A novel method established to convert Australian climate data for hygrothermal simulation

The correlation between energy efficient buildings and the increased risk of condensation and mould inside residential and non-residential buildings has been known for some time. Since the 1990’s transient calculation methods have been developed to initially calculate the flow of heat and moisture. These tools were then improved to calculate risks associated with mould growth, which causes building decay and affects human health. Internationally, frameworks, standards and guidelines are being developed establishing boundaries and requirements to limit too much user interaction with input and output variables. Key input variables include the exterior and interior climates and the physical attributes of construction materials. In 2018, collaborative research between the Germany and Australia identified a lack of suitably formatted Australian climate data for hygrothermal simulation. Parallel research was also exploring matters regarding water vapour diffusion resistivity properties of Australian construction materials and the development of more appropriate interior climate parameters. This article focusses on the development of a novel method, developed in 2019, to convert Australian government sanctioned climate data into a suitable format for transient hygrothermal simulation. The tool became known as AusHygro 1 and included options for including rain data and hourly interior temperature and relative humidity conditions.