REALIZATION AND PROJECTS
HOUSE ON MASARYKOVO EMBANKMENT
Prague
When reconstructing historical buildings, investors often face the problem of how to maintain the original appearance of the house and its historical context while simultaneously incorporating modern technologies and materials that contemporary living standards require. Often, these efforts also encounter the limits set by preservationists. One of the key moments is usually the new heating system. In this respect, a sensible solution is offered by REHAU's underfloor heating, which can be elegantly concealed beneath the floor, thus not disturbing the original interior design. The only visible trace is the electronic control located on the wall, without which the project cannot manage if it is to be economical and efficient. With underfloor hot water heating, the quality of technology is more important than ever, as any failures and their renovations can be very financially demanding. This was also one of the reasons why the company FRANK development chose REHAU as the supplier for the underfloor heating system during the reconstruction of the Art Nouveau building from 1907 on Masarykovo embankment. The heating pipes were designed - RAUTHERM S with a diameter of 17 × 2 mm made from cross-linked polyethylene type PE-Xa were installed on the Varionova system panel.
HOUSING NEAR THE CASTLE PARK
Central Bohemia
The housing project near the castle park includes three types of two-story houses, starting with the spaciously designed villa house "Jelen", through the detached houses "Daněk" to the practical and affordable duplex "Muflon". These are wooden constructions with a diffusely open structure from the company Insowool and with a diffuwall system. The houses are fitted with large-format PSK doors and SYNEGO window systems with a construction depth of 80 mm. The six-chamber windows are standardly equipped with triple glazing with perimeter seals for reliable protection against drafts and moisture. The laminated surface of the profiles allowed for a two-tone design. The exterior is characterized by an anthracite shade, which remains very popular among investors, while the windows in the interior are a white neutral color. The anthracite coloring of the profiles places greater demands on shape stability during summer months, especially in large formats, but thanks to the quality of the plastics typical of REHAU, this is reliably ensured even in the large-format PSK system. The advantage of REHAU window profiles is the surface treatment that makes maintenance easier and also the security against break-ins, which is particularly important in family homes.
VILLAGE STATIONS
Central Bohemia Region
Village stations evoke memories of old times. Beautiful yet functional architecture, a ticket office that opened an hour before the train's arrival, signals and porches, occasionally a booth with refreshments. A station that smelled of distance and romance. There was only bustle when the train arrived. It is good that these charming buildings are being reconstructed while fortunately preserving their historical character. Reconstruction cannot go without new windows, even though the specifications can be complicated. The design is top priority, which must correspond to the character of the building and must not deviate from the original shapes and colors. The second priority is the maintenance-free nature of the windows, which must last at least another 30 years. Generally, factors such as thermal insulation properties do not play a fundamental role, nor does sound insulation. The selection of windows becomes narrower due to these requirements, making plastic windows the most effective and economically acceptable solution. All REHAU window systems meet these conditions, including the Brillant-Design series, which has been used in the reconstruction of several station buildings, for example in Jince or Štětkovice.
MODŘANSKÝ HÁJ
Prague
The Modřanský Háj development project is located in the immediate vicinity of the Modřanská gorge. The modern architecture of the houses, supplemented by numerous green areas such as gardens, front yards, terraces, and balconies, provides residents with above-standard comfort and above all, a peaceful living environment close to the city center yet adjacent to a forest. This is also the greatest advantage of the project. Modřanský Háj represents a complex of low-rise residential buildings, most of which have a maximum of three stories, along with a set of terrace houses, villa houses, and duplexes spread over an area of approximately 12 hectares. The spatial solution is shaped by a terraced arrangement of the site, with individual objects situated on longitudinal terraces that define streets and small squares. The composition of open spaces marked by retaining walls, fencing, buildings, and the ground floor evokes a traditional atmosphere of relaxed urban development that partially resembles a coastal character. The color scheme of the buildings was conceived with thoughtful restraint, where the main motif became the contrast of light shades of the facades, green areas, and anthracite windows. This popular dark shade of window profiles particularly stands out among the direct geometric lines. Modřanský Háj is a very quiet zone, where noise pollution is minimal. For this reason, the noise insulation parameter of the BRILLANT-DESIGN windows (32 dB) generally fully met clients' needs. However, some requested higher quality as part of client changes, both in terms of sound insulation and safety class. These units were then fitted with SYNEGO windows, which feature built-in triple glazing and a construction depth of 80 mm. Sound insulation for SYNEGO windows is higher - up to 46 dB and, of course, the thermal insulation properties (depending on the type of selected glass, Uw values below 1.0 W/m²K).
