Insulation systems for half-timbered buildings
Innovative and sustainable insulation systems for half-timbered buildings at the Hessenpark Open-Air Museum
02.12.2022 - As part of the Fachwerk_2.0 research project, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences (HSRM), the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg and the Hessenpark Open-Air Museum are jointly investigating how the energy efficiency of half-timbered buildings can be increased using innovative and sustainable insulation systems while preserving their authenticity. The research project is being funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection with a total volume of around 2 million euros.
The Federal Government's Climate Action Plan 2050 describes the path to a climate-neutral building stock in Germany by 2050. With a number of around two million, historic half-timbered buildings make up a considerable proportion of the existing building stock and at the same time - due to their materiality and the desired appearance in terms of monument preservation - place high demands on measures for efficient energy upgrading. "As part of the Fachwerk_2.0 research project, we want to investigate how the energy efficiency of half-timbered buildings can be increased in terms of durability and sustainability while preserving their authenticity," says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christoph Duppel, Head of the Architectural Heritage Conservation (B.Sc.) degree program and Deputy Head of the Laboratory for Building Research in the Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering at HSRM.
At the beginning of the 1990s, investigations were carried out into the physical behavior of half-timbered buildings as part of a research project. The subject of these investigations included three test buildings in the Hessenpark open-air museum. "As part of the Fachwerk_2.0 project, these half-timbered houses, which have been preserved almost unchanged, offer a unique opportunity to analyze and evaluate wall systems and superstructures after many years of use," says Dr.-Ing. Oliver Bletz-Mühldorfer, head of the Materials from Renewable Resources in Construction working group in the Laboratory of Timber Engineering at RheinMain University of Applied Sciences.
The central open-air museum in the state of Hesse, which has a collection of 113 rebuilt or (partially) reconstructed historic half-timbered houses, set up the Fachwerk Competence Center around two years ago. "The new research project represents an important milestone and will provide fundamental insights into the treatment of half-timbered buildings", emphasizes Heike Notz, who has taken over the project management for the Fachwerk_2.0 research project at Hessenpark. The knowledge gained can be communicated and made available to a broad public in the open-air museum. "Our museum offers an ideal platform to introduce interested parties to the topics of renovation, maintenance and care of the building fabric," explains Notz. The buildings being researched can be viewed on site. With a half-timbered model house, Hessenpark also wants to show that contemporary, energy-efficient living is possible in a historic half-timbered house.
Assessment of existing buildings for sustainable renovation solutions
In addition to this evaluation of existing buildings, the focus of the Fachwerk_2.0 research project is on the development and evaluation of new infill panels and insulation systems. In half-timbered buildings, the areas between the wooden structure are known as compartments. These compartments are to be refitted (infill) with innovative and sustainable wall systems, with a particular focus on the functional and durable training of the joints between the wood and the infill. "The aim of the research project is to use the knowledge gained to develop sustainable refurbishment solutions that enable the preservation of the culturally and historically valuable building stock under today's standards of use and meet the goals of climate efficiency for existing timber-framed buildings in relation to buildings and neighborhoods," explains Prof. Dr.-Ing Christoph Duppel.
In addition to the metrological evaluation of test surfaces, hygrothermal component simulations are also being carried out at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg. "The knowledge gained from the accompanying calculations will be used to develop new wall structures and renovation options and provide those involved in Construction with a planning tool for the damage-free application of individual renovation concepts," explains Dr. Andrea Staar, project manager at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.
The research project Fachwerk_2.0 - Development and research of innovative insulation systems for energy-efficient and resource-saving half-timbered restoration of test buildings at the Hessenpark Open-Air Museum (funding project: 03EN1063A-C) is a funding measure within the framework of the Federal Government's 7th Energy Research Program "Innovation for the Energy Transition" and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection with a total volume of around 2 million euros over a period of four years.
02.12.2022