With the coming into effect of the amended EU Directive 2010/31/EU on the Energy Performance of Buildings on 8 July 2010, requirements for energy efficiency and thermal insulation have been tightened further in Germany, too. From 31 December 2020, so-called lowest energy buildings will be the measure of all things – buildings with an extremely low or almost zero energy requirement, which can be essentially covered with renewable energy sources. It is up for debate whether in order to increase the overall energy efficiency, besides optimization of equipment engineering, improvements will be made to reduce transmission heat losses. What concrete energy requirements will be binding in future? How future-viable is the status quo in the clay brick and tile industry? What adjustments are necessary in common bricks to guarantee the survival of monolithic building structures? Lowest energy standards known up to now include, for instance, KfW efficiency houses, passive houses or plus energy houses. All these building types have already been realized with clay brickwork. But besides all political and technical discussions, the question of economic efficiency must always be considered.

Dipl.-Ing. Michael Pröll, Ziegel Zentrum Süd e. V.