Condensation & a data driven approach
The acceptable standard for investigating dampness in buildings is changing. Whilst these changes have been happening over a period of time, nothing highlights these changes more than the Housing Ombudsman's 2021 Report 'Spotlight on: Damp and mould', which actively told us to move away from blaming lifestyle and to use data driven approaches to get to the root cause of damp and mould issues.
Furthermore, we also saw the launch of the joint position statement between the PCA, Historic England and RICS. This also explianed how vital it is to understand the relationship between temperature, relative humidity and vapour pressure, together with the way building materials interact with moisture in the air. But what does a data driven approach look like?
Understanding the key principles of a data driven approach
To help building professionals understand these key principles, the PCA has developed a new online training course: “A Diagnostic Approach to Understanding Condensation and Mould”, an adaptation of one that was previously run at the PCA head office in Huntingdon.
This training course has been expanded to include additional content. This now includes two real life case studies, and casts a spotlight on readily available tools a building professional can use to help investigate a dampness problem, as well as more prescriptive guidance in which to control the problem.
Remote learning & easy to digest sessions
The training is delivered over the course of a couple of weeks and is broken down into short, easy to digest sessions. There are a mixture of recorded, live sessions, group and individual exercises and being a remote course, candidates can access the training at a location that is convenient for them. Topics include:
- Understanding Atmospheric Moisture
- Measuring Equipment
- Understanding Atmospheric Data
- Surveying Methodology
- Mould Growth & Remediation Methods
- Putting theory into Practice
Better diagnostics for investigating dampness in buildings
Following these sessions, delegates will be armed with the ability to analyse raw information collected by atmospheric data loggers, and have the ability to present this in a way that can illustrate clearly to the homeowner or property professional what is happening in the occupied house.
Ultimately, as mentioned at the beginning of this blog, the acceptable standard for investigating dampness in buildings is changing and better diagnostics should mean less damp houses. This should be everyone’s goal, particularly following the tragic event hitting the headlines earlier this week. To find out more about developing your/your team(s) knowledge on a data driven approach to dampness in buildings, contact our training team….
Get in Touch >>