Building
in
practice.
fire protection
Brick walls are ideally suited for separating apartments, defining individual fire compartments, and protecting stairwells, corridors, and rooms with a high fire load.
Effective structural fire protection requires more than just the right material: The selection of suitable brick products and professional planning and execution are crucial.
Fire protection requirements are constantly evolving. For masonry, the fire protection section of Eurocode 6 (DIN EN 1996-1-2) applies.
Objectives of structural fire protection:
- Prevent fires
- Limit fire to individual parts of the building
- Secure escape and rescue routes
- Enable fire service operations
soundproofing
The revised DIN 4109 (in effect since 2016) now forms the basis for the planning and verification of sound insulation in building construction.
New features include more precise calculation methods according to DIN 4109-2, based on European standards, as well as a comprehensive component catalog (DIN 4109-31 to -36). This allows even complex building situations to be reliably planned – including all relevant sound transmission paths, especially flanking transmission.
The brick industry responded early to the new requirements and promoted the integration of solid brick construction methods through intensive research. Since 2010, highly thermally insulating brick masonry has been recognized for verification according to the new procedure under a general building authority approval (Z-23.22-1787) – now also part of DIN 4109.
Arrangement of protected areas
masonry construction
Building technical systems
Energy efficiency
For a long time, the requirements for new buildings focused primarily on energy efficiency limits. Today, ecological, economic, and socio-cultural aspects are also factored into the assessment. A key objective is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across the entire life cycle. Life cycle analysis begins with raw material extraction and encompasses manufacturing, use, and disposal.
Thanks to its natural composition, the brick allows for virtually loss-free reintegration into the material cycle.
Compliance criterion EH 40 – Building envelope
A key objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the entire life cycle – from raw material extraction through manufacturing and use to disposal.
masonry construction
The use of thermally insulating brick products ensures highly efficient thermal insulation, complemented by reliable planning assessments based on Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
Building technical systems
It serves as a quality indicator for climate-friendly new construction and is a prerequisite for certain government funding programs.
Practical example
We are examining a single-family home with an attached apartment, constructed using brick and certified as a sustainable residential building according to the QNG standard.
This example demonstrates how ecological, economic, sociocultural, and procedural quality criteria are assessed across the entire life cycle – from the building envelope and building services engineering to the CO₂ balance. The detailed calculations and assessments are based on the recognized BNK and BNG rating systems and form the basis for awarding the Sustainable Building Quality Seal (QNG).
The building shown achieves a fulfillment rate of over 70% for ecological, economic, and procedural quality and performs in the top third of all certified buildings in terms of CO₂ balance.
Personal construction advice
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Whether you need in-depth technical advice or have questions about planning and construction – we’re here for you. Our team is competent and knowledgeable, and will gladly provide you with the answers you need.
Customer focus and service, on the one hand, and innovative building materials, on the other, drive our work.