ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT: In historical buildings of Northern countries high levels of energy are necessary for reaching comfortable temperatures. For this reason several indoor insulation systems based on historical and ecological materials are on the market that should improve the thermic performance. However, using organic materials bears the risk of fungal growth. Therefore, five ecological indoor insulations systems were tested for their bio-susceptibility against various fungi both under natural-and under laboratory conditions. Fungal growth was evaluated by cultivation as well as by molecular methods. The materials turned out to have a different susceptibility towards fungal contamination. Whereas insulations made of bloated Perlite (plaster and board) did not show any fungal growth under natural exposition, loam and weed had high cell counts. In laboratory experiments, wooden soft-board represented the best environment for fungal growth. As a result, bloated Perlite is the most appropriate material for thermal insulation from the microbiological point of view.