Passive control of relative humidity to +/- 5%.

Providing Quality for People has many aspects. Of these, one is providing buildings that give clients and users better value for their money. Another addresses the issues of preserving our heritage upon which our quality of life based. This paper describes how these can be achieved using the application of innovative design concepts supported by advanced analytical techniques. For the majority of archive repositories, storing as they do paper type material, environmental conditions of 60±5% and 15.5±2.5 °C are recommended by British Standard 5454. Convention tells us that controlling moisture to this close tolerance requires full air conditioning. However, building materials have the ability to absorb moisture during times of excess, retain it and then emit it at times of deficiency. To take full advantage of this effect needs advanced software based analytical tools, firstly to understand the extent of the moisture flywheel effect, secondly to allow the selection and design of appropriate combination of building form and materials, and finally to allow predictions of room conditions. This paper describes the development of such a tool by Ove Arup & Partners together with its first application on the design - of the New Jersey Archive Centre. The result is a building that aims to achieve the recommended environmental conditions without air conditioning or mechanical ventilation.