New Initiative Regarding Moisture in Buildings Launched

The UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB) is Launched

An initiative aiming to increase knowledge and understanding of the issues moisture can cause in buildings was launched in London in May. The UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB) has been set up to carry out research, public engagement, policy work and training to improve moisture safety.

Speaking at the launch, UKCMB director Neil May explained that there is very little research into moisture in buildings. The centre had been set up to change this and increase understanding of the real-world impact of moisture issues — not only to hep improve the moisture safety of construction, but importantly, also to quash scare stories: “It’s about balance,” May said.

The UKCMB is taking its lead from the equivalent body in Sweden, the FuktCentrum (“Moisture Centre”). Representatives from FuktCentrum at the launch described their work on a number of moisture issues that are shared in our cool, wet climates, including construction moisture, damp crawl spaces, and the challenge of evaluating moisture safety with new and unfamiliar materials.

The Swedish delegates have developed a construction moisture safety protocol involving the documenting of moisture safety steps at each stage of a build, involving a continuous chain of communication from client through to the designer, contractor and then finally to the building owner or manager.

The UKCMB hopes to develop something similar in the UK: “What is needed is not so much hard, prescriptive guidance, as intelligent procedures that can tackle a range of situations,” May said.

The UKCMB has a particular interest in health impacts of moisture in buildings, and is mapping existing research, and participating in new studies, so less guesswork is involved in creating healthy environments.

The AECB has been invited to be involved. Researchers and professionals with an interest in the subject of moisture in buildings are also invited to get involved. More information is available at ukcmb.org, and the group can be contacted at ukcmb@ucl.ac.uk