> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.betterbuilding.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.betterbuilding.io/support-and-training/on-demand-courses/moisture.md).
# Moisture
V 1.2 I 17.08.26
This 48-minute course offers a practical walkthrough of hygrothermal moisture simulation for assessing mould growth risk and condensation potential within building envelope systems. Using the platform's proprietary hydrothermal solver, independently benchmarked against the HAMSTAD test series (benchmarks 1–5) and the EN15026 hydrothermal performance standard to demonstrate equivalency to WUFI, participants will learn to configure, run, and interpret moisture simulations that support compliance with Australia's National Construction Code via AIRAH DA07 or the equivalent ASHRAE 160 methodology.
**Key Course Content**
This course establishes the regulatory context of AIRAH DA07 and ASHRAE 160 as closely aligned verification pathways for managing water vapour and condensation risk in wall assemblies. You'll explore the mould growth index target of ≤3.0, used as the acceptance criterion under Australia's National Construction Code, and understand why simulation is used to build confidence in a design's moisture performance beyond a simple pass/fail check.
You'll dive into initial moisture content assumptions required by DA07/ASHRAE 160, including EMC80 × 2 for general building materials and EMC90 × 2 for concrete or masonry, a deliberately conservative "worst-case scenario" that moisture-loads the system at the start of the simulation so its drying capacity can be tested over the run period. The course also covers how to select representative sample locations for assessment, such as identifying the cold point adjacent to the material with the highest vapour resistance, where condensate is most likely to form, and how adjusting a cavity's depth (for example, from 20mm to 35mm) automatically resolves the conductivity and materiality of that layer, so true dimensions can be modelled without manual recalculation.
You'll also work through environmental parameter setup, including determining residential moisture generation from the number of bedrooms in the dwelling as a proxy for occupancy, cavity ventilation strategies (a fixed air change rate versus a dynamic ASHRAE Fundamentals method that derives the air change rate from opening effectiveness, wind speed and direction), driving rain and rain exposure factor inputs (including deposition and adhering fraction settings), and the option to conservatively uplift a climate file's external relative humidity to account for the fact that a single climate file only reflects one year and may not capture the extremes of a longer record.
The hands-on component covers simulation setup over an extended run period (pushed out to 10 years, since doing so introduces no additional risk to the study), multi-objective analysis (combining mould growth with relative humidity and temperature thresholds, such as an 80% relative humidity limit and a 10°C minimum temperature tied to estimated dew point risk, across the same material), and regional analysis of results across different material layers and depths within the assembly. You'll gain experience interpreting simulation outputs, including identifying where relative humidity and temperature combine to create a high-risk condensation plane, reading water content results in relation to a material's moisture storage capacity, and critically recognising when results indicate a design has failed and requires intervention rather than accepting a system's default recipe at face value.
The course concludes with report generation and export, including how to export the full model configuration as a JSON file, useful for record-keeping or for sharing with support, and how to export detailed results as a PDF report for independent verification, quality checks, and client-facing documentation.
**Learning Outcomes**
By the end of this course, participants will be equipped to configure and run moisture simulations using the platform's hydrothermal solver in line with AIRAH DA07/ASHRAE 160, critically interpret simulation results (including recognising design failures), and produce documentation suitable for supporting National Construction Code compliance discussions with clients.
**Course Completion**
A Certificate of Competency will be awarded upon achieving an 80% pass mark on the final quiz.
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All courses are available in your Team. [Read more](/support-and-training/on-demand-courses.md).
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