Woodhead Publishing Moisture and Buildings: Durability Issues, Health Implications and Strategies to Mitigate the Risks (Woodhead Publishing Series in Civil and Structural Engineering)

One in three homes, on average, suffer from excessive dampness and mould proliferation, with significant health and economic impacts. The combination of new construction methodologies, stricter airtightness requirements and the changing social and cultural context that influences the way we live inside buildings has created unprecedented challenges for the built environment. In modifying indoor and outdoor environments and the building envelopes that serve as a filter between the two, we are changing the physical parameters of the ways in which buildings behave and respond to climatic stimuli. Understanding and predicting the way in which buildings and moisture may interact should be an important step in the design process, aiming to minimise possible negative long-term consequences. Understanding and predicting the way in which buildings and moisture may interact is, today more than ever, essential yet difficult, as the experience of the past has lost its applicability. Moisture-related issues never have a simple solution, since they involve multiple factors, including design, construction, maintenance, materials, climate and occupation pattern. Thus, while the topic is attracting growing attention among researchers, designers and practitioners, the pace with which actual change is occurring is still too slow. Moisture and Buildings provides a critical overview of current research, knowledge and policy frameworks, and presents a comprehensive analysis of the implications of moisture and the importance of accounting for it during the design process. It responds to the urgent need for a systematic organization of the existing knowledge to identify research gaps and provide directions for future developments. The ultimate goal is to increase awareness of the multifaceted implications of hygrothermal phenomena and promote integrated design processes that lead to healthier and more durable constructions. Review Presents an integrated picture of moisture transport and its impact on buildings, including their durability, health and comfort From the Back Cover Moisture transport impacts three key aspects of building performance: durability, health and comfort, and is therefore a critical part of building design. The interdependency of these factors, however, is often overlooked, with durability often alone in being considered in design processes. No existing resource considers these aspects of building design as important results of the same interaction - between moisture and building. Moisture and Buildings: Durability Issues, Health Implications and Strategies to Mitigate the Risks presents a new typology of resources, including principles and practices, around this idea; bringing together knowledge and solutions from these areas of building performance. The book explores and explains how moisture, material durability and the health of occupants are correlated, and how they influence the building design process at both micro- and macro- scales. The title provides a clear and comprehensive guide to the influence of moisture on buildings. It addresses the theory and principles of hygrothermal processes, the latest developments in research, the main impact evaluation methods, the tools available, and includes several detailed case studies on hygrothermal assessment. The title consists in three parts, corresponding to the three main aspects of moisture in building performance - durability, health and comfort - and considers the future of this critical area of building design. About the Author Arianna Brambilla is a Lecturer in Architecture at the University of Sydney. Her research draws upon architecture, building physics, and engineering to assess and interpret construction as a holistic concept, with a strong focus on sustainability. Alberto Sangiorgio is an Associate at Grimshaw Architects (Sydney) where he operates as façade engineer and sustainability manager. He