Hygrothermal performance of internally insulated brick wall in cold climate: A case study in a historical school building

Abstract

Interior thermal insulation is frequently one of the only possible solutions for thermal upgrade of the building envelope where the external appearance cannot be changed. In this study, four insulation materials were used in a case study in a historical school building in in situ test walls. The indoor climate in the test room was controlled to simulate the typical dwelling with high moisture load. The temperatures, relative humidity, and heat flows were monitored over 9 months to analyze the hygrothermal performance of four different insulation materials. The hygrothermal performance of insulation materials during drying and wetting periods are presented. Moisture test reference year was used in working out possible energy-renovation solutions. The results show that timing of the renovation works is a matter of consideration to avoid the hygrothermal risks inside the renovated wall assemblies. The results show that in all the cases, thermal comfort can be improved by increasing the inner surface temperature and decreasing thermal conductivity. However, in some cases, the risks of mold growth and interstitial condensation were present inside the retrofitted wall assemblies. Computer simulations of the wall assemblies with moisture reference years under different humidity loads concluded that all solutions are suitable for future analysis.