2014 FINAL REPORT

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EUROPEAN PROJECT SEMESTER SPRING 2014

FINAL REPORT

URSULA BELTRAN WANLING CAI CHRISTIAN CORDOBA ANGELA ESCOLA

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List of figures

Image 1: EPS Projects classification ... 6

Image 2: Gantt chart of phases 2, 3 and 4 ... 8

Image 3: Gantt chart of phase 1 ... 8

Image 4: Team members ... 9

Image 5: Logo sketches. ... 11

Image 6: Isotype. ... 12

Image 7: DRY display imago type. ... 12

Image 8: Homepage ... 13

Image 9: DRYTEC logo. ... 17

Image 10: Mold ... 21

Image 11: Moisture problems in the wall. ... 24

Image 12: Hygrometer. ... 24

Image 13: Holes. ... 24

Image 14: 2D schemes. ... 25

Image 15: 3D representation. ... 25

Image 16: Interviews. ... 25

Image 17: Video representation. ... 26

Image 18: DRYZONE logo. ... 26

Image 19: Presentation sample. ... 26

Image 20: Belbin test graphic. ... 28

Image 21: An example of an agenda ... 32

Image 22: Example 1 ... 34

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Image 29: Dehumidification machines. ... 38

Image 30: Basic scheme that shows how dehumidification machines work. ... 38

Image 31: Scheme of thermal heating cable dehumidifier. ... 38

Image 32: Hygrometer. ... 39

Image 33: Hole on the foundation. ... 40

Image 34: Foundation ... 40

Image 35: Visible insulation. ... 40

Image 36: Water in the foundation ... 41

Image 37: 3D detailed wall and foundation. ... 43

Image 38: Configuration in SolidWorks. ... 45

Image 39: Configuration in SolidWorks 2. ... 46

Image 40: Example of design table. ... 46

Image 41: Rendering sample ... 47

Image 42: Video steps. ... 47

Image 43: Flow simulation. ... 48

Image 44: Example of modelling with SketchUp ... 48

Image 45: Model and SketchUp toolbars ... 49

Image 46: Keyframe Animation plugin logo ... 50

Image 47: Keyframe Animation plugin toolbar ... 50

Image 48: Detail of SketchUp model ... 50

Image 49: SketchUp with Keyframe Animation interface ... 50

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Image 50: Video animation ... 51

Image 51: Detail 1. ... 56

Image 52: Detail 1 SketchUp model ... 56

Image 53: Detail 2 ... 57

Image 56: Detail 3 SketchUp models ... 58

Image 69: House from DRYTEC webpage ... 65

Image 70: House model with SketchUp ... 65

Image 71: Poor air quality representation ... 66

Image 72: Crawl space ... 66

Image 73: Ventilation ... 67

Image 74: Need for air purification ... 67

Image 75: Construction related with health problems ... 68

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Image 76: Air leakage ... 68

Image 77: Moisture in the attic ... 69

Image 78: Bathroom ... 69

Image 79: Nuisance odors indoors ... 70

Image 80: Damaged plastic materials in the concrete ... 70

Image 81: Wet foundation wall ... 71

Image 82: Humid or smelling basement ... 71

Image 83: Dampness in the floor construction ... 72

List of tables

Table 1: Team members ... 10

Table 2: SWOT ... 28

Table 3: Main responsabilities and roles ... 29

Table 4: Budget ... 54

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1. Introduction

We are four students from around the world participating in the European Project Semester program arranged by Novia University of Applied Sciences in Vaasa, Finland. We are all about to get our engineering degrees in our home countries. During the spring of 2014 we have developed an interface that allows drawing and showing moisture problems to a company’s customers. The moisture problems come from floors in Finnish buildings. The project was ordered by DRYTEC Ltd in Vaasa, Finland. They needed a tool to make it easier for them to explain and visualize to their customers what actually has happened in their houses.

1.1 European Project Semester

European Project Semester is a program offered by 13 European universities in 11 countries throughout Europe to students who have completed at least two years of study. EPS is focused on primarily engineering students who have finished two years of their studies. However students from other disciplines are also

welcome.

