Skip to main content
search

WUFI (Calculator) G#1695 N#1597

By 5 December 2014December 12th, 2019Calculators, Encyclopaedia, Files

WUFI Calculator

GBE > Encyclopaedia > Files > Calculators > G#1695 N#1597

WUFI Calculator
About:


Introduction:

Who is doing your calculations?

  • In the UK we have got into the habit of relying upon manufacturers to provide the U value calculations and condensation checks on our proposed assemblies.
  • GBE fear this is dumbing down our professional capability.
  • With today’s dumbing down of architectural technology in architectural education, recent graduate probably never had it in the first place
  • If you carryout audits on manufacturer’s literature and their U value calculations occasionally you may find them wanting, using incorrect default values and making strange assumptions.
  • One manufacturer automatically assumes accurate tailoring of its rigid insulation to the irregular framing, in reality this rarely happens, there never being enough time to care about the details.
  • GBE fear this is risking optimistic promotion of incompetent materials, poor preparation or bad installations and the failing of in-use performance of our buildings.
  • Using proprietary software ourselves raises our professional capability, provides better understanding and potentially better buildings
  • Not relying on manufacturers to do it for us, ensures a level paying field.

Which calculator is being used?

  • UK is used to using BS 5250 condensation calculations based on static values
  • But in reality buildings temperatures and moisture content vary on each elevation, over day and night cycles and seasonal cycles; are also affected by wind driven rain, solar heat gains, wind chill, internal moisture vapour pressure driving outwards, etc.
  • BS 5250 is effectively incompetent and we should ideally be using calculators based on BS EN ISO 13788 Glaser Method ‘Simplified modelling’ or better still BS EN 15026 ‘full modelling’

What can be determined?

  • Hygrothermal moisture vapour and temperature analysis can show the performance of an element over time and shows thermal gradients across the element.
  • They also show seasonal varying moisture penetration so you can identify risk of outer face frost damage, interstitial condensation, risk to embedded timber or perishable components rotting and potential structural failure.
  • They can determine the optimum thickness to prevent condensation risk
  • With historic fabric (pre 1919 in UK) solid masonry wall construction, the thickness of added insulation may be severely restricted to say 30 mm before risking damage to the building
  • Thorough exploration may reveal the need to remove cement and gypsum plaster to allow the walls to breath
  • And may reveal the need to remove potential thermal bridges and replace them with a more insulating materials

WUFI

  • Hygrothermal moisture vapour movement and heat flow through building construction over time 2D analysis.
    • (chart presentation and lately with graphic presentation) (WUFI)

Delphi

  • Hygrothermal moisture movement over time 2D analysis
    • (graphic presentation) (Delphi)

WUFI

  • WUFI ® is a family of software products that allows realistic calculation of the transient coupled one- and two dimensional heat and moisture transport in walls and other multi-layer building components exposed to natural weather.

What is WUFI®?

  • WUFI ® is based on the latest knowledge in vapour diffusion and liquid transport in building materials.
  • Nonetheless, the WUFI ® software requires only standard material properties and easy-to-determine moisture storage and liquid transport functions.
  • For boundary conditions, measured outdoor climates – including driving rain and solar

(WUFI 04/09/2019)


Feedback


TGR Training:

WUFI Pro: Heat & Moisture Simulation Workshop

  • WUFI® Pro is one of only two numerical simulation tools validated under BS EN 15026, the standard for hygrothermal numerical simulation software.
  • It has particular relevance for those focused on insulation retrofits of solid wall construction, roof buildups, buildings in exposed conditions and conditions that can stress the building fabric (such as failures or leakage).

Feedback

  • WUFI’s reputation and that of the presenters loomed large.
  • Gaining an understanding of the science behind building pathology (relating to harmful moisture) would allow me to make informed judgments when faced with the plethora of information out there about energy conservation and building health.
  • PDP London

© GBE NGS ASWS Brian Murphy aka BrianSpecMan *
1st December 2014 – 12th December 2019

WUFI Calculator
Images:


 

 


© GBE NGS ASWS BrianMurphy aka BrianSpecMan
1st December 2014 – 27th December 2018

WUFI Calculator
See Also:


GBE Calculators


GBE Training


GBE Suppliers


GBE Systems


GBE Accessories


GBS Robust Specification Systems


GBS Robust Specification Accessories


GBE Links


GBE Datasets

  • Generic Materials
  • Thermal Mass (Calculator) G#16163
    • Includes Generic material Datasets

GBE Jargon Buster


GBE Jargon Buster Initials, Abbreviations, Acronyms

  • TGR
  • WUFI

GBE Jargon Buster Numbers

  • BS 5250 Code of Practice for Control of Condensation in Buildings “Static modelling”
  • BS EN 15026 “full modelling”.
  • BS EN ISO 13788 “simplified modelling” ‘Glaser method’

GBE Jargon Buster Theme

  • Carbon (Jargon Buster Theme)

GBE Jargon Buster Words Phrases

  • Delphi
  • Hygro-
  • Hydro-
  • Hygrothermal moisture movement
  • The Green Register (TGR)
  • Thermal Break (Jargon Buster) G#9357
  • Thermal Bridge (Jargon Buster) G#9351
  • U value
  • WUFI

GBE CPD


GBE Lecture


GBE Shop


© GBE NGS ASWS Brian Murphy aka BrianSpecMan *
1st December 2014 – 12th December 2019

Leave a Reply

Close Menu