Obtaining a Building Permit for a Low-Energy Kindergarten Gornja Radgona – Črešnjevci

The diploma thesis presents the course of the project with all associated complications and solutions, and thereby the obtaining of a building permit for a low-energy kindergarten. Through appropriate selection of materials, we achieve low-energy requirements, which I demonstrate through building physics calculations for the planned structure. The investor has set conditions for the positioning and size of the kindergarten, as well as the requirement to prepare a project using ** natural materials and the use of renewable energy sources**. During the implementation of the conceptual design, the coefficients of thermal transfer through individual structures were calculated using the URSA Building Physics programme, whereby it was established that there are no significant discrepancies in the results and that construction is acceptable in both possible implementations. However, the investor later, after the conceptual design was completed and project conditions obtained, decided on a classical construction system – masonry structure.

Problem

The diploma thesis presents the course of the project with all associated complications and solutions, and thereby the obtaining of a building permit for a low-energy kindergarten. Through appropriate selection of materials, we achieve low-energy requirements, which I demonstrate through building physics calculations for the planned structure. Legislation stipulates minimum requirements for the sizes of interior spaces and exterior landscaping.

Solution and Method

The investor has set conditions for the positioning and size of the kindergarten, as well as the requirement to prepare a project using natural materials and the use of renewable energy sources. Taking the above into account, they prepared an appropriate project that satisfies all conditions. The aim of the diploma thesis was to demonstrate how to transfer the requirements for the implementation of a detailed design project into actual execution whilst observing all requirements, regulations, laws and the investor's wishes.

The conceptual design was prepared for the purpose of presenting the investor with two different possible implementations of the floor plan arrangement of spaces linked to the choice of structure, and for the purpose of obtaining project conditions. When preparing the conceptual design and detailed design, it was necessary to observe the regulation on minimum technical conditions for the implementation of a kindergarten and to adapt the floor plans of individual spaces so that they correspond to the minimum required areas.

Results

During the implementation of the conceptual design, the coefficients of thermal transfer through individual structures were calculated using the URSA Building Physics programme, whereby it was established that there are no significant discrepancies in the results and that construction is acceptable in both possible implementations. However, the investor later, after the conceptual design was completed and project conditions obtained, decided on a classical construction system – masonry structure. Although the use of prefabricated structures has become quite widespread recently, the investor decided on such a system due to convictions about the durability or service life of the structure linked to the particular method of construction.

The municipality as investor, together with its advisers, was considering prefabricated construction, primarily due to the speed of implementation, and thus, on the basis of the requirement for the positioning of the kindergarten itself, they decided to present them with the possibility of construction using the POROTHERM DRYFIX system, which is also comparable with prefabricated construction in terms of the deadline for moving in or using the structure after construction is completed. Special attention was also paid to the actual positioning of the planned structure in the space, as the available location was only within the area of the existing kindergarten, which must operate normally during construction.

The investor agreed with their proposal for the planned positioning of the structure in the space. Once they had obtained the project conditions and the decision on the choice of structure, they continued with the implementation of the project for obtaining a building permit. The entire structure is thus planned as masonry construction, the foundations are planned with a foundation slab, the roofs are at different pitches and the roof structure is accordingly designed, in some parts as a truss, and in some parts as flat wooden I-beams laid at minimum pitches.

There is no floor slab, as the building has only a ground floor and thus the roof is simultaneously the ceiling of all spaces. The requirements for a low-energy structure were satisfied through appropriate use of thermal insulation, building joinery and an appropriate solution for thermal bridges. In his opinion, this project is special primarily in that the construction system used is an interweaving of prefabricated and classical methods of structure implementation.

Likewise, resolving thermal bridges and using appropriate thermal insulation and appropriate thicknesses thereof, in order to achieve appropriate thermal transmittance, was quite demanding. He is particularly proud of the planned implementation, choice of materials, resolution of complications and appropriate positioning of the kindergarten and spaces within the kindergarten, as most of this is the fruit of his convictions, thinking and his work.