RENOVATION 2050
Brick Study
Clusters of sensors have been installed in the brick and at various depths of the envelope. The sensors measure: temperature and relative humidity at five points at each sensor cluster. Moisture content sensors are also being installed in the brick. Data from these sensors, in concert with brick frost dilatometry lab results of the Reno 2050 brick, will be used to produce a highly tuned WUFI computer model of the wall. The WUFI model will allow us to predict if it is possible to insulate a historical home to near-Passivhaus levels without effecting the long term integrity of the wall, or at the very least, to accurately estimate the duration until failure of the wall.
In it’s original condition, the building was essentially uninsulated. As part of the Reno 2050 project, 5” - 7” of spray-applied polyurethane foam was applied to the interior side of the brick. Retrofitting old structural brick walls with high levels of insulation has caused problems in some retrofit projects; the porous old brick looses its ability to stay warm and self-dry in the winter by means of heat-loss through the building envelope. Depending on the characteristics of the particular lot of bricks, they may spawl and crack as the number of freeze-thaw cycles they are exposed to increases.
The brick of this century home is generally in good condition. As to be expected, there is some minor spawling occurring in heavily weathered areas, and some efflorescence visible just above grade. A few cracks in the mortar joints at some locations are visible, and visible repointing has been performed in others.
Hygrothermal Modeling by Blair Williams
Why is it being studied?
Existing Conditions