While in Germany and Austria this kind of buildings are already a common sight, in the Czech Republic it was celebrated as a local pioneer. The calcium and sand structure with a gabled roof supported by glass rubble, which was certified by the Passivhausinstitut Dr Wofgang Feist y Darmstadt, has passed a wide range of technical measurements and numerous visits. We attended one of them.
Dry floors are among the proven and technically perfect materials of our times. The paper brings attention to the need to know about what should be below and above the structure. Only then these structures will be realised without mistakes by both designers and builders. The system of floor layers is an important link on the chain of fast, economical and modern building methods. It is important to know not only the structure, but also the composition and design of the dry flooring systems, the design solutions that use dry flooring elements and aim to improve the acoustic and technical thermal parameters of the floors.
Even though the use of skylight windows in passive houses is questionable, sometimes it can not be avoided. The increase in the number of energy efficient buildings has lead to an increase in the range of products aimed at this type of constructions. On our market there are several manufacturers that offer windows for passive buildings. Usually they are standard triple-glazed skylights supplemented by a so called thermal kit. If a manufacturer presents other parameters than just the value of the Ug coefficient of glazing, a lot of optimism will be needed for that to be believed. However, the underlying problems of the use of skylight windows in passive buildings will still remain.
Durability and functional reliability of buildings and structures of wood and wood based materials is significantly influenced by moisture content of these materials. In the article we report the results of measurement of moisture in the wood samples mounted between the outer walls with air chambers and comparing the measured values with values calculated by us in the recommended way of moisture balance in the construction according to ČSN 73 0540.
The hot-air treatment of the roof truss of the Upper Church in the village of Velká Lhota at Dačice is documented in stepwise details as a graphical and textual presentation with supporting charts and photographs. In addition to a mycological analysis, a project preparation plan and the main heat treatment technology, a detailed operations schedule is introduced as well as temperature measurement, supporting constructions and heat penetration. The writers’ utmost objectiveness towards this method is demonstrated by thermal camera images of the critical sites and cavities attacked by fungi. The article provides a comprehensive overview of application practices with all necessary recommendations, including the final application of chemical preservatives on the already heat-treated wooden framing.
The higher insulations standards for windows used in the construction of passive houses usually result in lower energy permeability of the glazing. Whether it is more efficient the use of triple or double glazing will depend on the orientation and shading of the windows, and will also be related to the characteristics of the whole building and the way it is used, specially the size of the internal gains. A study conducted on groups of apartment buildings, using multiple simulations, evaluates the impact of the properties of the glazing and the resulting heating needs for various conditions of shading, insulation and size of the internal gains.
Today, if a standard windows and doors consider single-frame windows and doors from plastic and aluminum profiles and wood “Euro” profile, non-standard, in terms of representation on the Czech market, include lining windows, skylights, interior doors and door frames, and light tubes. A very special par is fire resistant windows and fire resistant interior and exterior doors with declared reaction to fire, which are not the topic of the paper.
The paper is focused on some new types of timber structures made from solid timber, glued laminated timber and wood based materials. Especially glued laminated timber is a highly engineered material, because large sizes of structural members and the possibility of various shapes in beams, frames and arches are available. The analysis of intensive loaded structures with large spans shows clearly that to the most advantageous types of connections belong those made by means of steel elements. The analysis of the slip of joints and supports ranks among important issues in designing timber structures. The paper summarises some experience and conclusions from the construction of timber systems with steel-to-timber joints.
In 2007 the group GAIA SpA got an idea from Massimo Fiorini (an amateur builder) to reconstruct the delapidated Marconi Laboratories in Coltrano, near Pisa (Italy) and turn it into EneryPlus terraced passive houses. The group was fully convinced after a visit to the ASSA passive office building in Santa Croce Sull'Arno, and in 2008 they began the design works. The building turned out to be appropriate to be turned into a passive house project. However, the problem was listed in the highest heritage class, which had been granted not for the importance of the building itself, but as part of a listed group. The planning had to be very detailed. Another problem was the arched concrete roof, which was extremely vulnerable to collapse. The Heritage Protection Office in Pisa was at first very sceptical with the project, but in the end they were convinced about the interest and the quality of the project after a series of meetings with the builders and the representatives of TBZ.
There’s still big potential to make building cheaper, including building of passive houses. If the passive house building is optimalised and uncomplicated, It can be much cheaper than classic building. This paper analyses the building of family passive house in the Czech Republic step by step by the author himself.
Currently, in the EU, the demand for new organic materials based on rapidly renewable natural sources is increasing. These materials are not only used for the new low energy and passive buildings, but also in existing buildings, specially during their renovations. Unlike those commonly used today, these natural materials have acoustic insulation properties, which make them ideal to be used on the insulation of floating floors. The paper deals with a comprehensive assessment of the insulation properties of hemp based materials, which can be used in floating floors, specially in terms of their acoustic insulation properties and also in terms of the total utility properties of these floating floors.
Over 5000 buildings in Austria have been constructed in the passive standard. In the future, a considerable part of new constructions should be build in the passive standard. The goal is to have all subsidised residential buildings built in the passive standard by 2015. The aim of the study was to learn from the first residential complexes of passive buildings. The main questions were: Do the passive buildings meet the ambitious expetations of the project? How satisfied are the people living in them? What additional construction costs can be expected and what are the actual energy savings compared to conventional residential complexes?
As in other countries, in Norway energy remediation is carried out mostly on an average level. For a decade, this has blocked highly effective energy saving measures in public housing because better energy remediation measures pay off only after a long time. Myhrerenga is the first block of flats in Norway renovated according a passive house concept.
Low energy (LEB) and passive buildings (PB) are becoming standard for new constructions in EU countries. They aren't experiments anymore, but absolutely ordinary mass production of sophisticated residential buildings. Only in Germany, Austria and Switzerland there are already thousands of buildings that meet the passive standard and their number doubles every year. The cost of passive buildings is only 5-7 % higher than those of conventional ones, and yet, their consumption of energy and heating is up to 90 % lower! Part 4 about circulation system air heating system with a controlled proportion of ventilation air and heat recovery, and some design principles for design and ventilation NED EPD.
The article describes some of the results of the research project R&D SP3g522107 – Full renovation of panel buildings in the low energy standard, which was carried out by EkoWATT with the support of the Ministry of the Environment in the years 2007-2010. One of the main instruments described is the parametric model, which allows the evaluation of a large sample of virtually generated building probabilistic methods, a case study of a renovation of a panel building to a passive standard using a grant with a 8 year investment return and also, an internet application that easily allows to add a panel building to a computer model and test the effects of the saving measures.
Development of buildings with wooden structures in the Czech Republic relates to development of low-energy buildings. But there is still general public that is affraid of these constructions because of the fire danger. It is seldom known that wood is fire resistant very well, especially in the point of wiev the static resistance and solidity. In case of fire, in contrast to steel, wood does not lose its static resistance and solidity. The rest of a profile is usualy still able to care the waighting.
Low energy (LEB) and passive buildings (PB) are becoming standard for new constructions in EU countries. They aren't experiments anymore, but absolutely ordinary mass production of sophisticated residential buildings. Only in Germany, Austria and Switzerland there are already thousands of buildings that meet the passive standard and their number doubles every year. The cost of passive buildings is only 5-7 % higher than those of conventional ones, and yet, their consumption of energy and heating is up to 90 % lower! Part 3 about ventilation systems for normal buildinghs and EPD.
