ASSESSMENT OF HYGROTHERMAL BEHAVIOUR OF AN EXPERIMENTAL TIMBER-FRAMED HOUSE

Author(s): S. Guernouti, J. Borderon, J. Gauvrit Cerema
Paper category: Proceedings
Book title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference
on Bio-Based Building Materials
Editor(s): Sofiane AMZIANE, Mohammed SONEBI and Karine CHARLET
ISBN:
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-192-6
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2017
Pages: 412-419
Total Pages: 8
Language : English

Abstract: The context of very high energy efficiency and the development of bio-materials bring new
questions about heat and mass transfer and their impact on the actual energy performance,
comfort, health and the risk of components degradation. This is particularly true for old buildings
built before 1948 with very hygroscopic materials. If the humidity has an effect on the thermal
performance of the building envelope, it influences also the interaction between the building and
it constituent materials and the air indoor quality, and therefore, the effects on the comfort and
occupant health (risk of mould growth). Indeed, the preservation of envelope components is
based on a hygrothermal balance of parts that constitute it. Any intervention on buildings that
shifts this balance can cause disorders. In particular, a thermal insulation of walls when it's
poorly designed or badly implemented can generate condensation in walls or on their surfaces
and cause structural pathologies. To provide some answers to these questions, an experimental
timber-framed cell was constructed. It allows the study of both global and detailed
hygrothermal behavior at both wall and building scales. It is a timber-framed and cob cell with two
zones (dry and wet) of about 16m2 with two mechanical systems of ventilation (double-flow
ventilation and Positive Input Ventilation). The aim of this paper is to present the
hygrothermal behavior of this cell without and with insulation under several boundaries condition.
The experimental cell and its monitoring set-up are presented. Four configurations are studied:
Case1: without both ventilation and insulation; Case2: with mechanical ventilation and without
insulation; Case3: with both mechanical ventilation and internal thermal insulation; Case4:
without ventilation and with internal thermal insulation. The indicators of hygrothermal comfort
and of risks of pathologies related to humidity are calculated and compared for the studied
configurations.

Online publication :2017
Publication type :full_text
Public price (Euros) : 0.00