In recent years, moisture damages have been noticed in rendered, undrained stud walls. The design is built on the principle one-stage tightening which means that there is no air gap in the construction. The damages have occurred when water has permeated through the rendering in leaking connections and fittings for windows, doors, canopies, balconies, terraces and awnings. Behind the plaster carrier, which consists of either polystyrene or rigid mineral wool, plasterboard has often been used as a wind protection barrier. In many cases the wind protection barrier and the underlying wooden studs have been exposed to mould and in some cases even rot. It has been shown that damp in the structure is difficult to dry out.
The aim of the thesis has been to examine how the energy consumption is affected when this type of construction is damp, partly because energy is required to dry up damp, partly because the insulation ability for a material decreases when it is affected by moisture.
Previous research and relevant literature has been used in this thesis, to provide: A comprehensive picture of the problem, an explanation for the calculations used and an understanding of the conclusions drawn.
The energy consumption has been calculated for 1 m2 wall area on two types of wall designs. The calculations have been performed in both dry and damp condition. To calculate the energy consumption in damp condition, three different types of calculation models have been used in three different ways. Since no measurements have been made, the calculations are to some extent based on assumed values.
The amount of damp that have entered the structure has, according to the calculation models used, been shown to produce small differences in energy consumption compared to the dry structure. The main problem for these types of walls seems instead to be the growth of microorganisms. Nevertheless, the microorganisms seem not to have affected the indoor environment in any significant manner.