Ecosophy Studio at the International Conference for Moisture in Buildings (ICMB25)
Ecosophy Studio’s director, Konstantinos, presented our latest building performance research at the International Conference for Moisture in Buildings (ICMB25), held in Guimarães, Portugal, on 23–24 October 2025.
The event gathered leading building scientists, academics, retrofit specialists, engineers, and building physics researchers, offering a platform to share the latest advancements in moisture management, hygrothermal performance, and sustainable building design.
The conference explored a wide range of topics highly relevant to energy efficiency and moisture-safe construction, including:
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Monitoring and modelling of moisture in buildings
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Digital tools for moisture control, including BIM, IoT sensors, and AI
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Ventilation, airtightness, and moisture interaction in existing and new buildings
Our research -a collaboration between Ecosophy Studio and Spruce Retrofit Consultancy- was warmly received by the international audience of experts who shape the future of of building performance and moisture safety.
In this work, we examined considerations for the retrofit of solid walls in the UK, focusing on the moisture risk assessment of different internal wall insulation (IWI) strategies, and the protection of timber floor joist ends. We introduced a novel methodology using transient hygrothermal modelling with WUFI®, enabling more accurate evaluation of moisture risks at embedded intermediate timber joists that are related to retrofitting internal wall insulation. Our study concluded that installing a thin layer (approximately 40 mm) of capillary-active, vapour-open, and hygroscopic insulation between the joists within the intermediate floor void provides the lowest risk of timber degradation due to rot at the embedded joist ends.
Our peer-reviewed paper, “Hygrothermal assessment of the impact of different IWI methods on intermediate floor joist ends,” is now published as part of the Moisture in Buildings Proceedings of ICMB25, available through Springer Nature.