The EPS is designed to prepare students for the challenges of today’s world and economy. They work in international groups of three to six persons. During the project the host university organizes ‘project related courses’ to support the EPS group with some information for the project and teambuilding activities, also with technical English lessons.

The goal of EPS is that students learn to work

in an international environment and develop their intercultural competences, communication and interpersonal skills. It is a good opportunity to get experience of international cooperation, working together with people with different cultures and different thoughts.

Image 1: EPS Projects classification

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1.2 Organization

The EPS semester has been split up into two periods. The first period occurred from 2 February until 2 April 2014. The second period occurred from 3 April until 20 May 2014. The first period was closed off by handing over the midterm report and a meeting discussing what has happened during that period. Moreover, a midterm presentation was held to show the solutions we had found until then. The second period, and all the semester, is closed off by handing over the present conceptual report and by doing a presentation to show the final solutions we have found during the semester.

For each period a project leader and a secretary were appointed. Together these persons were responsible for planning the project and taking minutes during the weekly meetings.

Every week we had a meeting with the tutor in order to check the entire job done and if everything was going well.

The project was being monitored and evaluated with the help of MS Project, which allowed us to make a Gantt chart, updated every week by the team members.

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Image 3: Gantt chart of phase 1

Image 2: Gantt chart of phases 2, 3 and 4

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1.3 Team members

The project group consists of exchange students in Vaasa, Finland. Three different countries are participating on the project. Two students come from Catalonia, one from Colombia and one from China. They have been working on a project assigned by Novia University of Applied Sciences.

Image 4: Team members

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Below the four members of the spring EPS group 2014 are listed:

Table 1: Team members

Name: Ursula Beltran

Place of origin: La Pobla de Segur, Catalonia University: University of Lleida, Lleida, Catalonia Degree program: Building Engineering

Email: Ursula.BeltranMauri@novia.fi

Name: Wanling Cai Place of origin: China

University: Novia University of Applied Sciences, Vaasa, Finland Degree program: Environmental Engineering

Email: cwl920501@gmail.com

Name: Christian Camilo

Place of origin: Medellín, Colombia

University: Polytechnic University of Catalonia.

Degree program: Industrial design and product development engineering

Email: cristiancamilopepe@hotmail.com

Name: Àngela Escolà

Place of origin: Soses, Catalonia

University: University of Lleida, Lleida, Catalonia Degree program: Building Engineering

Email: angelaescola92@gmail.com

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1.4 Corporative image 1.4.1 Logo

The team decided that a logo as a brand representing and identifying the team was needed.

This is composed of different things related to the 3D model about moisture in Finnish constructions.

The team also decided to create a corporative image related to the company that commissioned the project. At all stages, we have tried to align our logo with theirs. That was the main reason for the selected font and colours. However, as we knew that we were not going to cover all the subjects that the company does, we designed a logo that is more related to the modeling, to ways of presenting a problem that cannot be seen at first sight. In the end, there will be a display that allows the customers to realize more easily the current situation of their houses.

In the beginning we tried different kinds of logos like the ones charted below:

Image 5: Logo sketches.

Finally, we decided to select this logo:

Font: Helvetica LT 86 Heavy Italic

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The main reasons for changing from “ moisture screen” to “DRY display” are because the word DRY connects us more with the company and because the word display allows the customers to realize that what we do is something related to models and visual topics.

The following steps was to determine this isotype:

Image 6: Isotype.

The selection of this shape is based basically on the fact that we are always dealing with moisture problems, that is why we add a drop. It is also because we are focused on revealing the moisture problems that can be generated under the floor, which is represented by the lines. The square represents the display or screen, which allows the customers to realize the problems they may have.

The final imago type looks like this:

Image 7: DRY display imago type.

Colors: (PANTONE CHART references)

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The drop is radial gradient from white to blue.

The lines are linear gradient from white to grey.

1.4.2 Website

To promote the project and make the information more easily available to the general public a website was made. The design was made with a modern style and the website was programmed in HTML and CSS.

Every page has the same layout, starting with the header on top of the page. The header is a picture of typical Finnish houses, the main focus of our project. The logo of the team is also included in the header.

Below the header, three different columns can be found. The columns of the exterior include the different pages that people can visit, the middle column contains information about each chapter. Below the columns, the logos of Novia UAS and the EPS with the corresponding links to the official pages can be seen.

