This stimulating three-hour webinar focuses on the key findings of FabTrads, a pioneering Irish research project assessing the hygrothermal performance of walls in traditional buildings in Ireland. One in six Irish buildings is classified as traditionally constructed, amounting to over one quarter of a million structures - only a small fraction of which are Protected Structures or located in conservation areas. All such buildings require a technical understanding of the existing materials and construction methodology prior to the specification of thermal and energy performance upgrading. Yet, the performance of solid wall construction is currently poorly understood and quantified in the national DEAP calculation methodology, and hence evaluation of traditional building performance is inaccurate.

UCD’s FabTrads research project has evaluated the thermal and moisture properties of a wide range of historic and traditional construction types in Ireland. Through testing and analysis of building fabrics, much of which has been conducted in-situ, the project aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of the operational performance of Ireland’s traditional and historic buildings. In particular, how the thermal properties of building fabric is affected by moisture – i.e. hygrothermal performance – in the temperate Irish climate is central to the research.

This webinar, consisting of five presentations followed by Q&A is led by three members of the wider FabTrads project team: Dr Oliver Kinnane, Dr Anna Hofheinz and Dr Rosanne Walker. The collective experience of the team leads the viewer through accessible and engaging presentations outlining the key findings of the research project and how they may be applied to real-world refurbishment and conservation projects involving Irish buildings and local materials.