Flexible, future-safe with biologically harmless, quality insulation

The challenge

The young homeowners had the support of their entire families and a vacant lot was available. A cousin, who worked for a very reputable carpenter, contributed design and building suggestions for the single-family house. The homeowners were insistent on their objective: quality wood construction with state-of-the-art, wholesome insulation and biologically safe building products. They also wanted the plans to allow for future additions and modifications, such as thermal solar systems, etc., which meant increased flexibility for the homeowners and challenges for all involved in the project.

Our solution

The prefabricated wall modules came sheathed on both sides, clad with GUTEX Multitherm® wood fibre board on their exteriors and fit on their interiors with OSB. Between the rafters, we blew in wood fibre insulation on the building site. 60-mm GUTEX Ultratherm® completed the roof insulation, installing over the rafters to create a rain- and wind-tight sub roof. The diffusion-open construction of the building envelope was extremely important to the homeowners and experienced roofer.

Project features

Large lot on hillside with few restrictions: 889 m².
Living area: 178 sq. m. incl. in-law apartment/annexe with about 50 m². 
Pellet-fired wood stove, 10 KW, connected to storage tank
Controlled heat recovery ventilation 
Triple-paned windows 
Net floor area: 266.7 m²
Total energy to heat QE*: 41.0 KWh/ m²a
Annual primary energy source usage (as per EnEV abbr.: QP): 15.9 KWh/ m²a
Blower door test: air exchange rate n50 = 0.36 
Roof structure: U-value = 0.15 W/m2K
Wall structure: U-value = 0.15 W/m2K

* Energy homeowner needs to expend in order to heat and cover heat lost by heating system, heat hot water and cover energy lost by hot water heating system. Also includes energy required to operate these systems, such as electricity to power pumps, etc. Thus, it represents the true cost to the consumer for the operative energy consumed for heating. 

Construction solutions

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