Study of the hygroaccumulative effect of natural materials

The main goal of this project is to improve the hygrothermal conditions in the interior of buildings. Concretely, this means keeping the relative humidity in a range that is optimal for people in closed rooms. This factor is essential for the human well-being as well as for work productivity. The aim of this project is to achieve the above-mentioned effect through the development of special building materials in combination with a specially designed greening system. In more specific terms, clay-based materials will be mixed with a series of selected natural substances such as fibers, minerals etc. This should improve the absorption and emission of water vapor in order to keep the relative humidity at an optimum. The ideal relative humidity for human health is in the range of 40-60 %, for which the materials are to be designed and optimized. In the interest of providing a regulated moisture input, green wall systems are to be placed in the interior space. Water evaporates through their leaves and through the substrate, raising the relative humidity inside the building. For the realization of the project, computer simulations as well as laboratory experiments and measurements are to be carried out. The Brno University of Technology deals with the selection of substances for the optimal mixture of building materials, analyzes their physical and chemical properties and ultimately produces them. The Vienna University of Technology attends to the wall greening systems in the interior as well as the investigation of the interaction between greening and the new developed surface. This encapsulates the choice of suited plants and the compilation and development of suitable substrate in combination with the clay-based building materials. Different systems and components will be examined in advance regarding selected properties, such as the release of water vapor, the ability to absorb water or their resistance to mold growth.