The structure of historic buildings and the materials used in their construction, along with outdoor conditions, affect indoor temperature and humidity. The walls of San Juan Bautista Church at Talamanca de Jarama, Madrid, Spain, exhibit differences in water absorption, whose explanation is to be found in the various types of construction involved in its over seven centuries of building history, the weather conditions and the walls orientation. The south wall fluctuations in inner temperature and humidity produce 11–16 h thermal lag and a very low decrement factor ensuring comfortable interiors all year round with minimal fluctuations in temperature.
Acknowledgements
The cooperation received from the Laboratory Network in Science and Technology for Heritage Conservation (RedLabPat, CEI Moncloa) and the Diocese of Alcalá is gratefully acknowledged. The present study was funded under projects CGL2011-27902, BIA2009-14395-C04-01, GEOMATERIALES (S2009/MAT-1629), CONSOLIDER-TCP (CSD2007-0058). M.I. Martínez-Garrido’s participation was supported by a Moncloa Campus of International Excellence (UPM-UCM, CSIC) PICATA predoctoral fellowship. Dr. S. Aparicio worked under the Spanish National Research Council’s Post Graduate Studies Council post-doctoral program. The manuscript was edited by Margaret Clark, professional translator and English language science editor.
