Karel Struhala

Experimental Full-Scale Test Cell Optimizing for Research of Novel Concepts towards Climatically Active Solar Façade Design

The passive solar test facilities have recently been created in many research centers all over the world to analyse dynamic outdoor phenomena on buildings and their components. The main objective of these research activities is primarily to evolve a methodology, improve test methods, validate numerical models and measure real thermodynamic properties of building components under outdoor climate conditions. An integration of advanced material solutions into buildings need to be investigated within specific conditions related specifically to outdoor test methods. A research project on Contemporary concepts of climatically active solar facades at the Brno University of Technology does have an ambition to create an experimental full-scale test cell for research of thermal aspects in progressive advances of future solar façade concepts exposed to the real climate conditions. This paper describes the design optimization phase preceding the test cell assembly. This phase includes the analysis of energy and thermal properties based on parametric study features. Computer simulations based on finite element and volume methods are involved in the optimization process. The proposed optimized test cell design is confronted with parametrization of typical thermal aspects to present final test cell demonstration.

Environmental Assessment of Production of Thermal Insulation Block from Secondary Raw Materials

The aim of the research carried out under the grant FAST-J-12-1773 is the optimization of the proposed mass production of newly developed thermal insulation composite material in terms of its impact on the environment without causing a disproportionate increase in costs. This paper presents current results of research - life cycle assessment (LCA) of the production of thermal insulation block made of composite plastic. LCA methodology that was used for this assessment is contained in international standards ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.

Cardboard Based Packaging Materials as Renewable Thermal Insulation of Buildings: Thermal and Life Cycle Performance

Cardboard-based packaging components represent a material that has significant potential as a renewable source for exploitation in buildings. This study presents the results of thermal and environmental analyses of existing packaging materials compared with standard conventional thermal insulations. Experimental measurements were performed to identify the thermal performance of studied cardboard packaging materials. Real-size samples were experimentally tested in laboratory measurements. The thermal resistance and conductivity of all the analyzed samples were measured according to the procedure indicated in the ISO8032 standard. A life-cycle assessment according to ISO 14040 was also performed to evaluate the environmental impacts related to the production of these materials. The results show that cardboard panels are a material with thermal and environmental properties on par with contemporary thermal insulations. Depending on their structure, the measured thermal conductivity varies from 0.05 to 0.12 W·m–1·K–1 and their environmental impacts are much lower than those of polyisocyanurate foam or mineral wool.

LCA of Fibre Flax Thermal Insulation

This paper brings readers a study of Life-Cycle Assessment of thermal insulation panels made of the stems of fibre flax. This study uses cradle-to-gate system boundaries, which means that only growing and harvesting of flax and subsequent processing and manufacturing of the insulation material are included in the assessment. Transport between the facilities is also included, because it has significant impact on the results - the production facility is located in Czech Republic, but thanks to the costs main components (fibre flax stems and chemical additives) are grown or produced in various countries around the globe. The paper shows that production of such insulation material has environmental impacts comparable with other insulation materials. Conclusion of the paper includes discussion about share of individual parts of the production process (growing, harvesting, transport, processing and manufacturing) on the overall results and recommendations of changes that would lead to decrease the overall environmental impacts.

Influence of Orientation of Building on Indoor Conditions in a Roof Truss

Protection of historical roof trusses is an important part of efforts to protect our cultural heritage. These timber structures carry a lot of information about used tools, technologies or construction processes. Roof trusses are generally threatened by many dangers, which could cause irreparable damage and loss of the carried information. Wood destroying insects and fungi are the gravest threat to historical roof trusses in our climatic conditions. Their spreading depends on several specific (interior) conditions. These include critical moisture content in the wood, relative humidity, amount of natural light and ventilation. In addition to these commonly monitored parameters (and their critical levels) we also must not forget the influence of local geography, biotope or orientation to the cardinal. This paper describes temporal fluctuations of some of the mentioned physical parameters in a historical roof truss with regard to external climatic conditions and orientation to the cardinal.

Evaluation of the Dependence of the Parameters of Internal Environment of Wooden Truss on the Orientation of the Building

Historical wooden trusses carry a lot of information about used tools, technologies or construction processes. Unfortunately they are generally threatened by many dangers, which could cause irreparable damage and loss of the carried information. Protection of historical roof trusses is an important part of efforts to protect our cultural heritage. Wood destroying insects and fungi are the most serious threats to historical roof trusses in our climatic conditions. Their spreading depends on several specific (interior) conditions. These include critical moisture content in the wood, relative humidity, temperature, etc. In addition to these commonly monitored parameters (and their critical levels) we also must not forget the influence of local geography, biotope or orientation to the cardinal. This paper describes temporal fluctuations of some of the mentioned physical parameters in a historical roof truss (in Brno, Czech Republic) with regard to external climatic conditions and orientation to the cardinal.

Environmental Assessment of Structural Elements from Secondary Raw Materials

This paper deals with the environmental assessment of production of structural elements made of secondary raw materials developed by the Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, with use of LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) methodology. Structural elements made of this material can be used in the building constructions as thermal insulating elements resisting high mechanical loads which could be used for minimizing the thermal bridges in structural details of buildings, such as the substructure below doors and windows, thermal insulation of the base of the wall, etc. This paper presents the identified environmental impacts of the prototype production of this structural element.