Investigating mould and decay in buildings : Causes and remediation case studies

Mould growth and decay in buildings, archives, museums, galleries and our cultural heritage is a serious issue that can have detrimental effects on structures, collections, decorative surfaces, materials, contents and indoor air quality. Mould can release spores and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air, contaminating indoor air and potentially affecting the health of occupants. Mould spores can trigger respiratory problems, allergies and other health issues, making it vital to address mould growth promptly. The presence of mould and decay in buildings indicates moisture issues, which are mainly due to defects in buildings, condensation, leaks, rising damp, etc., sometimes arising from lack of maintenance or gross neglect. Addressing mould and decay issues by identifying and rectifying building defects and ensuring continuing maintenance can provide long-term sustainable, holistic solutions to these problems, as well as treating existing mould infestation and decay. This paper discusses the interrelationships of the internal building environment due to interactions between building architecture, materials, structures, services, contents, collections with their external environments and the resulting fungal infestation, decay and mould. This paper advocates that correct identification of mould infestation and decay fungi by an independent mycologist is the vital key to all such problems, as all infestation is not equally toxic, pathogenic or destructive. The environmental management of mould and decay is beneficial to the building fabric, occupants and to the wider environment and following it with ongoing monitoring of the environmental conditions in buildings ensures the long-term health of building materials and the health of the occupants. The paper strongly believes, based on scientific and practical experience and successful case studies over the last 40 years, that much damage has been inflicted over the past century by dealing with the symptoms of the problems and not with the cause(s). By properly understanding the causes, further unnecessary damage can be avoided in the future. This article is also included in The Business and Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.