Introduction

INTRODUCTION 14 Comfort and air quality Solid timber stands for well-being and cosiness. This alone is ensured by the diverse possibilities for architectural design. For example, the visible surfaces in the interior of a building can be combined of different wood types such as spruce, stone pine, silver fir or CLT BBS antique and be further customised by means of paint varnishes and sanded or brushed surfaces. Together with the excellent properties of the wood mass as heat and moisture store, the warm wooden surfaces guarantee a balanced living climate and a high measure of comfort. Construction products of Saint-Gobain have been provided with the seals of quality of the Blauer Engel or the Indoor Air certificates, and essentially contribute to a good room climate. Rigips Activ'Air plasterboards cannot only absorb pollutants from the air but also even convert them into inert substances. These positive characteristics have already been used in many buildings in the domestic and in foreign countries. Lean, light-weight structures with high degree of pre-fabrication binderholz construction solutions permit a maximum of pre-fabrication. This substantially reduces construction periods and assures high quality. Furthermore, solid timber structures convince for their economically attractive relation of gross to net residential floor space compared to conventional construction designs. In view of construction costs, this fact increasingly gains importance especially in the urban areas. Smart combinations of solid timber and conventional building materials such as concrete, steel and glass often lead to efficient hybrid solutions. These conjoin the advantages of traditional materials with the benefits of the solid timber construction design. A big advantage, for example, is the comparably low weight of solid timber. This strength literally comes to bear when raising buildings by additional floors. Here, solid timber makes a compelling case by its structural possibilities and the fact that its comparably low weight does not significantly increase the load on the building. Natural As natural wood is used without building chemistry in solid timber construction, a building construction of solid timber has even positive effects on health. Cheap building materials and furniture can release problematic substances possibly causing allergies and other illnesses. To deliberately counteract the causation of such diseases, it should be relied upon materials that are harmless in terms of building biology. Solid timber is a completely unpolluted building material and moreover even strengthens the immune system and vitalises the nervous system. Wooden rooms have a calming effect and ensure a pleasant room climate. Plasterboards produced by Rigips Austria consist of natural plaster and they are tested regularly by the IBO for their non-objectionable properties.

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