Extruded floor insulation grounds historic timber-frame house
Canadian Plastics
The old adage that a man's home is his castle particularly applies to a two-storey dwelling located in Babenhausen, Germany.
The old adage that a man’s home is his castle particularly applies to a two-storey dwelling located in Babenhausen, Germany.
Built in 1796, the house is certainly as old as some castles — and now, thanks in part to Styrodur C extruded polystyrene rigid foam (XPS) produced by BASF, far more energy efficient.
As part of a nationwide energy conservation project, the ground floor of the structure was recently insulated with 10-cm thick panels made from the 5000 CS — or compressive strength — line of Styrodur C material, which offers dimensional stability, durability, flame resistance and imperviousness to moisture and rot, BASF said.
The result, according to construction engineer Carsten Herbert, is that the house now consumes up to 87 per cent less primary energy than a newly built structure of similar size. And because the panels are strong enough to absorb the compressive load exerted by the external walls, the building’s foundation did not have to be altered during renovation, he continued. “Styrodur C [allowed us to] preserve this historical building while restoring it in a cost-effective manner,” Herbert said.
BASF Canada (Toronto, Ont.); www.plasticsportal.net; 416-675-3611