Weathering and multipollutant agents impact on earth architecture: damage processes and vulnerability

Unfired earth is a traditional building material in many countries, and is still used in different parts of the world. It may also constitutes a resource in the construction sector, due to its limited environmental impact and compatibility with the pronciples of eco-sustainability. The paper focuses on the evaluation of the environmental parameters affecting buildings in unfired earth situated in different regions of Sardinia, Italy, with the aim of identifying the main damage processes in progress, with particular regard to the impact of multipollutants. Results show that unfired earth buildings, in both urabnised and rural areas, are particularly vulnerable towards water-derived parameters, while pollutants mainly affect the plastering layers of structures in cities. In a perspective of preventive conservation, the monitoring of environmental parameters critical to the durability of the earth heritage appears essential.