Localtalks 01.23 - Breathing walls: Creating Healthy Indoor Environments

Localtalks 01.23 was a webinar about breathing walls in the context of a tropical climate. The two part discussion focused on vapour-open wall build-ups and products in the context of Uganda and alternatives which are currently in use elsewhere. This discussion was led by different speakers. Felix Holland gave an introduction to the subject and was soon followed by Philip Murungi, an engineer at Localworks with a material background and the first speaker. He spoke about various vapour-open wall build-ups that Localworks has gained experience with over time such as, earth, wood and lime plaster.
The second speaker was Bernhard Lembeck from ProNature South Africa who is knowledgeable about natural paints. He gave a review of sustainable coating systems available within the paint industry. Bernhard also explained the significance of breathable coatings for the integrity of building substance and their functionalities. A brief discussion of the implications of high moisture in buildings and tips on how to avoid moisture in buildings was also shared. A question and answer session concluded the event.

[@Eze683]

From Pigmented breathable plaster to breathable wall cores and actually seeing the powerful opportunities this presents in our context, I am truly inspired.
These are discussions that seemingly no one wants to have. The nature of surfaces that we specify in buildings is indeed important in creating healthy and comfortable spaces. While everyone is impulsively importing surface finish solutions, such home grown endeavours truly mean a lot to the local architectural and developer community.
I admit there is so much I feel confident to recommend in my designs from here onwards in regard to this presentation.
Thank you Localworks for these Localtalks.

[@Localworks]

We love it ! Can't wait to see more local solutions around town

[@kwesigaivan9522]

Thanks for this much needed discussion. Much needed because this is a recurring problem I see on most buildings today. In conclusion, people need to be more cautious at the construction stage when water proofing since the go to building materials for finishes on the market are mostly non breathable.
Qn: Are the external wall pastes on the Ugandan market considered non breathable?