LAFARGE
Flash animation: low-energy housing

What is low-energy housing? Combining 20 sustainable construction rules with innovative solutions produced by Lafarge research and partnerships, low-energy housing is explained in this animation.

The 4 tabs:

• Foundations
  resistance and durability
• Exterior
  structure and aesthetics
• Interior
  comfort and design
• Insulation
  thermal and acoustic

The products:

• Prégymétal™ Ceilings
  Comprising a sheet of decorative Synia® screwed onto a PrégymétalTM S47 ceiling rail, this ceiling presents a smooth surface without any visible joints suitable for application of any type of finish.
• Prégymax® 29.5
  With the lowest thermal conductivity in its category, this wall lining provides exceptional thermal and acoustic performances. It consumes very little energy to produce.
• PLAtec®
  These plasterboard-based 3D elements are made-to-measure and produce high quality interior decorative finishes. The entire result costs much less than it would to produce on a worksite.
• Unimat® Ultra Floor
  Unimat® Ultra Floor is a range of insulated floor products made from PSE. It is particularly well suited to insulating floors heated electrically or with water.
• Synia®
  With its four tapered edges, this plasterboard is ideal for very high ceilings and partitions. It is easy to use, reducing fitting time.
• Floor A or C Chape Liquide®
  Self-spreading and self-leveling, this mortar produces perfectly flat floors. Transport costs are avoided by using local sand. It requires very little energy to produce.
• Ductal® thermal breaker
  Providing perfect insulation and a mechanical link between the concrete slab and the external wall, this breaker, developed using Ductal® and insulation, reduces thermal bridges by up to 70%.
• WAB® partition
  Prégywab sheets are the only plasterboard which can be used to build partitions in very humid communal areas (classified EB+C and some areas classified EC). It is also suitable for the design of external sheltered ceilings. This is exclusive to Lafarge.
• Thermédia® 0.6 Façade with Prégymax® 29.5 insulation
  Thermédia® 0.6 is designed for use in outer shells and combines thermal and structural performances to limit thermal-bridge heat loss in the case of internal insulation.
• Pervious concrete
  This new pervious concrete rapidly absorbs rainwater in the event of high levels of rain, reducing the risk of flooding.
• Ductal®
  This is a completely new generation of high value-added fiber-reinforced concrete. Its performances are exceptional, including high resistance (to compression and bending) and ductility. It allows construction using less raw materials.
• Artevia®
  Designed for internal and external use, these concretes produce material-effect surface finishes, such as imitation polished marble. They are also very resistant to wear and tear.
• Unimat® floor insulation
  This rigid expanded polystyrene panel improves the home’s thermal insulation. It is light and simple to use, cutting fitting time by half.
• Low-carbon cement
  The clinker in these products is being replaced in increasingly high proportions by natural or industrially-derived cement additions.

20 rules for sustainable construction

Priority to passive design measures to reduce energy demand

1. Select a compact building shape to minimize envelope surface area.
2. Opt for a building orientation and openings to reduce loses and increase energy gains.
3. Use high thermal insulation to reduce energy demand for heating and cooling.
4. Avoid thermal bridges to reduce energy losses.
5. Ensure superior air tightness of the envelope to reduce energy losses.
6. Integrate exterior solar shading devices to avoid excessive solar gains.
7. Select reflective roofs or green roofs to reduce excessive solar gains and increase occupant’s comfort.

Meet energy demand with high efficiency

8. Favor natural ventilation or hybrid systems for indoor fresh air renewal.
9. Opt for a heat recovery ventilation system to regulate thermal comfort.
10. Integrate ventilation system to the structural elements to increase comfort and energy efficiency.

Include passive then active renewable energies

11. Optimize glazing surface area of for best ratio between solar gains and heat losses.
12. Use opaque surfaces to store solar energy.
13. Exploit thermal mass with exposed concrete inside the building for a better comfort.
14. Plan for reflectors and/or windows high up for maximum natural lighting.
15. Favor equipment using renewable energies as substitute to fossil fuels (solar hot water, heat pumps, wind power, photovoltaic, biomass).

Other aspects of sustainable construction

16. Ensure aesthetically pleasing design that allows future user flexibility to maximize building lifetime.
17. Plan building elements to achieve superior acoustic comfort.
18. Use rain water and grey water to reduce the consumption of natural resources.
19. Favor materials that are local, resistant, re-used, recycled, substituted for a reduced environmental footprint over the entire building life cycle.
20. Engage in an integrated design approach to minimize costs.

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