Aktivhaus B10

Aktivhaus B10 is part of a research project investigating how innovative materials, construction methods and technologies can improve our built environment in a sustainable way. Thanks to its ingenious energy concept , this self-learning building creates twice is energy requirement from sustainable sources.

The highly efficient and lean building shell that Aktivhaus requires this was made possible with the use of vacuum insulation panels. Despite its ambitious objectives, it is interesting to note that the building was planned within only a few months and pre-fabricated as a wooden structure before being assembled on site in one day.

Some of the various construction innovations in the building include the use of high-performance vacuum insulation panel systems VACUPOR and VACUPSEED.

The building also feature a flexible textile facade system. The structure of the facade is made from aluminium profiles, onto which a silicone-coated fibreglass fabric is clamped. The fabric used is dirt-repellent, has excellent UV resistance and responds to fire class resistance B1.

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Aktivhaus B10 – VACUSPEED® vacuum insulation allows lean and energy-efficient construction Porextherm project partner for vacuum insulation

Aktivhaus B10 is part of a research project. The project is investigating how innovative materials, construction methods and technologies can improve our built environment in a sustainable way. Thanks to an ingenious energy concept and forward-thinking, self-learning building controls the building creates twice its energy requirement from sustainable sources. The highly efficient and simultaneously lean building shell that this requires was made possible by the use of vacuum insulation panels.

Consumption and energy production as well as a lot of other data that is relevant to building research was measured during the entire course of the project and evaluated scientifically at the Institute for Lightweight Design and Construction (ILEK) at Stuttgart University. The project is supported by the Federal Ministry for Traffic and Digital Infrastructure in Berlin. The provincial capital Stuttgart has provided the state-owned land for the realisation of the project for a period of three years.

The construction site is located at Bruckmannweg 10, in the heart of the famous Stuttgart Weißenhof development, which was a groundbreaking signal for essential improvements to our built environment. Aktivhaus B10 on the Killesberg revives this innovative character and transfers it into new areas – real estate and mobility are considered and designed as an integral unit. B10 meshes the power systems in energy systems for electrical mobility and for buildings into one integrally controlled system.

The building also offers important structural improvements as well as its energy efficiency. The ambitious objective of producing twice its own power consumption requires highly efficient building insulation. B10 was also planned within only a few months and pre-fabricated industrially as a wooden structure before being assembled on site within one day. Some of the various construction innovations in the building are e.g. the use of the high-performance vacuum insulation panel systems VACUPOR® and VACUPSEED®. The combination of the highest level of insulation and quick availability of the vacuum insulation mean that all project requirements could be fulfilled. In order to achieve the best possible heat transfer coefficient the remaining areas to be insulated were laid with customized special elements.

Wall and ceiling areas were fitted with an insulation layer made of VACUPSEED® XPS panels. The special characteristics of this version are the 3 mm XPS lamination for the protection and further attachments of the VIPs and the quick availability. The extra robust VACUPOR® TS-B2-S insulation element was chosen as floor insulation.

B10 uses minimal resources and is fully recyclable, like all research buildings designed by Werner Sobek. It thus fulfils the requirements of the Triple Zero Standard: the building produces more energy than it requires itself (zero energy), does not cause any emissions (zero emissions) and can be returned to the materials cycle without residues (zero waste). The building is opened to the public at regular intervals.

1. Basic information

B10 is a research project located in the Weissenhof Estate in Stuttgart. The plot of land was originally home to a residential building designed by the architect Richard Döcker; however, it was completely destroyed during a bombing raid in the Second World War. After it lay unused for nearly seventy years, the district council of the City of Stuttgart decided in the autumn of 2012 to temporarily make the land available for an experimental research building to be erected.

In future, we will live in more densely populated and multi storey structures. Open spaces, green areas and elements generating energy will be located on different levels; they will be just as much an integral component of the built-up environment of tomorrow as mobility and flexible living accommodation suitable for people of all age groups. At the present time we do not have the required methods and technologies at our disposal to really be able to design and build this world for the long term. B10, which is to be considered a small prototype element of this world, should deliver valuable insights towards achieving this goal.

