This paper provides initial results from experimental work on the durability of external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS). In order to predict service life of ETICS, the accelerated climatic cycle was composed on the basis of earlier scientific research and the statistic data of the Lithuanian climate. The research aims to assess the durability and service life of finishing coat by calculating the amount of moisture while measuring the 24 h water absorption of the samples during water absorption and drying testing either by measuring the changes of bond strength. The offered accelerated weathering cycle could be useful for ETICS manufacturers and it could be used for testing and proof of highly frost-resistant products.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.19.1.3834

No abstract

The paper proposes the durability prediction method for external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS), which could be applied in cold and wet climate regions. This improved method is based on the international and nowadays applicable standards for systems service life assessment (ETAG 004, ISO 15462), and completes them with other necessary impact criteria. This study examines the main climate exposures and how these impacts reproduced in the laboratories. The paper analyses the extreme air temperature and rainfall changes, the intensity of ultraviolet radiation (UV) in Lithuania. The analysis is based on evaluation of daily and yearly data recorded by meteorological stations. The aim of the research is to compose the accelerated ageing cycle for ETICS taking into account the characteristics of building materials and identifying the potential degradation factors and indicators. In order to establish the combinations of impacts in ageing cycles, it is necessary the adequate evaluation of intensity of environmental exposures of a certain locality. The basic goal is to create the reliable accelerated ageing cycle which would be as similar as natural ageing.

Measuring and monitoring sustainability plays an essential role in impact assessment of global changes and development. Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) represents a reliable and adequate technique for assessing sustainability, especially in the field of municipal buildings management, where numerous parameters and criteria are involved. This study presents an MCDM model for the sustainable decision-making, tailored to municipal residential buildings facilities management. The main outcome of this research concerned normalized and weighted decision-making matrixes, based on the complex proportion assessment (COPRAS) and weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS) methods, applied for ranking investment alternatives related to the management of the buildings. The delivered model was applied to 20 municipal buildings of Kaunas city municipality, located in Lithuania, which an EU member state employing practices and regulations in accordance with the EU acquis, as well as a former Soviet Republic. The proposed model aspires to enhance sustainability practices in the management of municipal buildings and to demonstrate a solid tool that will allow informed decision-making in the building management sector.

Currently, the construction of low energy buildings in Europe is promoted. Existing and newly developed design and construction concepts for such buildings are adapted to their national or regional climatic conditions. The European Parliament has assigned the member countries to get ready for the reduction of the energy consumption in buildings. Therefore, Lithuania, like other EU countries, must be examined for the use of the low energy building design and construction experience, the existing concepts of low energy buildings should be adapted or new concepts of low energy building responding to the region's climate should be created. In this article, the most popular European mid‐region passive house concept and the energetic performance of the house, designed and built according to its requirements is analyzed, the main differences of this concept to the normative requirements of Lithuanian building regulations and proposals to improve provisions for the construction of low energy buildings in Lithuania is provided. Santrauka Šiuo metu Europoje skatinama mažai energijos vartojančių namų statyba. Esamos ir naujai kuriamos tokių namų projektavimo ir statybos koncepcijos dažniausiai pritaikytos konkrečios šalies arba regiono klimato sąlygoms. Europos Parlamentas įpareigojo šalis nares pasirengti mažinti pastatuose suvartojamos energijos kiekį. Todėl Lietuvoje, kaip ir kitose ES šalyse, turi būti išnagrinėta mažai energijos vartojančiių pastatų projektavimo ir statybos patirtis, perimtos jau taikomos arba sukurtos naujos koncepcijos, tinkamos šio regiono klimatui. Straipsnyje išanalizuota populiariausia Vidurio Europos regione pasyviojo pastato koncepcija, pagal jos reikalavimus suprojektuoto ir pastatyto namo energiniai rodikliai, nustatyti pagrindiniai šios koncepcijos ir Lietuvos statybos norminių dokumentų reikalavimu skirtumai ir pateikti pasiūlymai gerinti sąlygas mažai energijos naudojančiu pastatu statybai Lietuvoje.