MANUFACTURING HALL OF MONTS
Hradec Králové
Due to the expansion of production capacity in the engineering sector, a project for a new manufacturing hall for MONTS, s.r.o., was implemented in Hradec Králové, which was built to passive standards. The window systems in this construction presented a real technical challenge. Most windows were designed in a format of 1000 × 2400 mm, and each had to meet the basic requirement of a Uf coefficient = 0.79 W/m²K. The solution was undertaken by the technical department of REHAU, and the execution was handled by MS okna, s.r.o. from Turnov. Half of the manufacturing hall's implementation involved the front-mounted installation of windows on the HELUZ brick system, while the other half of the hall was composed of a steel structure with a follow-up Kingspan system. The windows in the front-mounted installation on the brick concept were situated so high that any possibility of manual operation was excluded. The designer's requirement was to hide the fittings within the window frame, replacing manual handling with an electric drive, which also had to be integrated into the window profile. Additionally, the windows tilt. Using any material other than composite for producing such a demanding system was not an option. Due to the size of the windows and their shape stability, GENEO profiles with a construction depth of 86 mm were enhanced with a steel reinforcement, but since this reinforcement with thermal conductivity properties deteriorated the thermal insulation properties, the internal window profile had to be supplemented with thermal modules.
GYMNASIUM
Český Brod
The reconstruction of the historic building aimed, among other things, to reduce significant thermal losses of the building. Although the gymnasium is located in a city heritage zone, the inadequate wooden windows were replaced with plastic ones. Based on an energy audit, it was necessary to achieve a minimum weighted thermal transmittance Uw ≥ 0.89 W/m²K for the building openings. The preservationists' stance was clear from a design perspective: the historical context of the building, including the windows, must not be disturbed. Wooden windows could not meet thermal insulation properties. The solution became the composite GENEO windows (by the manufacturer DAFE-PLAST under the name PROGRESS).
PALACE DRN
Prague
Projects of modern commercial and administrative buildings are designed with emphasis on the highest level of environmental consideration. This aspect is supplemented by the requirement for maximum comfort within the building and minimal energy costs. Buildings with full energy self-sufficiency are no exception. Such a goal requires multifaceted technical solutions, of which the most important is the method of heating and cooling. In recent times, REHAU systems for tempering concrete structures (BKT) that operate in low-temperature mode, allowing effective use of alternative energy sources, such as heat pumps while simultaneously offering users an incomparably healthier environment without aggressive air conditioning and air swirling in rooms, are increasingly gaining traction. In projects characterized by inventive architecture, it is important to find an optimal path that respects all essential requirements of the investor while simultaneously resolving some technical inconsistencies posed by operation or internal layout. An example is the DRN palace on Národní Street in Prague, where exposed concrete, including ceiling structures, and an unusual arrangement of the building with a glass facade and accessible balcony play a significant role. The multifunctional building with the original name DRN was built at the corner of Národní and Mikulandská streets in Prague. The project was created by the team of Stanislav Fiala, the investor being the company SEBRE and the builder HINTON, a.s. For the heating/cooling of concrete ceiling structures, the REHAU system uses RAUTHERM S pipes made from cross-linked polyethylene PE-Xa, with a diameter of 17 × 2.0 and 20 × 2.0.
SENIOR COMPLEX ŠEBEROV
Prague
The senior home in Šeberov is the very first facility in the Czech Republic to utilize the unique ceiling heating and cooling system from REHAU. The low-temperature system uses a ground-water heat pump with a capacity of 140 kW with 15 deep boreholes (approximately 150 meters) for both functions (heating/cooling). This is a radiant method of heating/cooling, allowing for a pleasant and constant temperature throughout the facility for users year-round without unpleasant temperature shocks and without air swirling. A benefit of this system is the utilization of the thermal accumulation properties of the concrete core. The temperature parameters are set to 21 °C when heating (minimum temperature in summer months 16 °C). The regulation is conducted through the NEA Smart 2 system. The RAUTHERM heating pipes made of very durable cross-linked polyethylene PE-Xa are fixed to the ceiling structure with polypropylene guiding rails and subsequently plastered with a 25 mm gypsum plaster. The RAUTHERM S pipes have a diameter of 10.1 × 1.1 mm. A total of 28 km of piping was installed in the building. The system includes EasyFlow distributors. The heating pipes transfer heat to the concrete monolith and then subsequently to the room atmosphere. The wet method of installing heating pipes on the lower surface of the concrete core accelerates heat transfer into the room while partially reducing the thermal accumulation properties of the concrete structure.
