This document provides an introduction to breathability in building materials. It discusses how demands on building shells have changed in recent decades due to factors like increased indoor living and improved energy efficiency. This affects building biology and human/building health. Breathable materials allow moisture to pass through them in vapor form, while non-breathable materials do not. Breathability is determined by vapor permeability, capillarity, and hygroscopicity. Breathable constructions help protect buildings from moisture issues and enhance indoor air quality by buffering humidity levels. Comparisons of breathable and non-breathable wall assemblies show breathable designs better regulate moisture content over time.
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Dear Sir,
It gives me immense pleasure to introduce our self to your esteemed organization.
We are Mumbai based Importers,Stockist and Supplier of Ceramic Fibre Products, Insulation Bricks & Blocks, High Alumina Bricks, Refractory Materials,Heating Elements, Castables etc.
INDUSTRIES WE SERVE:
Ceramics Industry
Automobile Industry
Aviation Industry
Power Generation Industries
Steel, Iron & Glass Industries
Home Appliances
Chemical Industries
PRODUCTS WE CATER:
Ceramic Fibre Blanket
Ceramic Fibre Board
Ceramic Fibre Cloth / Tape
Ceramic Fibre Paper
Insulation Bricks
Thermocouple Wire
Nichrome Wire
Resistance Wire
Kanthal Wire
Compensating Cables
Furnace,Ovens & Power Houses.
Industrial Ceramics & Anscellories
Ceramic Fibre Insulation & Refractories
Heat Treatment Materials & Spares
Heaters , Thermocouples & Resistance Wires
Control Panels & Industrial Electricals
Special Ceramics & General Industrial Supplies.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Hope to get your kind cooperation to start a long term business relation.
If you have any further queries, please revert to us for our prompt response and actions.
Thanks & Regards,
Santosh Jain
INCERTECH
Mumbai,Maharashtra,India.
Phone # +91 22 2844 6052
# +91 22 2807 7364
Fax # +91 22 2807 5350
Phone # +91 9920492491
# +91 9821226051
Email: incertech@yahoo.com
incertech@gmail.com
Skype: incertech
2. Changing demands on the building shell over
past 50 years
1. From outdoor to indoor living - up to 90% of our time insides
buildings
2. Changing demands – Such as energy or water, warmer
during winter, more light, MVHR, …
3. Better buildings – better airtightness, better thermal
performance
These changes affect the biology of buildings, with a consequent
impact on both human health and fabric health
3. Challenges for building shell
• Airtightness:
• big impact regarding heat loss
• moisture risks through convection
• Indoor air quality (IAQ) often ventilation system
does not perform as planned
• Thermal performance
• Internal insulation risk for interstitial condensation
• External insulation
• Thermal bridging can lead to problems
• New building materials
• Breathable and non-breathable materials
4. What is the effect of breathable materials?
What is breathability?
• Vapour Permeability
• Capillarity
• Hygroscopicity
5. Vapour permeability
• How much moisture in form of vapour can pass through a
material
• Different terms
• Vapour resistance [MNs/g]
• Vapour resistivity [MNs/gm]
• Sd-Value [m]
• µ-Value [no unit]
6. Vapour Permeability Table with some typical
building materials
Material µ-Value Typical thicknexx Sd-Value
(=typical) in construction In typical
[mm] construction [m]
Air 1 (reference) 100 0.1
Dense Concrete 60– 250 (200) 100 20
Bricks 5-30 (10) 100 1
Expanded polystyrene, PU 30-50 (40) 100 4
Mineral wool, flax, hemp, sheepswool 2-5 (5) 100 0.5
insulations, Woodfibre insulation
Spruce, pine, 45-400 (150) 100 15
OSB, plywood 100-700 (200) 10 0.2
Metals and metal cladding, some 250,000 - ∞ 1 1000
plastics and asphalts
7. Golden rule for Vapour permeability
• Construction should get more vapour open to the
outside
• Vapour check internally and construction is fine?
8. Capillarity
• Physical process caused by cohesion force of the
water and adhesion force of the capillary (tube)
• Depending on capillary diameter
• Plays an important role in transporting moisture in
materials
9. Hygroscopicity
• Ability to adapt to different relative humidity
• Important to buffer moisture
• Speed of hygroscopicity is varies hugely between different
materials
10. Hygroscopicity
Material Density Hygroscopic Hygroscopic Speed of
[kg/m3] potential (increase capacity (density hygroscopic
in EMC: 50% to x potential – in take up
85% RH) kg/m3)
Fired Clay Brick 1700 0.1% 1.7 Medium
Unfired Clay Brick 1700 3% 52 Very Fast
Mineral wool 30 1% 0.3 Medium
insulation
EPS, PU, PIR 20-30 0% 0 N/A
insulation
Woodfibre insulation 200 9% 18 Fast
11. Importance of breathable constructions?
• NOT to ventilate buildings!
• To protect fabric (particularly external envelope) when
building failures occur
• To enhance IAQ (through moisture buffering and healthy
fabric) and provide back up to ventilation for moisture control
12. Comparing breathable and non-breathable
constructions
Standard 140 Standard 89 + 60 Pavaclad 89 + 60
• 12.5mm plasterboard • 12.5mm plasterboard • 12.5mm plasterboard
• VCL • VCL • 25mm service void
• 140 studs full filled with • 89 studs full filled with PU • 9mm OSB acting as air
mineral wool insulation (without foil) tightness layer
• 9mm OSB • 9mm OSB • 89mm studs full filled
with Pavaflex
woodfibre
• Breathable membrane • 60mm PU insulation • 60mm Pavatherm Plus
• 40mm vented cavity • 40mm vented cavity • 40mm vented cavity
• 20mm timber cladding • 20mm timber cladding • 20mm timber cladding
13. Different build-ups compared in London
Comparison Standard Construction - Pavaclad,
London 1%
22.0
21.0
20.0
moisture level stud [M-%]
19.0 Standard
89 + 60
18.0
17.0
Standard
140
16.0
Pavaclad
15.0 89+60
14.0
13.0
12.0
11.0
01/10/09 01/04/10 30/09/10 31/03/11 29/09/11 29/03/12 27/09/12
time
14. Different build-ups compared in Swansea
Comparison Standard Construction - Pavaclad,
Swansea 1%
28.0
27.0
26.0
25.0
moisture level stud [M-%]
24.0
23.0 Standard
22.0 89+60
21.0 Standard
140
20.0
Pavaclad
19.0 89+60
18.0
17.0
16.0
15.0
14.0
01/10/09 01/04/10 30/09/10 31/03/11 29/09/11 29/03/12 27/09/12
time
15. Conclusion
• Breathability is not only vapour
permeability, but also hygroscopicity
and capillarity
• Breathable products help to protect the
building fabric as well as the people by
regulating moisture content and relative
humidity, enhance IAQ
• Breathability is not a cure for everything
better understanding of the building
necessary