MC024-7.6 Surface Condensation Risk Assessment
From Selecting the Junction to a Compliant Report — A Complete Practical Framework for Surface Condensation and Mould Risk Analysis
Join Live Seminar - 19 November 2026 - Free to attend live
Join us for a hands-on technical CPD on surface condensation and mould risk analysis. This session takes one real junction — a window reveal, where frame meets wall — and builds the complete workflow from scratch: from choosing which locations to check to a report that will hold up to scrutiny from a reviewing authority.
Presented by Eugene Korch (IAST), this seminar draws a hard line between a heat-loss model and a condensation-risk model, and is honest about the single most common calculation mistake in this kind of work — a sign error that can silently invalidate an otherwise perfect result.
This course covers:
Selecting locations for condensation analysis — why a condensation-risk model is a standalone engineering artefact, and how a national thermal bridge map helps you find every junction worth checking
The temperature factor f_Rsi — the physical meaning of a dimensionless scale that describes a junction’s geometry, independent of the weather outside
Boundary conditions and model setup — switching a thermal model into its conservative, pessimistic mode for a condensation check, and why the internal surface resistance value changes
Visual isotherm analysis — reading the dew point and mould lines across the finish layer, the waterproofing line, and any installation cavities
Mathematical analysis and precise f_Rsi calculation — finding the coldest point with the right tool, and calculating the result by hand without falling into the sign-error trap
Optimising a non-compliant junction — the levers that actually move the temperature factor, and proving the fix works with a full recalculation
Producing the official engineering report — what a defensible condensation risk report must contain, and why vague language will not survive review
Common mistakes and 2D method limitations — the errors that hide in plain sight, and exactly where a flat two-dimensional model stops being enough
Using one real worked example from start to finish, this CPD focuses on practical judgement — not just how to get a number, but how to know when to trust it.
What You'll Learn
Distinguish the objective of a surface condensation risk assessment from an overall heat-loss (U-value) calculation, and recognise why the same model cannot serve both
Select which junctions on a real facade fragment need a dedicated condensation check, using a national thermal bridge map to identify likely locations
Understand the physics of the dew point and explain why the mould growth threshold, not the dew point, is the correct design criterion
Explain the physical meaning of the temperature factor (f_Rsi) as a dimensionless, climate-independent property of a junction's geometry
Set up a condensation-risk model correctly in a thermal modelling programme, including the conservative internal surface resistance convention and why it differs from the standard heat-loss value
Read a temperature field using the visual isotherm method, checking the finish layer, the waterproofing line, and any air cavities around a window
Use insulation and drainage measures correctly to resolve a critical isotherm passing through an installation cavity, without creating a new interstitial risk
Use both the manual Temperature Tool and the automatic Min./Max. Temperature Tool to find the coldest point on a junction, and know why the second is more reliable
Calculate the temperature factor (f_Rsi) correctly by hand, avoiding the sign error that is the most common mistake in this kind of work
Compare a calculated f_Rsi against the applicable normative threshold, and optimise a non-compliant junction using insulation geometry and material choice
Recognise the two-dimensional model’s real limitation at complex three-dimensional junctions, and know when to add a safety margin or run a full 3D analysis
Produce a defensible condensation risk report containing every climate parameter, screenshot, and compliance verdict a reviewing authority requires
Recognise the most common invisible errors in this kind of work — the wrong surface resistance, a sign error, a manually guessed critical point, and an unsupported compliance claim
Target Audience
This session is designed for design professionals who need to build, run, or review a surface condensation risk calculation for a real project — where the consequences of getting it wrong are not just a visual defect, but a recognised health risk and a legal exposure for the project author.
This Short Course is designed for:
Architects
Architectural Technologists
Envelope Designers
Façade Specialist Contractors
Façade Engineers
Junior Façade Engineers
Building Envelope Consultants
Thermal Modelling Specialists
Project Managers
Design Managers
Speaker
Eugene Korch
Programme Director, IASTEugene is a facade engineer and educator who leads educational initiatives through the Institute for Architectural Science and Technology (IAST) and Facade Intelligence, delivering training to construction professionals.
Course Details
Format: Live online seminar with interactive polls and a live model walkthrough
Duration: 60 minutes + Q&A
Date: 19 November 2026
CPD Points: 2 hours structured CPD / 2 Learning Units
Certificate: CPD certificate provided upon completion
Recording: Available on demand to members only
MC024-7.6
Surface Condensation Risk Assessment
From Selecting the Junction to a Compliant Report — A Complete Practical Framework for Surface Condensation and Mould Risk Analysis
Course Fee £120
Free for FI Pro Members
