Thermal evaluation of envelope materials in historical buildings through Non-Destructive thermographic Moisture Analysis

Among the factors affecting the structural integrity and energy performance of historical buildings, moisture within the building envelope emerges as a crucial but difficult variable to assess quantitatively with nondestructive methods, especially for large surfaces. Understanding how moisture affects the dynamic thermal characteristics of historic buildings, particularly in the context of calculating building energy performance, is crucial. Nondestructive methodologies are needed when there is the risk of damaging fragile heritage buildings. The presence of moisture significantly alters the thermal properties of the envelope, leading to less accurate assessments of energy performance and possibly compromising energy efficiency, thermal comfort and conservation. To address this issue, a novel nondestructive method was applied to quantify moisture content using infrared thermography, taking advantage of thermal inertia measurement. The novel approach has undergone laboratory testing and shows promising potential for future on-site-implementation within historic buildings.