Analyzing microclimate dynamics in lakeside architecture heritage of Lake Como

This article examines the moisture hazards in Lake Como's historical buildings through non-destructive microclimate monitoring. It assesses how seasonal and daily outdoor fluctuations affect indoor conditions, addressing key conservation challenges. As humidity poses a significant threat in lakeside historical buildings, understanding the dominant climatic characteristics, their magnitude, and a common trend is crucial for devising effective conservation strategies as well as predicting future scenarios. This study adopts a microclimatic monitoring approach using psychrometric mapping and specialized probes across three architectural case studies situated by Lake Como. Continuous data collection was conducted over a one-year period, albeit different for each case study, to capture key thermo-hygrometric parameters, including air temperature (T°C), relative humidity (RH%), and mixing ratio (g/kg). The analysis focuses on quantifying indoor-outdoor interactions through the evaluation of critical microclimatic metrics, such as thermal and hygrometric gradients, damp factor, and Probability Density Function (PDF). These metrics are assessed in conjunction with architectural features to identify potential common patterns in envelope behavior under unfavorable environmental conditions for conservation.