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)