Dear Colleagues,
2023 has been a significant year for the UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB). In response to
the coroner’s verdict on the tragic loss of Awaab Ishak, the government released Awaab’s Law. At the UKCMB, we have been actively involved in advocating for changes to prevent such tragedies in the future:
- Advising on the much-awaited UK Government guidance on understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home
- Being actively involved in developing standards for the British Standards Institution (BSI)
- Engaging in discussions on mould in housing in various forums, including the Fuel Poverty Research Network and the UKHSA Annual Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollution Research Review Meeting
- Making our resources and tools accessible to the public
- Increasing our engagement with our growing community
We also made significant progress in the area of building retrofit and mould by
- Releasing Dr Peter Rickaby’s BSI White Paper on ‘The Importance of Standards for Safe Energy Retrofit’; this paper explains the background in developing the new standards for energy retrofit of buildings in both the domestic and non-domestic sectors of the UK building stock. It explores why these new standards were necessary to manage the risks to buildings and occupants.
- Collaborating on the Retrofit Revisit project led by CIBSE and Studio PDP, and funded by Historic England. This project allowed the team to evaluate the moisture performance of homes retrofitted more than 10 years ago. We discussed lessons learnt from the project on evaluation methods for moisture risk assessment and analysis at the Historic England’s Technical Tuesday webinar series.
- Discussing the challenges of retrofitting on various occasions, including at the Chartered Institute of Housing, CIBSE Build2Perform, and Unlock NetZero.
One of the highlights of this year was the successful organisation of the 2nd International Conference on Moisture in Buildings (ICMB23). This event brought together experts, practitioners, and enthusiasts from around the world to discuss, learn, and share knowledge about moisture in buildings. The conference featured a diverse range of presentations, workshops, and discussions, providing a platform for attendees to engage with the latest research, innovative solutions, and best practices in the field. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants, speakers, and organisers who contributed to the success of this event. View the conference proceedings hosted by Science Open
Our UKCMB affiliates, comprised of dedicated doctoral researchers focused on moisture-related topics in the UK, have had a dynamic year. They have actively participated and presented their work at several international conferences, including IAQVEC (view IAQVEC proceedings), NSB (view NSB proceedings), and DBMC (view DBMC proceedings). These platforms have not only facilitated the exchange of valuable insights but also provided opportunities for networking and collaboration. Their contributions continue to enrich our understanding and drive our mission forward. Find out more about the UKCMB affiliates and their work. Contact us at ukcmb@ucl.ac.uk if you wish to join the UKCMB affiliates group.
In December, we delivered the UKCMB training course on Understanding and Managing Moisture Risk in Buildings at the Property Care Association. For future training opportunities, view the UKCMB training and CPD.
Finally, as we bid farewell to 2023, we launched the UKCMB Friday Webinars. These webinars serve as a platform where we invite experts in moisture and mould, in buildings and beyond, to discuss their work. This initiative has allowed us to broaden our understanding and share knowledge with a wider audience. In our inaugural webinar in December, we focused on ‘Mould in the Fashion Industry’, a topic that sparked insightful discussions and offered a fresh perspective on the impact of mould beyond the confines of buildings.
As we step into the new year, we are excited to announce that we have confirmed speakers for our upcoming webinars. These include Dr Michael G. Sanderson from the Met Office, Professor Matthew Fisher from Imperial College London, and Professor Sani Dimitroulopoulou from the UK Health Security Agency. Stay tuned for more updates on our website and social media.
We are also pleased to announce that we have recently completed a comprehensive video on understanding mould. We hope that this will serve as a valuable resource in our collective journey towards a moisture-safe built environment.
Here’s to another year of learning and advancing towards a moisture-safe built environment in the UK.
Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year!
See you in 2024,
The UKCMB management team