There is a homepage and four chapters:

Home: The homepage contains a little summary of the project and some general information, not too detailed. It is only there to give the reader some information about the

project and what the European Project Semester is. A counter of visits can also be found in the sidebar.

Project: This page describes the project in more detail and gives detailed information about the software we have used. It also describes the aim and the goal of the project.

Image 8: Homepage

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Team: There is a little description about the team. There are also pictures of all the members and it shows everyone’s e-‐mail addresses and a little description about their knowledge.

Gallery: On this part it can be find some pictures of the project members during the meetings and also a video presenting the project, information about each member and some animations of the project.

Contact: On this page there is an application to get in touch with the project group. The information is sent to an email address of the EPS team.

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2. Project definition

2.1 Project objectives

The main objective of our project was to develop an interface with which you can draw and show customers how moisture problems have grown through the time on their buildings’

floors in Finland. There were also other secondary, but not less important objectives.

Below is a list of all the objectives that we tried to reach during this semester in order to complete the project assigned.

• Capture potential costumers ?? I suggest to delete this.

• Develop an interface

• Show hidden problems caused by moisture

• Provide health and safety in Finnish buildings well, this is a goal for your customer Drytec.

• Build the program in a way that is easy to use and understand

• Develop models for the most typical constructions used in family houses in Finland

• Display the evolution of the moisture-‐problems through the years

• Store up a database of all the results obtained from each analysis

• Try to use interactive models in order to make the process understandable for the customers of Drytec.

• Teach employees how software works with tutorials and instruction manuals

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2.2. Mission and vision

Our mission is to show clearly and briefly how moisture problems appear and expand in Finnish family houses.

Our vision is to prevent moisture problems inside as many Finnish buildings as possible.

Actually not, because what you did is helping Drytec to explain problems that started decades ago. They are there already so they cannot be prevented anymore, only repaired.

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2.3. DRYTEC

DRYTEC Ltd was set up in 1988. Prior to 1988, from 1979 to 1987, the orientation of this company was renovation services and housing service. The CEO and also International Contactor is Mr. Mikael Andersen.

DRYTEC Ltd is a company offering objective solutions in

humidity-‐related problems in buildings. The company has the tools to solve most problems caused by damp and moisture problems and have the latest knowledge in the field. The company's mission and goal is to thoroughly investigate and resolve individual cases of moisture damage and indoor air problems, and to offer consulting services to the builder to prevent problems.

They offer services for the customers about foundation wall drying, construction supervision, moisture measurements, and water damage examinations.

In order to develop even more and to provide customers with more comprehensive services, the company also cooperates with other companies.

Image 9: DRYTEC logo. Source: www.DRYTEC.fi

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2.4. Constraints

During the semester there were possible constraints that could make us advance more slowly or prevent us from advancing. For example:

Quality: All the reports and presentations done had to conform to the rules that Novia UAS has for their students and have to be in proper English. These rules are listed in a document that we have and we have to follow them.

Lack of knowledge: Some of the project staff were not experienced with the technical engineering or with a definite part of the project. For example, the software was new to the project members and making a webpage was also new for the team, because no-‐one had the appropriate knowledge for this. These things made us spend much time on learning these things.

Language: In the group there are members from different countries and we speak different languages as mother tongues. Our communication has sometimes been a problem, which sometimes led to some misunderstandings.

Contact: Key decision-‐makers of the company are often difficult to contact when issues arise.

We didn't always know whether we had made them satisfied or whether our ways of working should be changed.

Software: Different software has different functions and we had to find the best one, taking the price and its limitations into account. Until the midterm presentation we were waiting for the decision of the company about which software they want to use. Consequently, we were making the models using two different software, which was time consuming.

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2.5. Risks

The risks that could make us fail with the project were as follows:

Dropping out of one or more students

In case one or more students dropped out of the project due to irregularities or force majeure, the remaining team might not have had enough capacity to fully complete the project because there were a lot of models to do and each model required animation, meaning that an unfinished report could have been the result.

