The moisture issue affecting the historical buildings in the Po valley

This paper deals with the climate-related risks associated with the conservation of historical buildings in the Alps region. The aim of the paper is to build the microclimatic curve of the T°C (temperature) and RH% (Relative Humidity) daily average in different locations (at a similar altitude in the same valleys), compare them against each other and also to the microclimatic curves obtained in the Po valley [3]. The case studies in Valtellina and Val Poschiavo Valley were identified to monitor and analyse the thermo-hydrometrical variation of air T°C and RH%, followed by a thorough assessment and documentation of the buildings (state of conservation, materials and building techniques, presence of rising damp and intervention for its reduction). The analysis is composed of visual inspections, microclimate monitoring using psychrometry and monitoring probes, Infra-Red (IR) Thermography. The result of the study explores the correlation with factors pertaining to building materials and construction techniques, the climatic and microclimatic characteristics. Curves describing the daily mean values of T°C and RH% for a period of one year have been defined by the authors for each of the historical buildings.