ZiHaus
Gold
Excellence in Business to Business
Building & Elements
Details
Thick brick covering with heat storage. A solar-electric autarc house. The key to this lies in newly installed bricks: 75 cm thick walls made of woodfibre bricks with straw insulation, clay plaster inside, 1.10 m thick roof structure made of suspension and insulating tiles, glued into the roof at 25°, above the wooden roof with the PV system. A 75 cm thick solid brick storage block under the floor, heated by solar electricity, releases the heat to the living space with a time delay in winter.
The Jury‘s Statement
Many buildings generate high CO₂ emissions and rely on complex technical systems to meet increasing demands for energy efficiency and climate protection. The »ZiHaus« presents an impressive solution to this challenge by operating entirely energy self-sufficiently through a clever combination of natural materials and innovative construction methods—without conventional heating or cooling systems. Its monolithic building envelope, made of recyclable bricks that provide both insulation and thermal storage, along with a consistent use of renewable energy, sets new benchmarks for sustainable construction and living. This forward-looking concept is convincing not only due to its efficiency and environmental compatibility but also because of its adaptability and robustness in the face of climatic changes—an outstanding example of how contemporary building concepts can sustainably shape the construction industry.