Low motivation of one or more students

The effectiveness of the project group would have decreased if the motivation of one or more students dropped, possibly demotivating others too. This thing would have also conduced us to remake the work not well done and waste time supervising the entire job already done by the student/s demotivated. In this case the team might not have enough capacity and/or motivation to get the project success. This could have led to having to hand in an unfinished report.

Not enough time

The possibility existed that the team had taken too much time to research the main objectives or waiting for a decision about which software use, thus leading to not reaching all the set goals like all the models or all the animations of how moisture passes through walls.

No response from contacts or organizations

This project was highly dependent on information from DRYTEC. Therefore, there was the possibility that correspondences were delayed or not answered at all. Without the information from the company, the team might not have been able to complete all the models or animations about how moisture “grows”.

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2.6 Scope

The scope of this project was quite large because many customers would see our 3D interactive models and all the representations of the possible damages that their houses may suffer from. The focus has not been limited to only houses in Vaasa or western Ostrobothnia, but to all houses with this kind of constructions.

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3. Current situation

3.1 Problems in Finnish buildings 3.1.1 Moisture problems

“Too much moisture in a home can lead to mold, mildew, and other biological growth. This in turn can lead to a variety of health effects ranging from more common allergic reactions to asthma attacks, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, for example. Excess moisture can be in the form of high relative humidity including humidity generated by people and their activities such as showers, cooking, or drying clothes. Water can also come from plumbing leaks, wet boots, or splashing around sinks. Moisture can permeate with infiltrating outdoor air (or exfiltrating indoor air) through the building shell, including the foundation. In addition to health problems, the high relative humidity or water entering building cavities that is not allowed to dry quickly can lead to problems such as rot, structural damage, and premature

paint failure.”¹

“Mold consists of living organisms that grow in damp places in your home. They stain or discolor surfaces and smell musty. There are hundreds of thousands of different types of mold.

Mold can grow almost anywhere: on walls, ceilings, carpets, or furniture. Humidity or wetness, caused by water leaks, spills from

bathtubs or showers, or condensation, can cause mold to grow in your home.

Mold spores are tiny particles that float through the air. These can sometimes cause health problems. Mold does not affect everyone, and different people are affected differently when breathing.

People with allergies to mold may get:

• Watery eyes

• Runny or stuffed noses

1 United States Environmental Protection Agency. March 2014.

<http://www.epa.gov/iaq/homes/hip-‐moisture.html>

Image 10: Mold

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• Itching

• Headaches

• Difficulties breathing

Mold can also trigger asthma attacks. Some mold types produce toxins (poisons) that may be hazardous if people are exposed to large amounts. Mold spores and related mycotoxins can also pose serious health threats to individuals who have depressed immune systems.”²

3.1.2 Health problems derived

“Mold is a serious health hazard in the home environment, as it produces allergens, irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances. Further, mold can trigger respiratory problems such as asthma in vulnerable and allergic populations. Therefore, preventing and eliminating mold problems is a crucial part of ensuing quality housing conditions.

People are exposed to mold on a daily basis. Most exposures in the home occur when occupants inhale spores or mold fragments, which are components of household dust. They may also be exposed when their skin comes into contact with mold-‐contaminated materials.

Most people are unaffected by exposure to moderate amounts of mold. However, mold exposure can cause allergic reactions in some people. Approximately 6-‐10 percent of the general population, and 15-‐50 percent of persons who are genetically prone to develop allergies (atopic individuals), are allergic to mold, according to the National Academy of Sciences. The most common symptoms include runny nose, eye irritation, coughing, congestion, and exacerbation of asthma in persons who have the disease. At this point, it is unclear whether mold can cause individuals to become asthmatic.

Some types of mold produce toxic substances known as mycotoxins, which can cause health problems when they are inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or ingested. One mold species may produce a number of different mycotoxins; conversely, one mycotoxin may be produced by several different types of mold. Mycotoxin production varies depending on environmental conditions such as moisture level, temperature, and substrate content. As a general matter,

2 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. March 2014.

<http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/healthy_homes/healthyhomes/

mold>

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toxin-‐producing molds have higher water requirements than most household mold types, so they thrive indoors only under wet conditions.

