Context of product data bases in energy efficient architecture

Abstract

The increasing cost of energy has drawn attention to the need to reduce the energy consumption of buildings in Hungary. There are a number of ways to reduce the energy demand of buildings, among these; the most common solution is the thermal insulation of the building envelope. The declared thermal conductivity factor given in the product catalogues forms the basis for designing the different thermal insulation structures, although these factors can differ significantly from the properties of the built-in state. The lack of a performance based approach is particularly significant: the effect of the environment, the use and the neighbouring constructions must all be taken into account when designing the thermal insulation [4]. This paper was written with the purpose of examining which factors influence the insulating capacity of the built-in material, how can they be quantified with the help of the Hungarian/European/International standards, and what research has already been carried out with reference to the given effect.