UKCMB

What UKCMB does

UKCMB (UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings) is an independent, not-for-profit, public-good research and knowledge-transfer organisation established by Neil May MBE at University College London in 2016 and led from UCL's Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering. Its stated mission is the development of a moisture-safe built environment in the UK, addressing what it characterises as a significant evidence and guidance gap on moisture in buildings, including health impacts of damp and mould. The centre operates with a small core team (around seven staff and doctoral researchers) drawing on affiliates at UCL, Ghent University, KU Leuven, University Laval and Boğaziçi University, and works in partnership with heritage agencies, industry bodies and standards organisations.

The organisation's work spans four interlocking areas: research-led knowledge transfer (e.g., the 140-room Indoor Mould Testing and Benchmarking study, the Retrofit Revisit long-term performance evaluation, and the Moisture and Health scoping study with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine); standards and policy engagement (contributions to BS 5250, PAS 2035, BS 40101, BS 40102, and the developing BS 40104, plus advisory input into UK government damp and mould guidance following the Awaab Ishak case); practical tools and publications (the Moisture Balance Calculator, STBA papers on insulation in traditional buildings, NHBC Foundation occupant guides, and the BSI White Paper on Moisture in Buildings); and education and events (CPD courses with the Property Care Association, the FutureLearn 'Moisture-Safe Homes' course, and the triennial International Conference on Moisture in Buildings).

Its business model is that of a grant-funded research and knowledge-transfer centre rather than a commercial enterprise. Income derives from a mix of research grants and project co-funding (Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Cadw, Innovate UK), industry sponsorship of tools and publications (MIMA, NHBC Foundation, Saint-Gobain Research, Polygon UK), CPD and training course fees (£390 + VAT for PCA members, £505 + VAT for non-members), Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, and conference registration. The centre is described as independent and not-for-profit with no private equity, venture or public ownership; UCL functions as the institutional anchor rather than a controlling parent.

Name

UKCMB

Legal name

UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings

Website

https://ukcmb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UKCMB is an independent, not-for-profit research and knowledge-transfer centre led by University College London, focused on moisture risk in buildings. It serves built-environment professionals, government, heritage agencies, social housing providers, and homeowners through research publications, standards influence, CPD training, tools and the ICMB conference series.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Science Research

akta.pro primary industry

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) & Building Environmental Sampling (EUAHACAH)

Keywords

• Moisture risk assessment
• Building science research
• Mould testing protocols
• Building retrofit guidance
• Construction CPD training

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research grants and project funding: UKCMB receives grant funding from government bodies, heritage agencies, and innovation agencies (such as Innovate UK) to fund research projects, doctoral partnerships, and knowledge transfer activities.
2. CPD and training courses: UKCMB delivers continuing professional development courses, such as the 'Understanding and Managing Moisture Risks in Buildings' online course delivered with the Property Care Association (PCA). Course fees range from £390 + VAT for PCA members to £505 + VAT for non-members.
3. Tools and publications: UKCMB produces guidance documents, tools (such as the Moisture Balance Calculator), and publications some of which are freely available and others sponsored by industry bodies (e.g., MIMA, NHBC Foundation, Saint-Gobain Research).
4. Conference and event organization: UKCMB organizes the International Conference on Moisture in Buildings (ICMB), held in 2021 (ICMB21), 2023 (ICMB23), and planned for 2025 (ICMB25), hosted by Universidade do Minho in Portugal. Sponsors include UCL, Atmosphere Partnership, and ScienceOpen.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

UKCMB (UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings) is an independent, not-for-profit research and knowledge transfer centre that develops evidence-based guidance, tools, training, and standards to improve how moisture risk is understood and managed in UK buildings. Its core offerings include a moisture balance methodology, mould testing and benchmarking protocols, retrofit risk frameworks for traditional buildings, professional CPD courses, and the International Conference on Moisture in Buildings (ICMB).