The architectural design is based on the Triple Zero concept developed by Werner Sobek. The building is not only designed to fulfil the highest demands on aesthetics and user comfort, but also to generate more energy than is needed to run the house (zero energy), to produce no emissions whatsoever (zero emissions) and to be returned fully to the materials cycle (zero waste) at the end of its life.

The single-storey building not only turns to passive measures (such as particularly efficient thermal insulation) that are essential for the transition to renewable energy sources to take hold in urban environments, it also makes use of diverse active measures. Thanks to its predictive, self-learning building automation and control system it is the first fully functional Active House in the world.

Strict historical preservation orders needed to be taken into consideration with regard to cubage, appearance and the foundations when erecting the building. It was not an option for work on B10 to be allowed to damage the remaining foundations of the previous historical building.

2. Energy considerations

Despite difficult boundary conditions presented by the plot of land the objective of the design was to achieve a surplus of energy amounting to approximately 200%. In addition to diverse passive measures, a prerequisite to achieving this goal was also the Active House principle: a predictive, self-learning energy management system that makes it possible to significantly increase the surplus of regenerative energy generated on-site above and beyond usual levels. The building is able to continuously adapt to changing conditions and requirements of indoor and outdoor areas; this enables it to generate approximately 200% of the energy required to power building services and controls as well as household electricity by itself.

As well as active measures such as building automation and control, a prerequisite to achieving the targeted energy goals also includes implementing diverse passive measures necessitated by the conditions presented by the building plot. For instance, the structure is completely closed on three sides and boasts extremely well insulated wall constructions to keep thermal losses as low as possible; by contrast, the house front facing towards the street, in other words facing north-west, is fully glazed. A newly developed vacuum insulating glazing ensures high levels of transparency and at the same time very good thermal insulating properties.

Thanks to its alignment and architectural style the building not only fulfils its character as an object of visual interest, but also makes it possible to increase passive solar energy gains from the low-lying sun in the west during the winter months. Moreover, the compactness of the building offers a good surface area to volume ratio while at the same time maximizing the roof area that can be utilized to generate energy by combining photovoltaic and solar thermal collector systems.

3. Prefabricated and modular

The cubage can be traced back to the stated energy parameters as well as an innovative planning and building process. Planners and implementers worked extremely well together from the beginning of the initial concept phase; they were then able to work in parallel development processes during a second phase to achieve innovative solutions at the interfaces of the different disciplines. That was the only approach possible to be able to surmount the numerous technical requirements resulting from the high degree of innovation demanded of the building within the extremely tight time frame available.

The objective of the project teams was to overcome the usual demarcation of disciplines and attain the accompanying concentration of minds to achieve non-series on-site production. Thanks to the virtually complete prefabrication of the building under clean factory conditions it was possible to deliver (in two parts) and erect the structure as well as install the glazing in just one day. All of the interior finishings including fitted kitchen and bathroom furnishings were already installed at this point in time. Industrial prefabrication and the suitability of the structure for transporting were important considerations underpinning the overall concept.

Four modules were designed and prefabricated independent of the remaining building in order to be able to increase the degree of prefabrication and at the same time facilitate a maximum of flexibility for subsequent new planning tasks. These modules offer space to install the "electrics", "building services equipment", "kitchen" and "bathroom". The role model for these technology racks is the vehicle manufacturing industry that, to increase efficiency, prefabricates individual elements independent of the actual production process and later builds them into the vehicle as complete modules.

The modules are designed to allow them to be joined together in any order. That makes possible a flexible building concept that can be extended as required and adapted to local conditions and user requirements. At the same time the compactness of the modules guarantees that the actual living area is not taken up with unnecessary infrastructure functions. This approach not only gains valuable living space from the same amount of cubage, it also makes it possible to plan the building technology as a holistic system. The length of cables and pipes is minimized, their positions are determined in 3D and they are placed only in specified parts of the building envisaged by the design.

The modular principle and simple adaptability also applies to the interior. For example, mobile, easily installed and removed dividing walls and sliding glass doors make it possible to subdivide the large open room to be used for different purposes. The modular principle of the design and spacial construction makes it possible to extend and adapt the building concept of the B10 to meet different requirements. It is possible to install the system at different locations, and it can be adapted and expanded to meet individual needs that take into consideration different user demands as well as climatic, regional and cultural aspects as well as building regulations.

