The project is sponsored and monitored by ASHRAE's technical committee TC 4.4, Building Materials and Building Envelope Performance.
Date: 08/24/2005ASHRAE project 1325-RP "Environmental Weather Loads for Hygrothermal Analysis and Design of Buildings"
Syracuse University's hygrothermal team has been awarded the project to develop weather data for hygrothermal analysis. ASHRAE funding for the project is $128000. The project's expected length is 18 months. The project will be managed by Mikael Salonvaara, the principal investigator in the project is Dr. Jensen Zhang.
Moisture is one of the main reasons for building envelope deterioration. Moisture affects both the thermal and durability performance of buildings. ASHRAE has been a leader in the field of moisture control in buildings for many years. While the 2005 Handbook of Fundamentals has made significant progress in updating the moisture transport physics, especially on water movement due to rain wetting, corresponding weather data not exist. ASHRAE has long recognized the importance of weather data in building design and has taken the lead in development of weather data for energy calculations. One of the leading activities within ASHRAE is the development of the Standard Committee 160P that is developing methodology to design buildings that have a high tolerance for moisture. Design loads are needed for the moisture design. Hygrothermal envelope tools require exterior weather (“design loads” and performance criteria). The development of analogous data for moisture analysis will assist ASHRAE members in the design of buildings and equipment to provide durable, healthy, and comfortable indoor environments.