Determination of optimal plaster thickness for moisture buffering of indoor air

Maskell, Daniel; Thomson, Andrew; Walker, Peter; Lemke, Manfred

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2017.11.045

Cited by 54 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The materials selected include gypsum plaster, a conventional building material, and 'clay', an earthen-based plaster material shown to have superior moisture buffering properties. 12 The 'clay' used is kaolinitic with significant amount of silt sized particles and fully characterised by Maskell et al 12 Each specimen was prepared in accordance with the NORD test. The size was 150 mm × 150 mm × 20 mm thick, where specimen thickness is twice the expected moisture penetration depth 12 to allow for uncertainties.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…12 The 'clay' used is kaolinitic with significant amount of silt sized particles and fully characterised by Maskell et al 12 Each specimen was prepared in accordance with the NORD test. The size was 150 mm × 150 mm × 20 mm thick, where specimen thickness is twice the expected moisture penetration depth 12 to allow for uncertainties. Before placing the specimens in an environmental chamber with controlled varying conditions, the back and side faces of the specimens were covered in aluminium tape to seal to ensure that the interaction with surrounding air moisture only occurs through one face (area of 150 mm × 150 mm) of the material.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of methods to measure the potential of a plaster to regulate indoor humidity

Lim

Maskell

2021

Building Services Engineering Research and Technology

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Moisture buffering utilises hygroscopic construction materials as a more sustainable approach to passively moderate indoor humidity. This study seeks to develop a reproducible test method to obtain a moisture buffering value of common building materials under conditions that reflect typical indoor environmental conditions. Temperature and humidity variations in sinusoidal profiles for two different materials, typically used to finish internal surfaces, have been studied to identify their potential moisture regulation behaviour. Outcomes were then combined and ranked indicating the potential of materials to passively regulate the indoor humidity and the need for robust methods of investigation. Practical application: In response to current practice and materials’ testing procedures, a reproducible test method is considered to enable comprehensive understanding of a hydroscopic materials’ behaviour, where subsequent interpretation of their performance can be quantified. The practicality to consider the use of passive regulation using hygroscopic materials can then be justified to bring indoor RH closer to the optimal range without heavy reliance on mechanical solutions, achieving a more effective passive indoor climate monitoring. It is expected that the outcome of this investigation can potentially form the basis of further improvement on a standardised test method to obtain moisture buffering value of hygroscopic non-structural elements for pragmatic application during design integration process.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of methods to measure the potential of a plaster to regulate indoor humidity

Lim

Maskell

2021

Building Services Engineering Research and Technology

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“…The main material analysed for this study was clay plaster. Only the undercoat was selected, as it has higher volume of involvement in moisture buffering, than the finishing layer [8]. The air dry clay plaster (Claytec base coat) was mixed with 20% mass of water by mechanical mixing in the laboratory.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The response of clay plaster to temperature and RH sinusoidal variations

et al. 2019

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Hygroscopic finishing materials can be used to moderate indoor humidity levels; they have the capacity to adsorb and release moisture from and to the surrounding air, depending on the indoor relative humidity levels. To determine the moisture buffering properties of materials several protocols have been introduced. However, testing procedures are based on a time-response method, where humidity variations are under a square wave function and temperature remains constant. Therefore, the ability of these methods to simulate material behaviour under real conditions, where cyclical humidity variations are more gradual, and temperature is variable, has been called into question. The aim of this study is to perform a standard moisture buffering test, by substituting the step-variation method, with a sinusoidal humidity function at different temperatures. Clay has been used to perform the tests in a climatic chamber, where a small increase of relative humidity have been set, in order to obtain a quasi-sinusoidal curve. The relative humidity variation are limited by low humidity (33% RH) and high humidity (75% RH) and temperature variation between 18 °C and 28 °C. Materials tested present a lag in the response to the peak relative humidity to peak mass gain, which suggests an alternative way to consider the rate of sorption and the moisture storage function. The significance of the paper is to develop a laboratory test that can be more readily compared with the behaviour real buildings, which operate under more of a sine waveform

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“…Practical moisture buffering (sorption and desorption of water) on a regular basis is according to the effective moisture penetration depth (EMPD) model only possible in a thin surface layer of interior material [95][96][97]. Accordingly, for every hygroscopic material there might be set an optimal moisture buffering thickness [98]. For some materials, such as the earth, there is only a thin layer (4 mm) sufficient to effectively manage the indoor RH amplitude [99].…”

Section: Step 2-conceptual Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

System Approach in Complex Integral Design Methodology and Its Application in New Zealand

2021

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Many New Zealand houses are energy-inefficient, unhealthy, cold, mouldy, and damp. Therefore, a new approach to building design is imminent. This article proposes a framework for the transformation of housing that integrates construction planning and design, optimization, and control tools at strategic, tactical, and operational levels. The introduced Complex Integral Design New Zealand (CIDNZ) represents a comprehensive and balanced system-based design and delivery process that facilitates and accelerates cross-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary expertise and knowledge. CIDNZ delineates a new way of designing the process based on integral, complex, and systems thinking. The emerging novel understanding of sustainability, which guides the transformation process, might lead to a balance between individuals, groups, society, and existing ecosystems. CIDNZ comprises all stages in the life cycle of buildings and all significant factors in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, particularly, people, processes, technology, and the environment. Therefore, the entire construction process that implements a system approach to buildings as a vital part of environmental systems, goes from the environment to humans and vice versa and offers unlimited possibilities. The consequent practical application of these principles might eliminate or reduce the design defects and lead accordingly to the reduction of costs involved in their rectification.

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Determination of optimal plaster thickness for moisture buffering of indoor air

Cited by 54 publications

References 11 publications

Development of methods to measure the potential of a plaster to regulate indoor humidity

Development of methods to measure the potential of a plaster to regulate indoor humidity

The response of clay plaster to temperature and RH sinusoidal variations

System Approach in Complex Integral Design Methodology and Its Application in New Zealand

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