Moisture Influence on the Thermal Operation of the Late 19th Century Brick Facade, in a Historic Building in the City of Zamora

Abstract

[EN] To improve the energy performance of restored cultural heritage buildings, it is necessary to knowthe real values of thermal conductivity of its envelope, mainly of the facades, and to study an intervention strategy that does not interfere with the preservation of their cultural and architectural values. Thebrick walls withwhichalargenumberofthesebuildingswereconstructed, usuallyabsorb water, leading to their deterioration, whereas the heat transmission through them is much higher (than when they are dry). This aspect is often not taken into account when making interventions to improve the energy e ciency of these buildings, which makes them ine ective. This article presents the results of an investigation that analyzes thermal behavior buildings of the early 20th century in the city of Zamora, Spain. It has been concluded that avoiding moisture in brick walls not only prevents its deterioration but represents a significant energy saving, especially in buildings that have porous brick masonry walls and with significant thicknesses.