APARTMENT BUILDINGS ON VACKOVÁ – Stage 10
Prague
The availability of land ideally suitable for residential construction in urban agglomerations is rapidly decreasing, leading to the trend of building even in previously neglected areas. These are primarily locations close to busy streets where the noise level is excessive. Designers and builders therefore face the task of coping with this aspect. A fundamental element influencing the noise level in new apartments is the size and method of glazing of window profiles. Profiles made from the composite material RAU-FIPRO X have a sound insulation value of up to 47 dB (with triple glazing), which is typically sufficient even in these areas. However, each apartment owner needs to ventilate, which brings them into conflict with noise insulation, as ventilation interrupts the isolation, allowing noise to penetrate inside. The solution is the REHAU SYNEGO 116 window profile system. The window system consists of a classic window sash but with a different frame. This frame has an increased structural depth of the entire profile (to 116 mm) and therefore also an outer pre-chamber, into which a thermal insulation wedge can be inserted. In contrast to the standard size (80 mm), the frame has a larger number of drainage channels, the total cross-section of which is equal to that of the outer chamber. This creates entry points through which fresh cooler air enters the chamber at the bottom edge. Its natural behavior is to rise along the entire perimeter of the window toward the spot where a special climabox with a replaceable filter insert (dust and pollen filter) is located. Fresh air then flows into the room through the climabox. The principle of operation of this system relies not only on the natural pressure difference and wind suction but especially on that induced by a central multi-speed fan with a controlled mode for each apartment (controlled space). The number of installations of this system continues to increase. Recently, the company DAFE-PLAST installed it on a large scale in the apartment complex project Na Vackově – Stage 10 (zone AI), as well as in several other projects.
FAMILY HOUSE
Polná
The house is designed as a two-story structure, with two rooms, a bathroom, a technical room, and a garage on the ground floor. Due to the layout of the building, the windows could only be placed on the west and north sides. The focal point of life on the upper floor became a large terrace separated from the living room by a modern large-format HS portal in the SYNEGO HST983 Panorama construction. This means that the fixed part is not formed by a classic fixed sash, but by glazing directly into the frame, which visually enlarges the glass area, making the whole system appear lighter, more luxurious, focusing on the glass and minimizing the frame. This was also the intention of the new owners, who desired a delicate structure and maximum unbroken surface area. Therefore, the sliding sash was intentionally designed to be relatively narrow, as it has a width of only 1.3 m. The HS portal is completed with a completely barrier-free HAUTAU Atrium threshold. Given that the schwarzgrau colored windows are placed quite low on the ground floor, functional shading was addressed. This was also one of the reasons why PROGRESS ALU EF+ windows with an integrated blind, which is inserted between the third and fourth panes in a special aluminum frame, were chosen. This frame is attached on one side by hinges and secured on the other by bayonet locks. The PROGRESS windows are manufactured by DAFE-PLAST from the REHAU composite material - RAU-FIPRO X.
STRakonice CASTLE
Strakonice
The reconstruction of historical buildings is never simple. The historical legacy must be respected in a very sensitive manner, while modern technologies that are essential for operation need to be integrated into the structure. One such technology is heating. In the castle and Museum of the Central Otava in Strakonice, it is necessary to heat spaces with a relatively large floor area that is also very irregular, complemented by high ceilings. The project was designed with underfloor heating hidden in the floor. The implementation was carried out by ŠTROB & spol. s r.o., a company based in České Budějovice that focuses on the complete mechanical engineering of buildings. Based on long-term experience, the company selected REHAU underfloor heating. Specifically, it involves RAUTHERM S heating pipes installed on a Varionova 30-2 system panel. Considering the required thermal outputs, the RAUTHERM S 17 × 2.0 mm pipe was preferred. It should be noted that the pipes are made from high-tech material PE-Xa, which is cross-linked polyethylene under high pressure and temperature. Underfloor heating was installed not only in the aforementioned exhibition halls but also in storage rooms, offices, toilets, hallways, locker rooms, etc. In total, the area exceeds 890 m², representing about 5630 meters of installed piping. The ground compositions are varied due to the different characteristics of the rooms and various constructions.