Product overview

UKCMB (UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings) is an independent, not-for-profit public good organisation led by University College London. It offers a portfolio of research publications, practical tools, educational courses, and conference events focused on moisture risk management in buildings. Key offerings include the Moisture Balance Calculator (an interactive web tool for homeowners), professional CPD courses delivered with Property Care Association, mould testing and benchmarking methodologies, and the International Conference on Moisture in Buildings (ICMB) series. The organisation also produces technical publications including STBA papers, BSI White Papers, and health/moisture reports. These products and services work together to address moisture-related issues in buildings through research, education, guidance, and industry collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Moisture Balance Calculator An interactive web-based tool that helps homeowners understand moisture balance in their homes, showing how different measures or problems can push a building out of balance and how to restore it. Sponsored by MIMA.
• Understanding & Managing Moisture Risks in Buildings (Online Course) A professional development course delivered with the Property Care Association (PCA), based on the 'Moisture in Buildings: an integrated approach to risk assessment and guidance' principles and covering the four Cs framework (Context, Coherence, Caution, Capacity).
• International Conference on Moisture in Buildings (ICMB) An international conference series bringing together academics, industry professionals and researchers working on moisture-induced damage in the built environment.
• Moisture in new homes: a guide for occupants (RR16) A guide explaining where moisture comes from in new homes and identifying actions occupants can take to maintain the right moisture balance. Supported by NHBC Foundation.
• Mould Testing and Benchmarking A research project developing testing methodologies and benchmarks for indoor mould levels in UK residential buildings, combining surface and active air sampling techniques across 140 residential rooms.
• Retrofit Revisit A building performance evaluation project revisiting ten homes approximately ten years after deep retrofit to assess moisture balance and long-term performance. Co-funded by Historic England.
• BSI White Paper: Moisture in Buildings A framework paper developed for BSI addressing moisture risk challenges and supporting future moisture standards, guidance, and practice.
• STBA Paper on Moisture Properties of Insulation Materials A Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance paper providing clarity around vapour permeability, 'breathability' and moisture risk when specifying insulation for traditional buildings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140 residential rooms tested and benchmarked for indoor mould levels using a combined methodology of active air sampling and particle counting
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Historic EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric England is a key strategic partner of UKCMB, co-funding major guidance publications (e.g., STBA paper on moisture properties of insulation materials for traditional construction) and moisture investigations within the Retrofit Revisit project. Dr Valentina Marincioni delivers webinars for Historic England's training programme. Historic England provides funding through its training-skills budget for webinars and research.
• Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKCMB produces guidance documents for the STBA, including the paper 'Moisture properties of insulation materials and their applicability to traditional construction.' STBA is a key vehicle for UKCMB's knowledge transfer to the traditional buildings sector. STBA also organizes workshops (e.g., PROT3CT workshops) with UKCMB participation. Michael Netter, STBA Director, co-delivers webinars with UKCMB's Technical Director.
• Property Care Association (PCA)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUKCMB partners with the Property Care Association (PCA) to deliver the CPD course 'Understanding and Managing Moisture Risks in Buildings.' PCA handles course delivery, booking, and administration. UKCMB provides course content and speakers including Dr Peter Rickaby and Dr Valentina Marincioni. Additionally, PCA and UCL formed a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) to investigate dampness in buildings, led by Dr Hector Altamirano.
• NHBC FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHBC Foundation supported the publication of 'Moisture in new homes: a guide for occupants (RR16)' produced by UKCMB. NHBC (National House-Building Council) is the UK's leading provider of new home warranties. The sponsorship supported guidance development for new homeowners and tenants.
• Polygon UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolygon UK funded the pilot phase of the Indoor Mould Growth Testing and Benchmarking project launched by UKCMB in May 2016. Polygon UK provides property restoration and moisture management services. Their funding supported initial methodology development for mould testing and benchmarking.
• MIMA (Mineral Wool Manufacturers Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIMA sponsored the Moisture Balance Calculator tool developed by UKCMB. The tool helps homeowners understand moisture balance in their homes. MIMA represents manufacturers of mineral wool insulation products.
• Saint-Gobain ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaint-Gobain Research supported the 'Moisture and health in buildings: A scoping study of the effects of moisture in buildings upon occupant health in the UK' project, undertaken by academics from UCL and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
• BSRIAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKCMB co-authored BS (British Standard) BG 90 with BSRIA. BSRIA is a testing, instruments, and consultancy company for the construction industry. BG 90 is a BSRIA guide co-authored with UKCMB, published in February 2026, related to moisture in buildings.
• Universidade do MinhocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKCMB is co-organizing the International Conference on Moisture in Buildings 2025 (ICMB25) with Universidade do Minho in Portugal. The conference will be held 23-24 October 2025 in Guimarães, Portugal. This is a major international knowledge-sharing event.
• Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASBP co-hosted the Neil May MBE Memorial Webinar on Mould, Damp and Health Inequalities with UKCMB and UK Indoor Environments Group (UK IEG), with support from Sustainable Buildings Alliance (SDF). ASBP also hosted UKCMB affiliate Toby Cambray for a webinar on natural fibre insulation and traditional buildings.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BSRIA: BSRIA is a UK-based testing, instruments, and consultancy organisation for the construction industry. BSRIA co-authored BS BG 90 with UKCMB on moisture in buildings, indicating direct research overlap and a closely comparable scope of building science research, instrumented testing, and standards publishing.
• Property Care Association (PCA): PCA is a UK trade association for property care including damp treatment, timber preservation, and structural waterproofing. UKCMB partners with PCA to deliver CPD courses on moisture risks and collaborates with UCL via a Knowledge Transfer Partnership on dampness in buildings, making PCA a directly comparable organisation in the damp and property care domain.
• Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance (STBA): STBA is a UK alliance focused on the sustainability of traditional buildings. UKCMB produces guidance documents for STBA, and the organisations share a focus on heritage/traditional building performance, vapour permeability, and moisture management – making STBA a directly comparable peer in the heritage retrofit niche.
• Energy Saving Trust: Energy Saving Trust is a UK organisation focused on energy efficiency and retrofit advice. UKCMB and Energy Saving Trust serve overlapping audiences concerned with retrofit quality, occupant health, and energy performance, with comparable expertise on moisture-safe retrofit of buildings, though Energy Saving Trust has a broader energy efficiency scope.
• Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP): ASBP is a UK alliance for sustainable building products. UKCMB co-hosts events and webinars with ASBP, and both organisations work at the intersection of building performance, sustainability, and material guidance – making ASBP a directly comparable peer in the sustainable building products space.