Although the health impacts of exposure to mycotoxins in the home are not well studied, adverse health effects have been observed in occupational settings and in animal studies. Of course, health impacts vary depending on the mycotoxin and the nature of the exposure. Skin rashes, fatigue, dizziness, flu-‐like symptoms, nausea, respiratory and eye irritation, immuno-‐

suppression, birth defects, lung inflammation, and cancer have been associated with exposure to mycotoxins. Persons exposed to high levels of mold toxins, e.g., mold remediation workers or farm workers, may be at risk for organic toxic dust syndrome (OTDS) or hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). ODTS may occur after a single, heavy exposure to mycotoxins, and usually carries with it fever, respiratory, and flu-‐like symptoms. HP is an immunological disease caused by repeated, high-‐level exposures to the same agent, and can result in permanent lung damage.

Mold exposure can also lead to infections such as fungal pneumonia in persons with depressed immune systems.”³

3 National Center for Healthy Housing. March 2014. <http://www.nchh.org/What-We- Do/Health-Hazards--Prevention--and-Solutions/Mold.aspx>

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3.2 Current solutions adopted by DRYTEC

Nowadays, DRYTEC shows customers the current solutions for the moisture damage in a few different ways. The problem is that sometimes this way of showing moisture damages to the customers does not seem very credible:

• The first examination carried out by DRYTEC is that its staff visits the infected house in search of problems that can be seen with the naked eye, on the walls, floors or bathrooms of the house. If this is the case, the problem is obvious and it is really easy for the DRYTEC employees to show the situation of the house to the customers.

• Another way to show the problems to the customers is with measurements of different environments with professional equipment. In this case it is more difficult for DRYTEC to describe and explain the problems to the customers, because customers sometimes do not understand this kind of measurements and they may not believe in what the expert is trying to explain.

• Finally, if the problem is not quite easy to find, they start to make some drills or constructions inside the house to dismantle the hidden problem. This is the most expensive way of showing the problems to the customer.

Image 12: Hygrometer. Source:

http://thermometer.co.uk/916-‐

therma-‐hygrometer-‐6000.html Image 11: Moisture problems in the wall. Source: http://leap-‐va.org

Image 13: Holes.

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3.3 State of the art

The term "state of the art" refers to the highest level of general development; in this case we focused on finding some solutions used nowadays to show customers the building problems that are really hard to explain with just words or images.

2D schemes with explanations of the whole process of moisture inside the home and the effects that this problem can generate in specific spots of the house.

3D images. This images show the entire house and how the moisture is growing up from the basement. The intention with these images is to show the current situation of the customer house and the possible effects that may be generated if action is not taken immediately. It is important to focus on the interactive graphics as they easily help to understand the way the moisture is

growing up in the house.

Interviews. Interviews are the most common way nowadays to explain moisture problems to customers. An interview begins with a chat and then it is usual to support the speech of the seller with images and 2D sheets. These are objects that in some cases are not quite easily understood by the customer.

Image 14: 2D schemes. Source:

http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-‐to-‐

advice/home-‐moisture-‐problems.shtm

Image 15: 3D representation. Source:

http://www.moisturedetection.co.nz/

Image 16: Interviews. Source:

http://www.casadomo.com/articulos/activa-‐

system

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A 3D representation with video and explanation of each step during the process of fixing the moisture problems inside the floor of a house.

The steps are:

A 3D representation with interactive graphics will make the customers understand easily the whole process of the moisture damage. The difference between other 3D videos is that in this case the video is explained in a way that can let even the customer fix the problem. In this video each step is explained as a manual. What is also interesting to notice is that a 3D representation of the entire house may be more accurate and easier to understand than a representation only of the floor or the spot where the moisture is acting.

1. Initial state of damage 2. Preparation of the work 3. Waterproofing of the

affected areas 4. Drain systems 5. Ending of the work

Image 17: Video representation. Source:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMH3luFHEvs

Image 18: DRYZONE logo. Source:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=Np62juRpk_M

Presentations. Some companies prepare a general or personal presentation to convince the customer of the problem they have. These presentations usually have real examples of moisture damages in other cases. They also have schemes, images and technical sheets. It is really important to use key words and clear images to make it as easy as possible to understand the damage caused by the moisture.

Image 19: Presentation sample.

