This paper describes the results of a scientific project focused on determining of the Airborne Sound Insulation of a peripheral non-load bearing wall made of straw bales expressed by Weighted Sound Reduction Index. Weighted Sound Reduction Index was determined by measuring in the certified acoustic laboratory at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Brno University of Technology. The measured structure of the straw wall was modified in combinations with various materials, so the results include a wide range of possible compositions of the wall. The key modification was application of plaster on both sides of the straw bale wall. This construction as is frequently done in actual straw houses. The additional measurements were performed on the straw wall with several variants of additional wall of slab materials. The airborne sound insulation value has been also measured in separate stages of the construction. Thus it is possible to compare and determinate the effect of the single layers on the airborne sound insulation.

Nowadays there are many diagnostic methods for the detection of different defects in building structures. Destructive methods, which do not enable purposeful redevelopment action or a potential cause prediction of the defect without damage to the structure, are mostly used. Lock-in thermography is based on the modulation of the controlled heat flow, which impact on the diagnosed object. Heat (usually sinusoidal) wave penetrates inside the element and in the place of environmental change, ie. anomalies / deviations in the structure of the material of the tested object are reflected back to the surface. The paper focuses on the possibility of using lock-in thermography in the detection of various defects in building structures.

Implementation of the ventilation ducts is one of the ways how to reduce the moisture in the vertical masonry structures. Functional ventilation ducts provide air inlet and outlet, which absorb diffusing moisture from the rehabilitated walls in these ducts. This causes the reduction of moisture in the structure. The implementation of the ventilation ducts is associated with the worsening of thermal parameters of the rehabilitated walls. This paper compares three variants of structural solutions of ventilation ducts and their impact on thermal parameters of the rehabilitated structure.

Glass facades are significantly affected by the internal microclimate, and because of their use in this way it is necessary to use the secure elements of glass facades. For this purpose, safety multi-layer glass is used, which should fulfil its function after the failure of their integrity. This article describes the experimental destructive tests that indicate the behaviour of multi-layer safety glasses, depending on the thickness of the individual layers of the glass composite. A part of the article is the analysis of the cracks of broken elements depending on their thickness.

Microorganisms on the facades of buildings (eg, algae and cyanobacteria) are the harmful factors that cause destruction of the surface of building materials in exterior (facade paints, plasters, masonry, stone, concrete, etc.). One of the properties of listed biological factors is the production of thermal energy, which can vary in different species. Mentioned energy can be recorded using infrared thermography. The paper contains the results of the examined expressions of the biological pests on the insulated facades of the buildings using infrared thermography.