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Preservation of historical monuments
Energy-efficient renovation
Damage patterns
Damage is not always the reason for renovating an existing building – often there is also a desire to visually or energetically refresh the building fabric. With its product range, Fixit covers both different renovation cases and historical plasters for heritage and monument protection. Various options are also available for the energy-efficient renovation of the building envelope.
The solution chosen was to completely expose the masonry and then apply the Fixit plaster system based on hydraulic lime mortar to the exterior facade.
The Fixit plaster products used prevent slope water from entering the masonry and allow further drying – the appearance of the Pfäfers monastery was preserved in accordance with the specifications.
The former 17th-century manor house was renovated with Fixit 222 aerogel high-performance insulating plaster to reduce heating energy consumption and increase comfort for the residents.
The architectural culture of past centuries should not be forgotten, which is why it is a social concern to protect old buildings and historical architectural forms. Thanks to the guidelines set out by monument preservation authorities, such buildings are preserved and maintained for the future. The details that have emerged over time regarding the use and ageing of the building, as well as the original character of the structure, must be preserved.
The focus of monument preservation is not on reconstructing former elements, but on preserving the existing historical substance. The renovation of such a building is carried out on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the guidelines of the relevant cantonal monument preservation authority. In exceptional cases, exemptions from the current legal provisions of the Energy Act (EnG) may also be granted.
The successful preservation of a historic building depends not only on craftsmanship, but also to a large extent on the building materials used. Fixit renovation products are modelled on historical mortars, base and top coats, and paints. With Fixit's expertise, monument renovations are accompanied by the appropriate knowledge and suitable products for the renovation, contributing to the preservation of cultural assets for posterity.
At first glance, the energy-efficient renovation of listed buildings seems almost impossible. How can modern insulation solutions be used to preserve the historical appearance of these buildings? And can insulation even work efficiently on very thick natural stone masonry, for example?
The heating and operating costs for a historic building are usually significantly higher than for a new building – but this does not have to be the case. Fixit offers an innovative insulation solution that can also be used for the energy-efficient renovation of historic buildings: Fixit 222 Aerogel high-performance insulating plaster. Depending on the specifications of the heritage protection authorities, it can be used for both exterior and interior applications and preserves the appearance of the façade or interior while providing high insulation performance.
More about Fixit 222 Aerogel
If damage is found in an existing building, it must be repaired promptly to prevent further consequential damage. For effective repair of the damage, preliminary examinations of the building and masonry must be carried out. The exact cause of the damage must be identified and, if necessary, analyses of moisture or harmful salts must be performed. Once the results have been evaluated, the most suitable renovation method can be selected or a special solution developed. In fact, the renovation of historic buildings requires suitable, approved building materials and extensive experience in the field.
The exact procedure for planning and carrying out repair work on buildings is described in the SMGV technical data sheets. These specifications have been developed in collaboration with the Scientific and Technical Working Group for Building Conservation and Monument Protection (WTA) and serve as valid guidelines for building restoration.
Visible cracks on the façade can occur for various reasons, and not all of them can be considered structural defects. Cracks can form in the building component and then penetrate the façade plaster. These are construction-related cracks. If the cracks occur exclusively in the plaster, while the masonry underneath is intact, then they are plaster-related cracks.
Most damage to buildings occurs as a result of moisture in any form. With capillary rising damp, moisture is drawn upwards as if by itself. Unsealed wall areas in contact with the ground are particularly affected by this type of damage, but it can also occur in the façade in cases of severe weathering.
Hygroscopic moisture absorption occurs via salts that are harmful to buildings, which attract water from the ambient air due to their hydrophilic properties, but also via hygrostatic pressure on the exterior walls in the base area in contact with the ground. Or it may be the condensation of water vapour, whereby the water vapour from the warm ambient air liquefies due to the temperature differences on the cold façade.
The most common salts damaging to buildings in the subsoil are chloride, sulphate and nitrate, and they are only harmful to the building when combined with water. Due to the easy solubility of these salts in water, they can be transported into the masonry via capillary moisture absorption. When the moisture subsequently evaporates, solid salt crystals are formed again. This increases the volume of the salts and creates what is known as crystallisation pressure in the masonry. If this pressure becomes too high, an explosive effect can occur and destroy the building material or masonry.
Microorganisms such as fungi or algae are generally undesirable on the exterior facades of buildings or indoors. The growth of algae on a facade is purely a visual defect; the algae cannot damage the facade. However, fungi and lichens attack the structure and surface of the facade and damage it. Unlike algae, fungi do not need light to grow.
If mould occurs indoors, it can trigger allergies or release harmful spores into the air. However, these microorganisms find it very difficult to survive in a highly alkaline environment (i.e. with a high pH value).