The objective of this technical service, which AIDIMME has been offering for more than 25 years, is to determine the state of the wood of a building or building in a technical and reliable way by analyzing the internal state of each structural element, its resistance and its ability to maintain its structural or decorative function. This service is aimed at both private owners and Public Administrations as well as architects, surveyors, structural calculators, construction companies, technical control agencies, insurers and pest control companies.

The service ends with the delivery of a technical report that allows to know the priorities of repair of structural failures and determine in the case of biodegradation (endings, xylophagous fungi, etc.) if the problem is significant as well as the necessary solutions according to the extension of the damages (reinforcements, increase of section, curative and preventive treatments, etc.). AIDIMME advises on these solutions and the technical report indicates the priority of each problem detected.

This service makes it possible to characterize exactly the wood in work (species, degree of degradation, humidity, resistance and resistant class) and determines the exact needs of the structure in terms of replacement, reinforcement or treatment of the wooden elements. This prevents unnecessary treatments, eliminations or substitutions, which are usually costly.

The characterization of wood in terms of mechanical properties also allows the architect, rigger or structural calculator to carry out the necessary structural calculations safely and safely.

In this technical service, Public Administrations and public and private companies are advised on quality control of wood in new construction, for all types of structures: bridges, walkways, single-family homes, hotels, luxury buildings, large areas, swimming pools, saunas, warehouses, forest structures, etc.

Technical sheets are also prepared detailing the wood species suitable for the project, its resistant class according to the CTE, its treatments, construction designs, thermal insulation, compatibility with coatings and other materials, etc.

AIDIMME has been providing technical advice in different aspects regarding the quality of biomass of different origins (forestry, agricultural and industrial) for more than 15 years and improving its energy recovery. To this end, it has a biomass pilot plant and a specific forest biofuel laboratory.

This service is aimed at companies and organizations that work in the production and distribution of solid biofuels as a renewable energy source for both thermal and electrical purposes.

The aspects analyzed related to the quality of biofuels are the following:

• Quality of biofuels (chips, pellets, firewood, CSR, CDR, etc.) in terms of their physical and chemical properties (% ash,% humidity, calorific value, durability, etc.)
• Compliance with regulations regarding solid biofuels and derivatives.
• Optimization of production processes in biofuels plant in relation to quality and end user.
• Optimization of the energy recovery process, both thermal and electrical, of biofuels.

AIDIMME is a member of the Spanish Forest Technology Platform (PTFE), whose secretariat occupies, and of the European Forest Technology Platform.

The service consists of the non-destructive evaluation and diagnosis of the status of standing trees.

The techniques used for the analysis are based on non-destructive systems:

• Detailed visual analysis.
• Acoustic analysis to detect the presence of internal voids and obtain their position and size, as well as to detect the presence of xylophagous insects.
• Pressure wave analysis to detect internal gaps and assess their size.
• 2D and 3D tree tomography.
• Resistography (penetration resistance).

This service is aimed at companies, organizations and associations dedicated to the maintenance of trees that, due to their age, location or typology, are protected or need to be monitored (singular, monumental trees, etc.). It is also aimed at forest plantation managers who need to know the internal quality of the trees and, therefore, the wood that will be extracted from them.

This service can diagnose and locate cracks, rot holes or damaged areas inside the trees and predict if a tree or part of it can split or fall (by a gust of wind, for example). This previous diagnosis makes it possible to apply preventive measures, such as tree surgery and curative / preventive treatments, to guarantee the health of the tree and thus be able to monitor the state of the tree over time.

In the case of forest plantations, the service, when evaluating the internal quality of the wood, allows to predict the quality that your wood will have once attached.

AIDIMME offers quality management services of buildings of heritage interest in order to achieve a preventive conservation of these properties. This preventive conservation is a strategy based on a systematic method of work, which aims to prevent or minimize deterioration by monitoring and controlling the risks of deterioration that affect or may affect a cultural asset.

For example, AIDIMME has the wireless CADIX® sensor, which detects early the risk of wood being attacked by fungi or xylophagous insects, as well as prolonged elevations of humidity, which decrease mechanical resistance.

The asset quality management focuses on these aspects:

• Preventive conservation
• Security
• Energy efficiency
• Use management

The benefits of the service for Public Administrations and companies are the following:

• Have an automated heritage quality management system.
• Ensure the sustainability of wealth management, as well as its optimal maintenance and that of the assets they house.
• Receive real-time information on the parameters of interest (number of visitors, energy consumption, etc.).
• Receive real-time information on the conditions and the internal state of the wood of the building, in order to act in a preventive manner and avoid costly rehabilitation or chemical or biological treatments.