tools need to be modified in order to be able also to handle furniture, textiles, and books, etc.

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Author Information and Other Publications Notes
Kalamees, T.
Department of Civil Engineering, Tallinn Technical University, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086, Tallinn, Estonia
  1. Estonian climate analysis for selecting moisture reference years for hygrothermal calculations
  2. Hygrothermal calculations and laboratory tests on timber-framed wall structures
  3. Hygrothermal criteria for design and simulation of buildings
  4. Indoor humidity loads and moisture production in lightweight timber-frame detached houses
  5. Principles to analyze the moisture performance of timber-framed external wall assembly due to diffusion
  6. The effect of combining a relative-humidity-sensitive ventilation system with the moisture-buffering capacity of materials on indoor climate and energy efficiency of buildings  
Korpi, M.
     
Vinha, J.
Department of Civil Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 600, 33101, Tampere, Finland
  1. Drying of timber-framed wall structures
  2. Estonian climate analysis for selecting moisture reference years for hygrothermal calculations
  3. Hygrothermal calculations and laboratory tests on timber-framed wall structures
  4. Indoor humidity loads and moisture production in lightweight timber-frame detached houses
  5. Moisture and bio-deterioration risk of building materials and structuresL?hdesm?ki
  6. Moisture behavior of timber-framed external wall structures in Nordic climate
  7. Moisture transport in timber-framed external wall structures in Nordic climate - laboratory tests
  8. Principles to analyze the moisture performance of timber-framed external wall assembly due to diffusion
  9. Water vapour transmission in wall structures due to diffusion and convection  
Kurnitski, J.
Laboratory of Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning, Helsinki University of Technology, PO Box 4400, 02015 HUT, Helsinki, Finland
  1. Crawl space air change, heat and moisture behaviour
  2. Crawl space types and building physics
  3. Facade design principles for nearly zero energy buildings in a cold climate
  4. Fungal spore transport through a building structure
  5. Humidity control in outdoor-air-ventilated crawl spaces in cold climate by means of ventilation, ground covers and dehumidification
  6. Indoor humidity loads and moisture production in lightweight timber-frame detached houses
  7. Microbial contamination of indoor air due to leakages from crawl space- a field study
  8. Moisture conditions of outdoor air ventilated crawl spaces in apartment buildings in a cold climate  


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