The UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings is pleased to share two recorded webinars linked to the STBA guidance Moisture properties of insulation materials and their applicability to traditional construction. Delivered for different audiences, the two sessions offer complementary perspectives on moisture balance, material behaviour and retrofit systems in traditional buildings.
The first webinar was delivered for Historic England and brought together Dr Valentina Marincioni (UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings), Michael Netter (Director, Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance), and some members of the funders board, which includes Historic England, Cadw, the Northern Ireland Department for Communities and Historic Environment Scotland.
This session focused on the technical basis of the STBA guidance, with particular attention to moisture transfer mechanisms in traditional construction.
This session explores moisture transfer mechanisms in more detail, including vapour diffusion and capillary flow, and how these processes interact with different insulation strategies in traditional construction. It is particularly relevant for those involved in technical assessment and risk-informed retrofit design.
Watch the Historic England webinar recording:
https://historicengland.org.uk/education/training-skills/training/webinars/recordings/stba-paper-moisture-properties-of-insulation-materials-and-their-applicability-to-traditional-construction-webinar/
The second webinar, hosted by SAVA, featured Michael Netter (Director, Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance) and Dr Valentina Marincioni (Technical Director, UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings). This session provides a broader overview of the principles and its implications for practice, focusing on how the findings can support more informed retrofit decisions and why moisture balance should be considered as part of whole-building systems rather than isolated material choices.
Watch the SAVA webinar (on demand):
https://sava.co.uk/the-property-edge/
Both webinars relate directly to the STBA guidance, which sets out current evidence on the moisture properties of insulation materials and their applicability to traditional buildings, with a strong emphasis on moisture balance and system performance.
Read the STBA guidance:
https://stbauk.org/retrofit-materials-permeability-understanding-moisture-in-traditional-buildings/
Taken together, these recordings provide both a detailed technical discussion and a more accessible overview of the STBA guidance, supporting evidence-led retrofit practice at a time when retrofit activity is increasing but robust understanding of moisture behaviour remains essential.