Hygrothermal Performance

Research Focus

  • Develop advanced model-based test methods for determination the heat and moisture storage and transport properties of construction materials
  • Develop a comprehensive and reliable database of material properties for the simulation and prediction of the hygrothermal performance of construction materials and assemblies/systems
  • Develop innovative materials for heat, air and moisture control in building environmental system
  • Improve the fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of coupled heat, air and moisture transport in porous media
  • Develop mathematical models and computer simulation tools for the assessment of the long-term hygrothermal and durability performance of building envelope systems (working closely with the CHAMP Thrust)

Our Research Facilities

  • Comprehensive capabilities for measuring the basic heat and moisture transport properties including: thermal conductivity, air permeability, sorption isotherm for hygroscopic and over-hygroscopic ranges, moisture diffusivity, porosity, and pore size distributions
  • Climatic chambers: small, mid and full-scale
  • Full-scale wasll assembly test house

The Research Team

  • Dr. Jensen Zhang
  • Dr. Kwang Hoon Han
  • Achalu Tirfe
  • Beverly Guo

Other collaborative faculty:

  • Dr. John Grunewald, Junior Professor, Technical University of Dresden;
  • Dr. Riyad Aboutaha, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University;
  • Dr. Shoba Batia, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University

Active Projects

  • Development of a method for measuring air leakage rates and identification of leakage paths under field conditions
  • Development of a stochastic approach for predicting the hygrothermal performance of building enclosure assemblies
  • Development of a method for accelerated testing of hygrothermal performance of residential and commercial wall assemblies

Past Projects

  • MBES: Materials for built environmental systems – a consortium project (M.Pazera/J.Mckenzie)
  • Material characterization, evaluation, and database development (M. Bomberg)
  • Uncontrolled airflow in small commercial buildings (M.Yang)
  • HEP Residential Housing – High environmental performance – Residential Housing for New York State (M. Bomberg)