Green Wall Kit Thermal Insulation Composite Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing green convertible elements for building facades often disrupt the building design and create cold bridges when installed on thermal insulation layers, leading to aesthetic and thermal insulation issues.
Innovation Solution
A kit for creating a green convertible element that includes a housing part with a waterproof back wall and side walls, an upper housing wall, and a front housing wall, which can be integrated into a thermal insulation composite layer on a building wall. The kit features plaster connection profiles and a drip strip to ensure a seamless integration and prevent water from reaching the building facade.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a U-profile support structure is used to mount the green wall element on the building wall, then the green wall element can be securely fixed to the thermal insulation composite layer, but the U-profile creates a thermal bridge that penetrates the insulation layer, reducing thermal insulation performance
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is extracted from the rear wall structure and transferred to dedicated fastening elements that are independently anchored to the building wall. This allows the rear wall to maintain its insulating function while the fastening elements provide the necessary mechanical strength through direct wall anchoring, eliminating the thermal bridge created by the U-profile.
Solution Approach 2:
Dedicated fastening elements serve as intermediaries between the green wall element and the building wall. These fasteners provide secure mechanical attachment while being thermally isolated from the insulating rear wall, thus preventing thermal bridge formation while maintaining fixing strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If the green wall element is mounted externally on the thermal insulation composite layer, then the building façade is segmented by the green wall element, which can have an adverse impact on the building's design, but mounting externally allows for easier installation
Solution Approach 1:
The rear wall of the green wall element is merged with the thermal insulation composite layer through integrated fastening mechanisms and continuous plastering. The plaster connection profiles extend the plastering mesh over the housing part, creating a unified, continuous façade surface that eliminates visual segmentation while maintaining ease of installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing part is designed with localized features (plaster connection profiles, fastening points) that enable seamless integration with the surrounding thermal insulation composite layer. These local modifications allow the green wall element to blend into the overall façade design, maintaining visual continuity while preserving installation simplicity.
3Quantity of substance
If the rear wall is made thin to reduce material usage, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rear wall is constructed as a composite structure combining a thin structural base layer with an attached thermal insulation layer. This composite design provides both mechanical strength and adequate thermal insulation performance while minimizing total material usage, as the thin base layer provides structural integrity and the insulation layer provides thermal performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for an aesthetically pleasing building design while avoiding cold bridges and ensuring effective water management, thus enhancing both the visual appeal and thermal insulation of the building facade.
Implementation Method 1
at least the rear wall (4) of the housing part (1) is designed to be thermally insulating
Implementation Method 2
The rear wall (4), the side walls (5, 6), and the housing base (7) are designed to be watertight
Data Source
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AI summary
A kit for creating a greenable wall element comprises a housing section (1) with an installation opening (2) and an inner cavity, which is sealed watertight by a thermally insulated back wall, side walls (5, 6), a housing base (7), and an upper housing wall (8). The kit includes a wall component (10') with planting openings (12), which can be inserted into the installation opening (2) of the housing section (1) in such a way that it extends vertically and forms a cavity between the surface spanned by the planting opening (12) and the back wall. This cavity can be filled with planting substrate, allowing a plant rooted within it to grow through the planting opening (12) to the front of the wall component (10') facing away from the cavity.To integrate the greenable wall element into a thermal insulation composite system installed on the exterior wall of a building, plaster connection profiles are provided on the edge of the housing part (1) surrounding the installation opening (2). These profiles have a plastering edge and are connected to at least one plastering mesh (15A, 15B, 15C, 15D) that extends beyond the outer contour of the housing part (1) on all sides. Fixing points are provided on the rear wall of the housing part (1), which can be covered with watertight covers. A drip edge (22) is arranged along the lower edge of the installation opening, projecting beyond the plane defined by the plastering edges of the plaster connection profiles (Fig. 9).