Abstract
A study of moisture pathologies in a modern residential multifamily building is presented. The housing block was designed under the regulation NBE-CT of 1979 in northern Spain. After the appearance of some moisture problems in the façades, three complementary studies were conducted to analyze the situation of the envelope and diagnose the best improvement possibilities. First, indoor conditions of temperature and humidity of the apartments with moisture pathologies were monitored. During 40 winter days, the occupancy, heating operation, and natural ventilation were analyzed. Second, the inner and outer surface temperatures of the studied façades were measured. Thermal insulation degree, thermal capacity, and thermal bridge effects were measured to assess the risk of interstitial condensation under the real conditions of use. Third, an infrared thermographic survey was carried out, which allowed the detection of irregularities and the assessment of moisture problems. The wrong interpretations, which would have been made if the complementary studies had not been done, are exposed. The key towards the accurate diagnosis was the combination of tools. Finally, some technical solutions based on ventilation or thermal insulation enhancement are proposed as different ways to reduce the high levels of relative humidity indoors and minimize the risk of condensation in the future.
Highlights
IntroductionThe study conducted in 2013 by the National Statistics Institute of Spain, INE [1], calculated that approximately 67% of dwellings were built before the enforcement of the first regulation that included energy saving requirements (NBE-CT-79) [2]
The residential building stock of Spain is old
Many buildings are being renovated thanks to the economic grants for energy and accessibility retrofitting, like the PAREER-CRECE program [3] organized by the Spanish Ministry of Development, or the RENOVE [4] program organized by the Basque region government
Summary
The study conducted in 2013 by the National Statistics Institute of Spain, INE [1], calculated that approximately 67% of dwellings were built before the enforcement of the first regulation that included energy saving requirements (NBE-CT-79) [2]. This proves that even though many buildings were constructed in the late XX and early XXI century, the number of residential constructions without any thermal insulation is large. The ratio of non-insulated housing is even larger in certain regions, such as the autonomous region of Basque, where around 75% of the present residential buildings were built before 1980. An inaccurate diagnosis of real problems can lead to renovations that could end up being inefficient and harmful, considering many of the most common moisture pathologies
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