Operating Agent: Professor Hugo Hens, K.U. Leuven, Department of Civil Engineering, Laboratory of Building Physics, Kasteelpark Arenberg, 51, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium,
Tel: +32 16 32 13 44,
Fax: +32 16 32 19 80,
Email: hugo.hens@bwk.kuleuven.ac.be

Website: www.kuleuven.ac.be/bwf/projects/annex41/index.htm

Summary

The annex aims to acquire a better knowledge of the whole building heat, air and moisture balance and its effects on indoor environment, on energy consumption for heating, cooling, air humidification and air drying, and on the envelope's durability, and follows on from Annexes 14 (Condensation and Energy), 24 (Heat, Air and Moisture Transport in Insulated Envelope Parts) and 32 (Integral Building Envelope Performance Assessment).

The annex has two main objectives:

1. A detailed exploration of the complex physics involved in whole building heat, air and moisture response (HAM-response). This includes basic research, a further development of existing and new models, measurement of the moisture storage function of materials, measurement of the air permeance of envelope parts as build, mock up testing, field testing and validation by inter-comparison of models through common exercises and confrontation with measured data. This first objective should foster a basic understanding of transient moisture storage in different finishing materials and moisture exchange with the indoor air. For this purpose material storage properties will be measured. It should help develop numerical models and back experiments that link the heat and moisture storage and HAM-transfer in enclosures to the performance of the building and the HVAC system. Mock up and field measurements must prove the effectiveness of moisture storage under different weather conditions (cold, warm and dry, warm and humid and maritime).

2. An analysis of the effects of the whole building HAM-response on comfort, enclosure durability and energy consumption. A literature review should increase the awareness for these effects. Simultaneously, measures will be studied to moderate possible negative impacts on comfort, enclosure durability and energy consumption, with air-tightness, moisture management, thermal insulation and humidity storage as some of the measures projected.

The following four subtasks will be carried out in order to reach the objectives:

Subtask 1: Modeling principles and common exercises
Subtask 2: Experimental Investigations
Subtask 3: Boundary Conditions
Subtask 4: Long Term Performance and technology transfer

Participants: To be finalised.