Energy in buildings: A review of models on hygrothermal transfer through the porous materials for building envelop

Abstract

The hygrothermal transfer is very important for the design of a building envelope for thermal comfort, economic and energy analysis of the building envelope. The lack of reference materials on models of moisture and temperature behavior in the building, including wooden walls, is a challenge. This paper reviewed the hygrothermal transfer models for building walls. Energy and mass conservation equations with boundary and input conditions were presented in this paper for concrete, bricks, and wooden walls. The review showed the presence of mainly physical-based models, while there is a dearth of data-based models. The influence of the type of wall, orientation, thickness, the density of the material, and climatic variations on the temperature and moisture evolutions within the building materials influenced the model mechanisms. Future research gaps should include shrinkage influence on hygroscopic materials like wood due to their behavior under ambient conditions. Data-based models should be explored too.