ABSTRACT
The use of timber constructions is not common in the Italian building stock. Timber buildings are characterized by the low thermal inertia, which is one of the main reasons for the worsening of summer thermal behaviour. Hence, it represents a limit during the cooling season in hot climates. The summer thermal performance of timber buildings can be improved by increasing the thermal mass of building components, but at the same time, it implies the worsening of the structure performance, which is crucial in seismic areas in Italy. Italian codes establish restrictive limits for the design of building, particularly in southern regions because of a high seismic activity. The Fraunhofer Italia, the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano with the support of Trees and Timber Institute CNR – IVALSA studied within the TIMBEEST research project how to improve the summer performance of timber buildings without worsening the seismic performance. This study presents solutions for improving summer energy performance of timber buildings by increasing thermal mass of walls in Italian context. The research considered both building physic and structure implications for two timber construction systems – Light Timber Frame and Cross-Laminated Timber.
