Construction Elements and Building Materials for Buildings with High-Level Thermal Insulation - Technology, Building Physics, Ecological Rating, Costs (in Austria)

Status

finished

Summary

Part A

Contents

Collection of building elements, with several variants, specified for Passivhausstandard and Low-energy building design,

• with technical description,
• physical parameters and
• ecological life cycle analysis.

Technical descriptions focus on airtight building component connections without thermal bridges, and on technical safety, amended with information on procuction processes, prefabrication und demands on building site management. The physical discussion treats thermal-, noise-, and fire protection, diffusion of vapour and thermal storage characteristics. Ecological impact categories of building materials, durability and maintenance needs of constructions as well as demolition, recycling and disposal are topics of the ecological analysis. Attached is a cost assessment for Austria for all building elements described.

Objectives

To create

• a reference for architects and building engineers
• information material for clients
• a reference on ecological criteria for public subsidies for housing
• Information and knowledge transfer for planners and building contractors who are on the threshold to building "ecologicalpassive houses".

General objectives are

• Reducing costs für ecological building construction: Deficient information forces up prices!
• Increasing quality levels in building construction
• Dispelling misconceptions about costs, comfort and reliability.

Method

A) Technics (construction engineering, building physics, building chemistry)

• in-house design and calculations based on
• literature research and
• consultation of architects and construction companies, manufacturers of building materials and buidling elements

B) Ökologie

• literature research
• consultation of manufacturers of building materials
• in-house calculations

C) Costcalculation

• calculations according to ÖNORM B 2061

Part B

Results

Material for a planned book publication, structured as shown below

• Teil 1: Introduction, Methodology, Reference
• Teil 2: Construction elements
• Teil 3: Connections
• Teil 4: Functional units
• Teil 5: Building materials
• Teil 6: Glossary, Literature, Index
• Teil 7: Cost assessments

Conclusions

Allmost all common construction elements can be specified to comply with the Passivhaus standard. The environmental impact of building material production, that have to be assigned to a given building element can often be diminished considerably by choosing suitable materials. Also whether a given construction element can be separated, its parts be used again or recycled, and whether it can be disposed without problems or with difficulties can be influenced to a remarkable extent by material choice.