One very important aspect of this consideration is to specifically increase the density of urban areas. The goal is to make transforming and extending these new urban areas as easy as possible and with as much flexibility as possible.

4. Deconstructability

The modular design is not only beneficial to the building process, but, by extension, the deconstruction process as well. A non-destructive process of deconstruction and sorting of the different materials used in the building takes the place of a wasteful and destructive demolition process. This suitability for deconstruction was taken into consideration at the beginning of the planning phase and is an integral part of a conscious understanding of the built-up environment as an ephemera. This aspect is particularly important, especially when considered in the light of the architectural and cultural significance of the Weissenhof Estate in the middle of which the building has been placed. The building understands itself to be a guest temporarily resting in its present environment. It has been designed so that it can be deconstructed or moved without any difficulty at the end of its allotted occupancy. The building itself has been designed as a highly insulated timber-panel construction. To guarantee perfect recyclability the timber components are neither painted nor coated in any way. The walls consisting of untreated timber are covered inside and out with a textile fabric – an easily convertible and deconstructed construction that can be sorted into homogeneous lots. This made it possible to do without the otherwise standard exterior rendering. Neither were any classic foundations or cables and pipework laid in the ground.

5. Urban embedding

Because of its character as a shop-window project and its understanding of its presence in the Weissenhof Estate as a guest, B10 has been consciously oriented towards the street – whereas the residential units in the surrounding houses face away from the street. On the one hand B10 understands itself to be an independent, modern addition to its surroundings. On the other hand, thanks to its understated volume, its simple cubic design and reduced colouring, B10 blends in perfectly in the Weissenhof Estate, which is protected by a preservation order. With its technology, its residential quality and its sustainability qualities the building absorbs the ideas and objectives of classic modernism and guides them onward towards the 21st century. As was the case when the Work Union estate (Werkbund) was built in 1927 B10 seeks to demonstrate new forms of planning, building and living as well as examine new materials and designs. One important innovation in this sense is the control of the building by means of a predictive, self-learning building automation and control system as well as coupling the energy streams between the building, the electric vehicles and the surrounding buildings (in this case with the Weissenhof Museum located in the LeCorbusier house) – in other words, creating a smart grid in the neighbourhood.

6. Adaptivity The patio at the front of the building is attached to the steel beam frame on which the house itself stands. The patio is subdivided into four movable, hydraulically powered elements that can be rotated upwards 90° to completely close off the fully glazed side of the building. This feature additionally improves the thermal insulating properties of the building envelope during the night or when the user is absent. For that reason, the patio elements are covered with the same white fabric as the other outside walls; the fabric is visible when the elements are closed (meaning upright) and can also be illuminated during the night by background lighting. When the patio elements are open, meaning in a horizontal position, they practically double the usable area outside the house.

When folded down the west facade doubles up as a patio and also provides access to the building. The electric Smart vehicles that belong to the research building are also able to access the building via this entrance area. It is possible to drive into the living quarters of the building to fulfil charging and discharging requirements within the living quarters. As the vehicle is halted on a turntable set in the floor, it is possible for it to exit the building facing forward. One objective is to investigate to what extent it is possible to make it easier for older and/or disabled people to get into and out of the vehicle. A further objective is to investigate if parking an electric vehicle in temperature-controlled indoor rooms can increase its range (because less electricity is needed to heat or cool the vehicle when driving).

The company is furnishing the active house B10 – an innovative and sustainable research project on Stuttgart’s Weißenhof estate.

Ground-breaking, both then and now: the Weißenhof estate in Stuttgart is one of the icons of the modern age. The great architects – including Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius – made their ideas of modern building and living come to life in the exhibition “Die Wohnung” (The Apartment) in 1927. Professor Werner Sobek, architect and engineer, is following in their steps – with B10, the world’s first active house.

Large glass fronts, clean lines, innovative materials and technologies: the active house – named “B10” for short due to its location in Bruckmannweg 10 in Stuttgart – is a pioneering project in sustainability for the buildings of tomorrow. Thanks to a sophisticated energy concept, the house generates twice as much energy as it actually requires itself. And what’s more, from sustainable energy sources. The excess energy will provide power for two electric cars and the Weißenhof Museum.

