INGENIEUR
( a ) Soft rot fungi damage ( b ) Soft rot fungi example
( c ) White rot fungi damage ( d ) White rot fungi example
( e ) Brown rot fungi damage
( f ) Brown rot fungi example
Figure 3 : Damage effect of soft , white , and brown rot fungi on wood structure ( Source : Sanchez-Silva & Rosowsky , 2008 ; Wood-Decay Fungus , n . d .).
fire safety , which can lead to a failure to operate the fire extinguishers when the need arises . Flammable materials such as joss sticks were also not properly stored . The area of fire safety management for heritage buildings in Malaysia needs to be improved .
Cultural heritage buildings are also at risk of biodegradation , which refers to alterations made by bacteria , archaea , fungi and lichen to the construction material of the heritage buildings . The effects of biodegradation can be a concern in Malaysia , as the moist conditions of Malaysia ’ s tropical climate accelerate the growth of biofilm on heritage buildings . A list of possible sources of biodegradation is listed here for the benefit of the readers , compiled from the literature review of Kakakhel et al . ( 2019 ) and other sources .
Several types of bacteria can cause damage to buildings . The chemolithoautotrophic bacteria , which can be present on stone surfaces of heritage buildings , would release different types of acids such as nitric acid , sulfuric acid , and nitrous acid , all of which change the local pH of the stone and cause deterioration ( Crispim & Gaylarde , 2005 ). Archaea are single-celled micro-organisms with a cell structure that is similar to bacteria . They are
38 VOL 85 JANUARY - MARCH 2021