Dynamics, diversity and ecology of mould growth in buildings – creating knowledge to improve assessment of mould damage.

When there is moisture in a building, there is a risk of mould. Mould- and moisture damage is a societal problem with high economic and health costs. An important task to achieve a sustainable built environment is minimising mould growth in buildings. Measures are needed to reduce these damages in all parts of the Swedish building stock.

One important measure is to prevent damage in new buildings, and it is necessary that existing damages are investigated and addressed adequately. Knowledge of the conditions leading to mould growth in buildings is vital.

Mould growth in buildings can be considered an ecosystem where moisture, temperature, building materials and the interaction between different micro-organisms affect growth over time.

Different species of moulds have different environmental requirements, and the composition of different species is affected by the ecological conditions.

With increased knowledge of ecological conditions and biodiversity of micro-organisms in buildings, new methods for investigating mould damages in a quality, assured manner can be established. The study aims to develop such methods and tools by combining existing knowledge with new from the project.

The work includes finding connections between individual species, building materials, relative humidity and temperature by analysing the growth of samples exposed to different climatic conditions.