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4. Project management

4.1 Work methodology

The work methodology of this project has been following the advice from Project Management lessons and different book references like A guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge and Fundamentals in Project Management. These books and the lessons of Roger Nylund provided us with the main tools to carry out the project with success and with a minimum of problems.

First of all, we did the Belbin test in order to know how an individual behaves in a team environment. The teams were created after we had done the test.

4.1.1 SWOT Strengths and weaknesses

After comparing the features of all the members of the team on the Belbin test, it was found out that our strengths belong to the coordination, shaping and resource investigation activities. That was the reason why we believed that the main part of our project must be focused on researching as much as we can in order to have more resources, and doing the Gantt schedule as industrious as we could in the beginning and follow it through the whole project. Furthermore, new ideas were always discussed and taken into account in order to do our best. On the other hand, we noticed that we needed to improve other features such as the ability to manage a project and to distribute the work according to the role of each team member as well. We are not specialized in assimilation and interpreting large volumes of complex material. In addition, information related to the project was not familiar to us, foreign students that we are.

What are we going to do to solve our weaknesses?

Even though we are exchange students in Finland, we have the support of native colleagues from Novia University of Applied Sciences, who have helped us to solve any kind of matters that could be misunderstood regarding the theory of subjects related to our project. Against

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our weakness in managing projects we have already done a code of conduct and other kinds of planning. This has allowed us to achieve our goals and not have a lack of that kind of issues.

Table 2: SWOT

STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES

Coordination Shaping Resource investigation Knowledge of the subject

Software skills

Team workers Colleagues from Finland

Company support Information resources

WEAKNESSES THREATS

Monitor evaluation Specialist Lack of management

Lack of attention

Language knowledge

Differences between Finnish buildings and other buildings

Lack of knowledge of 3D programs Experimental skills

Image 20: Belbin test graphic.

0 5 10 15 Implementor

Coordinator

Shaper

Plant Resource Investigator Monitor Evaluator

Team Worker Complete Finisher

Specialist

Úrsula Beltran Wanling Cai Christian Córdoba Àngela Escolà

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4.1.2 Code of conduct

In order to progress with a minimum of problems, all the team members wrote a code of conduct before starting to work with the project:

1. -‐ Meetings in order to discuss and organize all the work that has been done will be arranged every Monday. If someone can’t attend the meeting, he or she has to tell the others and the meeting will be postponed until another day in the same week when everybody can attend.

2. -‐ Every member needs to feel comfortable about expressing his or her ideas, because all of them will be discussed by the group.

3. -‐ All the decisions must be unanimously accepted. If anyone doesn’t agree with an idea this will be discussed until everybody agrees.

4. -‐ Every Monday (11 am – 12 am) and Wednesday (9.45 am -‐ 11 am) the team will be working in the EPS room.

5. -‐ The agendas will be distributed according to the free time of each member of the team, taking into account that each member should work the same amount of hours as the other members.

6-‐ Information will be first written in different draft files, and when we finish and everybody has agreed on the draft files during the meetings, they will be uploaded on a final file.

7-‐ Main responsibilities:

TASK ROLES

Task list

Updating information Work delegation

Director Gantt chart

Make agendas for meetings

Write working minutes Secretary

Table 3: Main responsabilities and roles

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4.2 Team roles

In the first period we had to choose one director and one secretary with the responsibilities listed above. In the second period these persons changed their positions. However, all the members of the team had to work and the main decisions were discussed by all project members. The different chapters were divided between us. Each person had to be focused on one of them, yet everyone had to check the work of the other members as well.

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4.3 Meetings

In order to do the tracking of our project we usually have a meeting once a week with our project advisor Roger Nylund. Roger Nylund supervised our work during the weeks and helped us to get in touch with the company DRYTEC. Michael Andersen, our contact and CEO of the company, had the last word about which software he wanted us to use in order to make all the 3D models and the moisture animation. From the beginning until the midterm report we were working with both softwares in order to show him the advantages and disadvantages of each.

After the presentation, he told us which software would be best for the company’s, SketchUp.

After that, all Finnish floor patterns had been developed with just the software chosen.

4.3.1 Schedule

All the dates of the project meetings have been registered on the agendas. We also had a calendar where we put in the dates of the meetings or the reasons for why someone could not attend.

