Optimizing building components

March 13, 2010 by timbercommunity

Thermal properties of a building component  is an emerging concept in the construction industry and more and more designs should be moisture-proof. Moisture is complicated to calculate and therefore it is easier to use a calculation program which aids. Wufi is such moisture calculation software.
 

WUFI is a German software for developing and optimising building materials and components. The menu-driven PC program WUFI (Wärme und Feuchte instationär - Transient Heat and Moisture), developed by IBP and validated using data derived from outdoor and laboratory tests, allows calculation of the transient hygrothermal behaviour of building components exposed to natural climate conditions.

A free Research and Education version is available for download.

Material parameters needed by WUFI
The software and reliability of the software is entirely dependent on the input data and material properties.
An essay on the University of Karlstad 2009 by authors Erik Fredriksson and Mattias Svensson concluded that Wufi used and its parameters correctly, the program provides reliable results.  In order to maintain control clear rules for how the program should be used are needed.

WUFI can be used for:

• the drying time of masonry with trapped construction moisture
• the danger of interstitial condensation
• the influence of driving rain on exterior building components
• the effect of repair and retrofit measures
• the hygrothermal performance of roof and wall assemblies under unanticipated use or in different climate zones.