Modular and standardised passive houses in solid timber construction

Status

ongoing

Summary

The technology of passive houses is inalienable for sustainable, resource orientated housing. The plurality of diverse systems did not allow a standardisation and assured quality for planning and construction until now. As a consequence these kinds of buildings affected a low penetration of the market and a high price level. The solid timber construction enables not only an ecological construction method (natural building material, positive effect on climate protection because of CO2 bonding) it also separates the supporting structure from the non supporting insulating layers and the installations layer.

Thereby a modular construction system can be defined, which can be established as a standard for solid timber houses with the characteristics of a passive house at the market. Several approaches for modular construction systems were already developed (e.g. Konrad Wachsmann, USA from 1930 on) but the conversion of the construction to a modern low-energy house was not executed up to the present. The advantages of the modular systems are high planning reliabilities, high workmanships and renunciation from error loaded and expensive prototyping constructions. Practice orientated ground plan typology and a broad-based selection of constructional systems and detailed solutions assure a high rate of flexibility for producers and constructors.

The research project is aimed on developing a practice orientated, ecological and economical benefiting system. Thereby a digital, software-based solution catalogue which provides a wide range of construction methods and elements will be established. The plurality of information (building physic data, planning and building laws and regulations, ecological data, dimension inputs, detail solutions,...) will be consolidated and assimilated and serves as a tool for planers and constructors. With this the planning process can be standardised, simplified and abridged. As a result the reliability for planning and costs can be warranted which results to a better penetration of the market.

Through the directness of the aspired software solution, a continuous development and adaptation to new construction methods, construction elements and detail solutions as well as new market forces are continuously possible. The networking of different categories (e.g. architecture, building physics, support structure planning, ecology,...) causes an enduring complete solution - "Sustainability".

Project management

Dipl.-Ing. Heinz Geza Ambrozy
Zivilingenieur für Hochbau, Architect, Tischlermeister;

Project or cooperation partner

• LUGGIN - Ziviltechniker für Bauwesen
  Zivilingenieurbüro für Bauwesen
  DI Dr. Wilhelm Luggin, Ingenieurkonsulent für Bauwesen
• Österreichisches Institut für Baubiologie und -ökologie GmbH (IBO)
  Technisches Büro für Technische Physik
  Mag. Hildegund Mötzl, Bauökologie
  DI Thomas Zelger, Bauphysik
• DI Selim Erol
  Einzelunternehmer, Mitglied der Wirtschaftskammer Wien / Fachgruppe Informationstechnologie
• Externe Unterstützung:
  KULMER Holz- und Leimbau GesmbH
  Zimmereibetrieb

Dipl.-Ing. Heinz Geza Ambrozy
Zivilingenieur für Hochbau, Architect, Tischlermeister;
Schönburgstraße 7/15, A-1040 Wien
Tel./Fax: +43 (0)1 / 5058850
E-Mail: atelier@ambrozy.at
www.ambrozy.at