Can collected hygrothermal data illustrate observed thermal problems of the façade? – A case study from Greenland

Buildings are more vulnerable to faults in design and construction, when exposed to the extreme Greenlandic climate, however, most new materials and designs have not been tested for Arctic conditions. Thus even minor errors can result in failures like mould growth, discomfort, and unnecessary heat loss. Rekognizing the source of the error can be difficult, yet valuable. But how can it be identified whether the error lies in the design or quality of workmanship? This paper describes a case study from Nuuk, Greenland, where a new mineral wool insulation system was implemented. Residents were complaining about draft and cold areas. An investigation revealed that inaccurate use of the system caused several problems. Simulations of the exterior wall performance were conducted and compared to measurements. This paper discusses whether these measurements and simulations support the identified issues, and therefore if this kind of general surveillance of exterior walls can be used to determine the total performance of an exterior wall. The paper concludes that the collected data can support the issues of the complaints, and that the fundamental reasons for the problems are the design, the precision of the casted concrete and the lack of a wind barrier protecting the insulation.

Process induced building defects in Norway – development and climate risks

The SINTEF building defects archive is an important source to knowledge on building defects in Norway. This study presents a review of defects investigated by SINTEF in the period 2017–2020, including 175 defect cases registered in 125 reports. The main goal is to understand the primary causes of process induced building defects today and which building elements may be considered as risk spots. The review shows that almost 3 of 4 defects is related to moisture, caused by sources as precipitation, condensation of humid indoor air or built-in moisture. Defects associated with the building envelope make up more than 70% of the cases, of which most defects are linked to exterior wall or roof constructions. The results from the present study have been compared to a review of defects reported in the archive during the period 1993–2002. The comparison reveals that the share of damages caused by precipitation is almost doubled, while the share of damages caused by humid air from the interior is approximately halved. The results imply that climate adaptation of buildings is important. As climate change causes more precipitation with higher intensities, the load on buildings increases and a larger focus on risk reduction and protection towards penetration of water from the outside is required.

Experimental Study on Fire Risk Assessment of Windows by Material (II)

In this study, the fire safety standards for windows in Korea, the United States, and Japan were compared to prevent fire expansion through exterior wall openings. Experiments on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and aluminum window frames widely used in Korea were performed. The tests were conducted according to KS F 2845, in which frames with equal thickness and area in a single-window form and 1 h fire-resistance glass with an 8 T thickness were combined. The experimental results showed that the PVC window was approximately 9 min, and the aluminum window was approximately 26 min. However, in Korea, there are no test standards for windows installed at the opening of exterior walls. In addition, fire safety standards for windows should be established along with designations of fire prevention zones.

In-Situ and Predicted Performance of a Certified Industrial Passive House Building under Future Climate Scenarios

The Wood Innovation Research Lab was designed as a low energy-use building to facilitate the construction and testing of engineered wood products by the faculty and staff of the Master of Engineering in Integrated Wood Design Program at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, BC, Canada. Constructed using a 533 mm thick-wall and 659 mm flat roof assembly, it received certification as Canada’s first industrial facility built to the International Passive House standard. Temperature and humidity sensors were installed in the north and south exterior wall assemblies to measure long-term hygrothermal performance. Data collected between 2018–2020 shows no record of long-term moisture accumulation within the exterior assemblies. Data collected during this time period was used to validate hygrothermal performance models for the building created using the WUFI® Plus software. Long-term performance models created using future climate data for five cities across Canada under two global warming scenarios shows favorable results, with an increase in average annual temperatures resulting in lower average relative humidity values at the interior face of the exterior sheathing board in the exterior wall assemblies.

Vasopora ceramica n. gen., n. sp.—a new abyssal cyclostome bryozoan from polymetallic nodules in the Russian exploration area, Clarion–Clipperton Fracture Zone, eastern Pacific Ocean

A new abyssal cyclostome bryozoan genus and species, Vasopora ceramica n. gen., n. sp., is described from the eastern Russian exploration area of the Clarion–Clipperton Fracture Zone based on newly collected material from Yuzhmorgeologiya GLD4–19 station 421 (13.23408° N, 134.22180° W, 4809 m depth). Generic characters include an erect pedunculate colony with a distinct boundary between column and flared capitulum, short autozooidal peristomes in a single whorl, numerous alveoli, a central unidirectional sac-like gonozooid covered by a surficial network of crossed ridges continuous with adjacent rims of alveoli, a laterally opening ooeciopore, and the entire capitulum surface being minutely densely granular to subspinulate. Whereas the skeletal microstructure of the capitulum surface comprises irregular imbricated crystallites, the column has a planar-spherulitic fabric of acicular crystallites in fan-like arrays, and there are no pseudopores. The sharp boundary between capitulum and column, with their different microstructure separates Vasopora n. gen. from the two existing genera of Alyonushkidae that are found in the same environment. Vasopora n. gen. has a stalk formed of calcified exterior wall, whereas it is interior-walled in Alyonushka and Calyssopora.