4 . 2
RISK MITIGATION
A-DESIGN PHASE
To minimise the risk of moisture damage in timber buildings, it is essential to follow key risk mitigation principles throughout the building’s lifecycle. This begins with design phase considerations such as careful material specification, detailing to avoid water pooling and providing protective secondary materials such as membranes and sealants. Construction phase considerations include providing proper protection during transportation and construction to prevent moisture exposure 9 . Once the building is in use, regular monitoring of moisture levels and implementing effective maintenance strategies are necessary to prevent long-term damage. By addressing these aspects, the building’s durability and resilience against moisture can be significantly enhanced. Risk mitigation strategies differ in their scale, cost, and complexity to implement, depending on the specifics of each project. Therefore, these strategies should be tailored to each project individually. It is also important to weigh the cost of mitigation against the potential cost of repairing damage, considering the likelihood of such damage occurring. Risk mitigation strategies should be designed with the understanding that some may not work as intended. Therefore, it is advisable to implement multiple layers of protection for each building element. For instance, a waterproof membrane might prevent moisture from penetrating the roof, while pitching the roof will allow water to run off the timber structure should the membrane fail. As a backup measure, a moisture monitor could alert the owner if the structure becomes wet. This multi-layered approach should be applied to all building components to ensure a thorough and reliable protection strategy. These measures are explained in more detail in the following section, focussing on risk mitigation in relation to the phases of a building’s life.
Material/component specification When specifying timber components, it is important to know their durability, service and use classes. See section 4.1 for further information. These factors help determine the right application and expected lifespan of engineered wood products. Building envelope water ingress - roof Roofs and terraces are particularly vulnerable to water ingress. To reduce the risk of building envelope failure, the following risk mitigation measures can be incorporated when designing roofs.
RA I S E
T I LT
DRA I N
PROTECTION
Figure: Designing to prevent moisture build up
40
DURABILITY
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