Hygrothermal analysis of historic buildings: Statistical methodologies and their applicability in temperate climates
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to verify the applicability and efficiency of two statistical methods to obtain sustainable targets of temperature and relative humidity in historic buildings located in temperate climates.
Design/methodology/approach
The data recorded along one year in a non-heated historic building in Lisbon (Portugal) was analysed with the two methodologies, EN 15757 and FCT-UNL. To evaluate their adequacy it was calculated the performance index for each target and it was verified the mechanical and biological degradation risks.
Findings
While the use of the two approaches is suitable for temperate climates, there is a higher efficiency of the FCT-UNL methodology, allowing a better response for the three parameters in evaluation.
Research limitations/implications
Despite the better results obtained, the FCT-UNL methodology was only tested for one city; therefore the application to other situations may be required to obtain more robust conclusions.
Practical implications
The effectiveness of the FCT-UNL methodology to obtain sustainable climate targets can lead to important energy conservation in historic buildings and to contribute for the change of old approaches in the preventive conservation area.
Originality/value
This paper provides a comparison between two recent methods. The results can lead to some advances in the science of preventive conservation, interesting to conservators and building physic scientists.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The paper was developed within the ISBP 2015 – 1st International Symposium on Building Pathology, where it was presented and published in the correspondent proceedings. The authors acknowledge the Museum of Ancient Art for allowing the use of the climate data of the Chapel of Albertas. The study was co-financed by COMPETE funds in its FEDER component and by the budget of the FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology under the research project PTDC/ECM-COM/3080/2012. The study received support from the FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology under the PhD scholarship PD/BD/52654/2014.
Citation
Silva, H.E. and Henriques, F.M.A. (2016), "Hygrothermal analysis of historic buildings: Statistical methodologies and their applicability in temperate climates", Structural Survey, Vol. 34 No. 1, pp. 12-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/SS-07-2015-0030
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited