The article deals with a specific form of funerary architecture, namely contemporary columbaria made of earth. After summarizing the specifics of earthen funerary architecture, the article presents examples of contemporary earthen columbaria realizations in Europe. The description includes information about the authors, the date of construction, dimensions, general characteristics and photographs of these selected projects. The article deals in detail with the architectural form, spatial arrangement, material solutions, conceptual approach to the design and the actual construction of the building.

Columbaria, serving as repositories for urns with the ashes of the deceased, represent a significant element of funerary architecture, whose form has evolved considerably throughout history. From ancient Roman structures, characterized by the regular division of niches for urn placement, to contemporary minimalist, eco-friendly, and digitally connected burial spaces, columbaria reflect changes in approaches to cremation and funerary culture in general. This article presents the architectural development of columbaria, emphasizing material solutions, spatial organization, and technological innovations.

Funerary architecture, in conjunction with funeral rituals and religious traditions, has undergone numerous transformations over the centuries. These changes have been influenced by technological advancements, shifts in the perception of death and the afterlife, as well as urban and hygienic requirements of different historical periods. This article outlines the historical development of funerary architecture, its main forms, social and religious aspects, and presents the most significant funerary structures that have shaped history and continue to influence contemporary approaches to funerary architecture. The primary focus is on the diversity of architectural forms of funerary structures, their symbolism, and their role in the collective memory of society.

The fourth and last part of the series of articles on the problem of masonry buildings situated in floodplains deals with the problem of loading of buildings during the passage of a flood wave. Specifically, the calculation of the load from the vertical buoyancy of water from the flood wave, the load from the dynamic pressure and the load from the dynamic effect of a floating object.

The third part of the series of articles on the problems of masonry buildings located in flood-prone areas deals with the possibilities of rehabilitation of damp masonry partitions after the water from the flood wave has hit. Furthermore, it deals with the issue of underground structures and the flood area, which is also a submerged area. The third part concludes with an introduction to the issue of loading of buildings during the passage of a flood wave.

The second part of the first series of articles on the problems of masonry buildings located in floodplains deals with the peculiarities of historic and listed buildings. It also deals with the treatment of expansion joints, protection against water pressure and the treatment of the internal distribution of technical equipment of buildings. Last but not least, it deals with the issue of rehabilitation of buildings after a flood wave.

The article discusses the history of sanitation installation, i.e. water installation, drainage systems inside buildings and gas installation pipework for buildings from the earliest times to 1948 and is primarily focused on the history of this field in the territory of the former Czechoslovakia. It also deals with the history of the plumbing trade, contemporary legal regulations, technical standards and professional literature on the territory of the former Czechoslovakia.

The paper discusses the possibilities of diagnosing historical masonry structures by using non-destructive and destructive testing methods. First, the compressive strength of the masonry elements and the compressive strength of the mortar are determined, then the characteristic compressive strength of the masonry is calculated. It is important to assess the bond of the masonry and determine the presence of cracks. Finally, the moisture content and salinity of the masonry shall be determined.

The contribution focuses on the current topic of the replacement of historical burnt bricks in heritage-protected buildings. It presents the possibilities of selecting an adequate replacement by recycling historical masonry elements taken from demolished buildings while meeting the requirements placed on current masonry elements with an emphasis on their durability. A resonance method for classifying bricks into quality groups is presented here, along with basic aspects characterizing bricks from different historical periods, which represent another criterion for assessing their suitability for use in historical constructions.

In our practice, we often face the question of building stone provenance on historic buildings. However, methods providing relevant answers to this question are mostly of a destructive character requiring sampling. Therefore, our research has focused on the use of reflectance spectrometry, which is a very promising and effective non-destructive method. This paper discusses the basic principles and possibilities of this method with regard to its application to historic buildings and decorative stone.

This article focuses on the renovation and densification of existing single-family homes in the suburbs of larger cities in the Czech republic, built between 1996-2005. After defining the current issues and summarizing the theoretical approaches of sustainable suburban development, it discusses examples of suburban renewal from European countries and suggests possible applications and further research of these strategies in Czech conditions.

The preserved detailed data on the consumption of fuel (coke) for heating and hot water preparation in functionalist apartment building from the 1930s led to the idea to compare the energy consumption of these buildings at the time of their construction with the present day and to observe how the modernization interventions in both the heating system and the actual construction of the building are manifested and to quantify these modernization interventions.

PV systems are gaining ground as a standard for family homes. Apartment buildings are lagging behind, but design optimization and community energy bring new possibilities.

The paper presents the original condition of the castle in Nemyšl near Tábor together with the subsequent process of its rehabilitation. This requires a careful evaluation of its condition, determination of the remediation procedure along with condition monitoring to ensure safety on the construction site. To accomplish this task - the abbreviation SHM (Structural Health Monitoring) is used abroad - the available possibilities of current information technologies have been used.

The paper deals with the role of engineers in the contemporary world. In particular, it is focused on presenting the current possibilities in preserving historical monuments and their maintenance. In two case studies, point out the new possibilities offered by computer technology and connecting the involved actors through the web. It also mentions the WEC 2023 World Engineering Convention in a certain way. Due to the scale, the first, general part is presented first, which is supplemented by the concept verification while monitoring the retaining wall of St. James Church in Nepomuk. In the following separate paper, an example of the use of these technologies in the rehabilitation of the castle in Nemyšl is presented in more detail.

As a consequence of the growing production and use of asbestos and inorganic fibres, measurement of their concentration in indoor air is of great importance. The relevant legal regulations require the measurement. Various methods were developed for the purpose, based on collecting airborne particles in capillary membrane filters and subsequent determination of their number concentration. Remediation of buildings with fiber-containing construction elements is an essential part of any reconstruction.

The article is focused on the issue of traditional timber joist floor structures and floor compositions from the period up to the first half of the 20^th century. In building practice, we very often encounter these structures in residential buildings that are the subject of structural changes. During these interventions, the basic ideas of the original technical solution are not always respected and some physical parameters of building are degraded. The article describes the principles that were devoted to these types of structures in historical legislative and standard regulations and further in professional literature. The original historical solutions are presented on a practical example. In relation to building interventions in historic timber joist floor structures, current legislative and standard regulations are described, as well as examples of modern solutions and their limitations.

The article is focused on the issue of traditional timber joist floor structures and floor compositions from the period up to the first half of the 20^th century. In building practice, we very often encounter these structures in residential buildings that are the subject of structural changes. During these interventions, the basic ideas of the original technical solution are not always respected and some physical parameters of building are degraded. The article describes the principles that were devoted to these types of structures in historical legislative and standard regulations and further in professional literature. The original historical solutions are presented on a practical example. In relation to building interventions in historic timber joist floor structures, current legislative and standard regulations are described, as well as examples of modern solutions and their limitations.

Textile and leather wallpapers are an integral part of the interior of historic buildings. These types of wallpaper are specific in their construction, where they are stretched on wooden frames and form a membrane in front of the wall. Verification of diffusion properties is one of the steps to elucidate the thermal-humidity behaviour of these historical structures. Knowledge of diffuse properties is important for architectural and historical surveys and for the reconstruction of historical buildings. Based on this knowledge, we can assess other properties of wallpaper construction, such as moisture and microbial climate.

The standard “ČSN 73 0527 Acoustics – Acoustical design of rooms – Rooms for cultural uses – Rooms in schools – Rooms for public purposes” was revised after 18 years. In the framework of this revision, the regulations for determining the optimum reverberation time were updated, especially in relation to commonly used technologies and trends in the use of the spaces in question. A new methodology for determining the standard of acoustic treatment for spaces with lower acoustic requirements was developed and, last but not least, a code for occupancy calculations for measuring reverberation time in unoccupied spaces was defined.