Guidelines on the prevention of built-in moisture

As a result of built-in-moisture, a number of buildings in Denmark were attacked by moulds even before the users moved in. Therefore, the Danish Building Regulations have since 2008 stipulated that building structures and materials must not, on moving in, have a moisture content that is liable to increase the risk of mould growth. In some cases, authorities can demand that this should be documented by a moisture specialist.
The paper describes a voluntary Danish guideline on how to comply with the requirements and the intentions in the Danish Building Regulations concerning the handling of moisture at each stage of the building process spanning from the proposal phase to delivery of the building and the 1-year and 5-year inspections. This includes categorising a specific building in a humidity risk class as the risk for moisture damages is related both to the expected exposure to moisture during the execution phase and the building’s capacity to withstand moisture. It also specifies how moisture should be dealt with in the general quality assurance system of the building industry.
The Danish guideline is compared with similar guidelines and tools in other Nordic countries. The education of moisture specialists is emphasised and it is questioned whether a voluntary guideline will have the desired effect.