Durability of interior renderings in schools: optimization of envelope insulation for mitigation of mould growth risk

• Type: Chapter or Part of a Book
• Date: 2013

Authors

Nuno Ramos (Author) FEUP; Isabel Martins Ribeiro (Author) FEUP; João Quesado Delgado (Author) FEUP; Vasco Peixoto de Freitas (Author) FEUP

Book

Title: Durability of Building Materials and Components

Pages: 85-103

ISBN: 978-3-642-37474-6

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-642-37475-3

Publisher: Springer

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Civil engineering

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Engineering > Civil engineering

Other information

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-37475-3_4

Abstract (EN): A high standard education is, nowadays, a clear objective for any modern society. In Portugal, the retrofit of educational buildings has an enormous relevance as demonstrated by the ``Program for Retrofit and Upgrade of High Schools¿¿. Educational buildings specific characteristics such as high occupancy rates and high amount of time children spend in classrooms make them a special case compared to other buildings. Mould growth on envelope surfaces is frequently observed in these buildings, reducing the expected durability of renderings and coatings. The present work consisted of two main lines of research: one of simulation and other of optimization. The simulation part included modelling of Interior Surfaces Temperature, Indoor Air Temperature and Relative Humidity variation, before and after a hypothetical retrofit process. Optimization techniques were applied in the definition of insulation thickness to be numerically tested in the ``after retrofit¿¿ scenario. The objective was to minimise insulation thickness in each building element of the envelope. The constraints were derived from the control of surface temperature values that would result in mould growth risk.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 18