The proper application of building insulation for historic masonry structures is a hot topic in the world of heritage conservation. Owners of historic residential, commercial and institutional masonry buildings have the unique challenge of how to maintain these structures with the latest building technologies without compromising any historic character.
As a topic we routinely discuss solutions for with our clients, we are excited to share Daniel S. Castele, Architectural Conservator & Designer, Peter Meijer Architect, PC, will be presenting at HINDSIGHT 2020 on: Insulating the interior face of historic masonry building envelopes in cold climates: a review of prescribed techniques and pitfalls.
The Association for Preservation Technology & the National Trust for Canada have partnered to present, HINDSIGHT 2020 (October 1-7, 2020), a fully virtual conference, that will explore the role of heritage conservation in the 21st century. Leaders within the architectural, engineering, construction, preservation, conservation, policy, and design communities, will present on the intersection of heritage conservation and technical, design, policy and community issues.
DAN’S PRESENTATION AT A GLANCE
The need to insulate walls of historic buildings to meet ambitious energy performance targets has been a rising concern in the preservation community. Due to preservation code and accepted best practices, it is not viable to add insulation to the exterior of an existing historic building. In response to this a common approach is to insulate the interior face. While this method of wall insulation can significantly reduce heat loss and improve thermal comfort in cold climates, it also raises concerns about damage to historic fabric. This study examines the current guidance available to project teams. Publications from North America and Europe have been systematically reviewed for guidance on retrofit techniques and evaluation methods. The study reveals a wide range of both prescriptive and performance-based recommendations.
This presentation will explain the progressive research behind a comprehensive and in-depth study of guidelines and professional practices related to internal wall insulation retrofits in historic buildings of North America. The study is part of larger ongoing research into net zero historic buildings. For which, the presenters single-handedly collect and review guidelines for trends, similarities, and differences. The presentation will be based both on research gathered from other professionals and first-hand experience and research conducted by the presenters themselves.
KEY LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Explain the issues, risks, and benefits associated with insulating the interior envelope of mass masonry walls of historic structures; Discuss insulation approaches for masonry envelopes offered in existing guidance from the preservation community and government whitepapers; Discuss commonly used wall insulation details in practice in Canada, USA, & Europe; Compare performance-based approaches and prescriptive recommendations.
To learn more about the conference and to register, please visit: HINDSIGHT 2020.