The first meeting mission and vision were defined, the objectives of the project likewise and the code of conduct. After that we met once a week at least, usually twice.

The secretary also had the responsibility of making an agenda, with all the information about the meetings and the work done. In each meeting we wrote basic information about the attendees, and the time, date and place where the meeting was held. In the agenda of each day, the different points to discuss as well as the week work we had to do can be found, which is a good way in order not to forget any steps. It was easy to consult the agenda each week and follow our progress.

An example of this agenda can be seen below:

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Image 21: An example of an agenda

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5. Technical report

5.1 Assessment of relevant information related to Finnish buildings

On 24 February, Leif Östman, architect (PhD) and principal lecturer at the Department of Construction Engineering at Novia, gave us a lecture about the architecture in Finland and the main problems regarding moisture that we can find in building foundations. The most important things we learned from him are specified below.

In order to construct a sound building foundation that should withstand water and control dampness, it is important to pay attention to the construction details and design because they are extremely critical. Depending on the floor construction system we can find different kinds of moisture damages. Many of these problems are caused by a poorly designed construction detail. Moreover, the way in which the different parts are located and distributed is really relevant when it comes to humidity. Any lack of insulation or a wrong contact between materials can become a bridge for water to grow from the ground to the structure of the building, making an unhealthy effect on the inside environment.

There are several common causes of water intrusion. Below different examples of the main construction systems can be seen:

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Example 1:

In the following construction system, the wooden structure should be located in a higher position than the floors, if not, the moisture that comes from the surroundings and the underground can go inside the wooden structure of the building.

Image 22: Example 1

Example 2:

As in the figure described above, the wooden parts are not in a good place. Wooden elements shouldn’t be located deeper than the ground. Rainwater, either flowing from the ground or draining from the roof, can flow into the basement and subsequently to the wooden structure and damage it.

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Example 3:

In the construction system shown below there is a lack of ventilation between layers. When the walls get warmer, water will rise in the walls, unless there is an air stream.

Sometimes the reason for not having this air chamber is the paste used to fix bricks. The paste can get in these spaces and make the air chamber meaningless.

Example 4:

In this example, the concrete floor is directly in contact with the insulation. Moisture from the slab can be transferred into the insulation. In order to avoid that a protection foil should be installed.

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Example 5:

The following image shows how water can rise up from the ground by the capillarity effect.

Subsequently, it can be observed how moisture appears in the walls causing problems inside the building.

Example 6:

If there is no protection against moisture above the foundations, as in the following image, the water of the concrete can be transferred to the walls and floors during the building process.

New concrete will be usually damp for many weeks or months. Moreover, this excess of water in concrete evaporates and leaves microscopic holes through which water can move. It is necessary to install insulation to protect contact with the floor and the walls.

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Example 7:

In this case the footing drain and downspout discharge system do not work. Groundwater should be discharged away from the house into a drywell or storm sewer. If it doesn’t work, water can go down to the basement, and by the capillarity effect water can rise up to the structure.

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5.2 Visits or meetings related to the project

On March, together with Michael Andersen we visited a house with floor moisture problems situated in Vaasa. Before that we went to the company DRYTEC.

We saw the installations of the company and the methods and tools they use to solve all the problems they face every day.

Some of the tools are:

Dehumidification machines: The main objective of these machines is to reduce the relative humidity in the entire home.

These dehumidifiers are constructed to be used as a whole home solution. They do not only dry the air but also limit the growth of mold and dust mite. This is the best remedy for a customer’s indoor humidity problem.

Thermal heating cable dehumidifier: These are other kinds of dehumidifiers designed to protect your house from moisture odour, mold and radon. It is an attic or a crawl space, the thermal heating cable dehumidifier keeps the house dry, only consuming the electrical energy of the house during some time.

Image 30: Basic scheme that shows how dehumidification machines work. Source:

http://www.ventdepot.com/mexico/temasdein teres/faqs/deshumidificadores/

Image 31: Scheme of thermal heating cable dehumidifier. Source:

www.sinlaex.com

Image 29: Dehumidification machines. Source:

http://www.ventdepot.com/

mexico/temasdeinteres/faqs