LIVING COMFORT IN HISTORIC BUILDING

XERAL ITERIOR INSULATION IN URBAN HERITAGE CONSERVATION

Modern building insulation must accomplish a great deal and in fact, more than just prevent heat losses. XERAL mineral insulating plasters developed by the Interbran Group, an innovation driver for building materials, contain functional aggregates such as perlite or silica granulate. The effectiveness is not only limited to heat insulation. They stand for balanced indoor climate, healthy living, safety and sustainability. Though their inconspicuousness compared to other façade insulations, the interior and exterior applicable plasters are able to exploit their strengths precisely there where the energy-related renovation of protected historic buildings is concerned.

After successful restoration ensembles from the Wilhelminian period provide a perfect blend of living comfort and flair. As a rule these buildings have elaborately designed street façades which should be carefully restored without disappearing behind a heat insulation system.

Modern mineral insulating plasters are exemplary for continual progress in the development of functional building materials by which means building clients are able to look themselves in the eye and thanks to an effective interior insulation substantially reduce heat losses. At the same time occupants profit from additional technical and structural advantages. For example the non-flammable mineral insulating plasters belong to the leading group in the area of fire protection. Through their capillary activity they regulate the air humidity  As a result they not only provide a pleasant indoor climate but also protect the building structure against damp. The high specific pH value provides a natural protection against mould entirely without the health concerns of biocides. The use of recyclable non-fossil raw materials conserves finite resources.

»10 GREEN, SOHO TURLEY«

EXAMPLE OF THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION OF XERAL PRODUCTS

The former Turley Barracks are the only barracks in Mannheim which were built before the World War I and where the original structure has largely survived. During the process of time its use changed as did its ownership and its name.

The Tom Bock Group came up with a convincing concept for a cultivated solution consisting of diverse residential units, innovative working and research, community facilities and neighbourhood culture. In 2012 the Frankfurt project developer purchased eleven of the original 15 brownstone buildings and carefully began with restoration and extension work suitable for protected historic buildings. »10 Green, SoHo Turley« is one of four structurally identical buildings in which high-quality apartments have been developed after elaborate restoration.

The protected historic façades were retained during the gutting and redevelopment, which is why in order to improve the energy efficiency, interior insulation was proposed. For the interior insulation there was a choice of mineral facing formwork or mineral heat insulating plaster. Ultimately, technical considerations tipped the balance in favour of the mineral insulating plaster from XERAL. These included the comparatively slim application thickness for the surfaces of around 8 centimetres. In the course of this connection details could be safely executed and installations easily plastered over. The insulating plaster was applied over the whole area of the stonework which had been freed of old plaster and treated with silicate deep sealant so that no cavities arose and a moisture barrier could be omitted. WLG 055 heat insulating plaster was used for the surfaces of the walls. All window embrasures were executed in WLG 036. The improved insulating qualities compensated for the unavoidably slimmer insulating plaster thickness on these areas. Application was made using a conventional plastering machine. All surfaces were reinforced and finally coated with a lime filler. For the complete build-up ERAL products from a single source were utilized.