Assessment of hygrothermal performance in dynamic conditions (UNI EN 15026)

The calculation of hygrothermal performance allows to get realistic results by describing all mechanisms of transport and accumulation of moisture and heat within building materials. In addition to heat conduction, also moisture transport both as vapour diffusion and capillary water transport is modelled. Regarding the interaction of building elements with climatic parameters, it is also possible to include all the factors required for a realistic calculation, modelling not only heat transfer by conduction and moisture transport by diffusion, but also effects such as driving rain, solar radiation or long-wave radiation. Furthermore, it is possible to model these effects on an hourly or even sub-hourly time scale. Both 1D stratigraphies and 2D building details can be modelled.

The simulations and calculations performed can also be integrated with experimental analyses. In our infrastructure Hygrothermal Testing Lab, we can measure all the material physical parameters required for their modelling in hygrothermal software in dynamic regime. This gives manufacturers and companies the opportunity to have a specific assessment of the performance of their materials and products.