Broad incumbents

• Building Research Establishment (BRE): BRE is the UK's leading building science research organisation with comprehensive coverage of building performance, sustainability, fire safety, and construction. It is broadly comparable to UKCMB as a building research centre, but operates at much larger scale with a portfolio far broader than moisture, and its Commercial Director (Colin King) also serves on UKCMB's leadership.
• Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE): CIBSE is a major UK professional body for building services engineers. UKCMB distributes research outputs through the CIBSE knowledge portal, and both organisations contribute to building standards and professional guidance on building performance, though CIBSE has a much broader scope across HVAC, lighting, and energy.
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS): RICS is the global professional body for chartered surveyors covering property, land, and construction. While broader in scope than UKCMB, RICS serves as a comparable standards and professional education body, with built environment surveyors and asset managers – a core UKCMB audience – among RICS's membership.

Regional players

• Historic Environment Scotland: Historic Environment Scotland is the lead public body for Scotland's historic environment and a co-funder of UKCMB's STBA paper on moisture properties of insulation materials. Comparable to UKCMB in heritage building science focus, but regionally focused on Scotland rather than pan-UK delivery.

Others

• National House-Building Council (NHBC): NHBC is the UK's leading provider of new home warranties and standards. NHBC Foundation supported UKCMB's 'Moisture in new homes' guide for occupants. NHBC is broadly comparable as a building standards and research body, but focuses on new build warranty rather than retrofit and damp remediation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ukcmb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ukcmb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UKCMB