The unit carries out supporting diagnostic analyses on existing historical or contemporary buildings dealing with material degradation and mainly aimed at tracing the degradation causes or processes at work, and for the identification of construction techniques. Surveys and monitoring activities support the drafting of conservation or maintenance plans, and of guidelines for existing buildings conservation or for the design of renovation works. Research is also carried out into the development and integration of innovative non-destructive techniques for monitoring deterioration, micro-climate and to control risk factors for the conservation of the materials in place; the standardisation of already established procedures is carried out in the same context.
A parallel line of activity concerns the non-destructive inspection and testing of the energy performance of both traditional and modern or innovative buildings, following the latest energy certification standards.
Services offered
Building diagnostics for consultancy to designers and public bodies, in particular:
- Micro-climate monitoring for Cultural Heritage;
- Thermal infrared thermography;
- Gravimetric tests;
- Psychrometric mapping;
- Endoscopy and videoscopy;
- Construction site microscopy;
- UV photography;
- Pacometry;
- Hygroscopic characterisation of materials.
Tools
The unit features technical equipment for field surveys and tools fit for subsequent data analysis in the laboratory.