Hygrothermal Performance of Attics

Abstract

THIS PAPER. DESCRIBES the results of measurements of temperature and relative humidity in six different attics (roof spaces) under controlled conditions.All six attics have the same dimensions and have been constructed adjacent to each other in a single lme, but with different insulating materials and ventilated in different ways. Using this fund of measured data, a number of researchers have attempted to apply their mathematical models and, starting from the basis of measured ambient climatic conditions, have calculated expected values of temperature, relative humidity, and, in one case, the moisture ratio in the attics. The results of these calculations showed difficulties in matching the performance of the models to real conditions. Summarising the measurements and the calculations, we can note that: