Analysis of evapotranspiration processes in the Sassi of Matera (southern Italy)

The Sassi of Matera (Basilicata region, southern Italy), inhabited since the Paleolithic period, has become an important tourist attraction in recent years. This interest has led to remarkable restoration of homes excavated in the tufaceous rock and suffering from severe moisture problems. To improve indoor hygiene conditions, the best way is to install HVAC systems. However, designing these systems must take into account the water coming from the walls. The awareness of the amount of water released into the environment due to evapotranspiration could be of great help in dimensioning the HVAC system. This paper illustrates the first results of a numerical analysis of the interaction between the mass of wet tuff and the internal environment of rock-clad dwellings.