The challenge
Massive space-defining elements such as floors and walls can be thermally conditioned to improve the room climate. A water-conducting pipe system embedded in the concrete acts as a low-temperature heating system in winter and helps to moderate room temperatures during summer as a cooling system. Not being in direct contact to the room air, this method of thermal conditioning cannot be applied in the case of raised floors and suspended ceilings. How can a wide-span ceiling be thermally activated?
The invention
The RES-Hollow Ceiling II consists or two concrete slabs which are held at a distance and connected to one another by a multitude of single connectors creating a continuous hollow space between the slabs. On summer nights this hollow space can be flooded with outside air to cool down the building. Additionally the slabs themselves can be thermally activated as explained before.
The advantages
- Composite technique for wide-span ceilings
- Thermally active masses are exposed to the room air
- No need for raised floors and suspended ceilings
- Improved fire protection
The applications
- Cast on-site concrete as well as prefabricated concrete elements
- Wide-span ceilings for multistory buildings