There are deep traditions of log houses in Lithuania. Many Lithuanian companies process wood and build log houses in Lithuania and abroad, but high energy efficiency requirements have slowed down the development of residential buildings with log walls due to low thermal insulation properties of log walls. The company UAB “Trehus” together with the scientists of KTU Institute of Architecture and Construction has decided to create an A ++ energy efficiency class single-family wooden log house model. To achieve this goal, the company has mastered modern technologies of joining and sealing logs, has developed an architectural concept of a log house and thus aims to bring log houses back into the residential market. The aim of this work is to investigate the thermal properties and tightness of log wall fragments, to model the thermal and humidity state of log wall insulation variants during operation and to provide recommendations on the suitability of these structures for A ++ energy efficiency class buildings and their improvement. The development of suitable wall construction solutions will create an A ++ energy efficiency class log detached house model, which can be applied in other cold climate countries, after making insignificant adjustments according to the country’s energy efficiency requirements.
Author: Jurga Kumžienė (KTU – Kaunas Technology University, Institute of Architecture and Building)
Fig. 1. Log panels delivered for tests
Fig. 2. Log panels during the air permeability and watertightness tests
Fig. 3. The results of log wall thermal properties modeling