Exterior infill walls are light, as they are designed to take only the load of their weight and the wind and seismic loads that directly affect them. They can be prefabricated in a factory or built on site and have very good insulation characteristics in relation to their thickness, providing substantially better energy performance than traditional concrete, masonry or steel construction.
QUALITY CONSTRUCTION
Where the wood frame is used for interior walls in concrete and steel structures as partitions, they provide flexibility of design, including floor layout, fire safety, sound insulation, and renovation. Wood infill partitions are non-structural, lightweight, and are suitable for a range of interior finishes. They can also be designed to meet the fire and sound requirements for apartment partition walls. Wood frame partitions are approved up to eighteen stories.
The main benefits of exterior wood infill walls:
- Outstanding thermal properties and energy conservation
- Reduced wall thickness maximizes usable living space by a typical 2 per cent
- Shorter on-site construction time through pre-fabrication
- Reduced foundation load
- Improved seismic performance
Hybrid construction: wood frame roofs on concrete structures.
Many of the typically concrete medium-rise residential buildings throughout Europe have flat roofs that tend to leak and are poorly insulated for energy conservation and thermal comfort. These existing roofs can with advantage be covered with a pitched wood frame truss roof. This is a cost-effective way of keeping the rain out, improving the look of the building, and reducing energy costs, with additional insulation in the roof cavity. It is also an effective way of delivering a thermally comfortable attic space for extra accommodation or to install mechanical systems for heating, cooling, and ventilation.
- This system is as competitive for installing roof systems on new concrete structures as for replacing old concrete roof systems.