Old materials, new climate : traditional building materials in a changing world: Fid-Bau Portal

Old materials, new climate : traditional building materials in a changing world

Pranger, Susan

Table of contents

"Old Materials, New Climate: Traditional Building Materials in a Changing World is an accessible guidebook to better understand historic materials, how they were traditionally made, how they survived the test of time, and how changes in climate are now impacting these old materials in new ways. How do we protect historic buildings from a rapidly changing and unpredictable climate? First, we need to understand how climate affects weather, and how weather affects the durability and resiliency of building materials. This book explores some of the most widely used traditional materials: wood, adobe, brick, lime, concrete, metal, and paint, examining how both gradual and dramatic changes in climate are creating new stresses on the structural integrity and durability of old materials and threaten to accelerate the normal weathering of traditional materials, and what strategies are required to safeguard this legacy for future generations. Illustrated case studies expose how weather is affecting materials in specific historic buildings in each of the major climate zones in the United States, and their counterparts across the globe. Drawing on the work of experts in conservation, biology, chemistry and environmental impacts, this book will be a useful resource for any student, preservationist, architect or contractor interested in expanding their knowledge of materials and why they perform in the way they do"--