Insulation
Worldwide more energy is used for cooling buildings than for heating them. Based on this, it is reasonable to appraise the efficiency of an insulation product not only for its ability to prevent energy loss in winter months, but also for its protection from heat ingress during the summer months. Wood fibre insulation products provide a low thermal conductivity combined with a high heat storage capacity. In accordance with ISO 10456, wood fibre insulation materials with a value of 2000 J/(kg*K) have by far the best specific heat capacity compared to all commonly used insulation materials. Due to these special features, one can achieve both a comfortable cool environment in summer and a comfortable warm environment in winter.
Extensions
Timber offers great potential for changing and modernising existing older buildings which are often constructed from concrete. It is primarily a matter of extensions to roofs and storeys. The simplest method is to fit the old building with a new roof so designed that a number of flats can be built into the attic space. The space can also be used for placing installations for improving energy efficiency and heat exchangers for ventilation.
As timber structures are light there are often margins for building additional storeys. In such cases, the use of prefabricated components is frequently suitable. Naturally the design must be verified so that there is a margin for absorbing the additional vertical loads and ensuring horizontal stability.