Through its involvement in the active house B10, Walter Knoll is returning to the Weißenhof estate after more than eighty years. In 1927, the company furnished nine show flats and with them became part of the history of the modern age. Today, the sofas, armchairs, tables, chairs and carpets by Walter Knoll in the active house are once again shaping modern living spaces – taking the total number of installations to ten.

The project was inaugurated on the evening of 8 July 2014 – with numerous guests from the worlds of business and politics, architecture and the media.

SUSTAINABLE USE The flexible façade system How can innovative materials, constructions and technologies improve our built environment in the long term?Aktivhaus B10 – which was originally designed as a research project but has now been opened on the Stuttgart Weissenhof Estate – deals with this issue.Over the two-year period, data on the consumption and generation of energy was continuously measured and scientifically evaluated by the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK) at the University of Stuttgart.B10 was designed by Werner Sobek and is the first fully functional active house in the world that generates twice as much energy as it requires thanks to its forward-thinking and self-learning building automation system.

Werner Sobek and the corporate group named after him are renowned across the globe for engineering, design and sustainability.In addition to high-quality design and first-class engineering, his projects are characterised by intelligent concepts for minimising the consumption of energy and materials.When it comes to the question of what future forms of housing construction could look like, it is possible that façade planning and design for many building projects will change permanently.As the entire lifecycle of buildings becomes more of a focal point in terms of sustainable construction, façades are also being viewed from a different perspective.This is because the façade, as the most visible part in terms of public perception, in general has previously not possessed the necessary flexibility to adapt efficiently to changing requirements.Hence retrospective changes in use, a modified corporate architecture or changes for technical reasons often entail complex adaptations or even completely new façades.

In this regard, the FACID system, which was also used on the B10 project in Stuttgart, offers a promising approach – the principle of the flexible façade with reversible, modular levels.Three sides of the Aktivhaus are completely covered with a FACID textile façade.The basic structure of the façade is made from aluminium profiles, into which a silicone-coated, fibreglass fabric is clamped.Due to its coating, the fabric used is dirt-repellent, has excellent UV resistance and corresponds to fire resistance class B1.The façade has been designed as a suspended, rear-ventilated façade.With the extremely well-insulated wall construction behind it, heat losses should therefore be kept as low as possible.

FACID is flexible The individual combination of structural and interchangeable modules allows not only single areas but also the entire façade of a building to be adapted quickly and easily to changing conditions.And what's more, this can all be carried out while the building is in use, without the need to subsequently interfere with the fabric of the building.Be it as a suspended, rear-ventilated façade, as integrated (active) screening and sun shading, as an additional decorative level or as a combined façade, everything is based on the same patented clamping system.It has been tried and tested worldwide over many years, it ensures the perfect, long-lasting clamping of the approved fabric without the need for re-tensioning, and it can be removed at any time, as and when required.There is a wide variety of fabrics available for the flexible façade, depending on the application and building type –from the pre-tensioned, printable PVC fabric through to the high-quality fibreglass fabric for requirements with fire resistance class A2.There is the perfect material – available in many different colours and degrees of porosity – for almost every intended use, such as for particular cross-ventilation requirements in car parks.An important aspect in terms of sustainable building is also the ability to reuse the materials.The FACID system scores highly in this regard due to the recycling offered, the proven durability of the materials and because the components are sorted by type.

How FACID works FACID uses the patented “fabric clip technique” without hemstitches or any other complex fabrication.The reversible fabric clips are simply clamped onto the pre-cut fabric and subsequently locked into the clamping channel of the profile.While other methods only achieve the tension in the fabric after subsequently moving the profiles, the internal FACID mechanism tensions perfectly and directly into all corners and attachments.It is therefore possible to position the FACID profiles exactly and fit them with all of the attachments before tensioning, allowing unattractive joints to finally be reliably avoided.

All FACID profile systems are structurally tested and it is proven that the high membrane forces are transferred directly to the load-bearing supporting surface.FACID textile façades are particularly low-maintenance and their ability to be reversed means unimpeded access is possible at any time, as required.FACID allows available free spaces and window areas to be permanently spanned, left uncovered or covered with flexible, movable units.The transparencies of the screening, sun shading and protection from driving rain enable the view from inside to outside to be retained and lend themselves very well to interesting façade back lighting effects.