Many architects give no consideration to the issue of air quality in residential spaces and there are only a few who really know their stuff. It is extremely rare that measurements are taken,” says Mario Drees. He knows from experience. “Until now, there have been no mandatory rules in Germany about air quality in residential spaces,” he continues. “There have only been recommendations from the German environmental protection agency (UBA).” Text: Guido Klinker Photos: modul A – Stefan Röhler
Mario Drees (in the middle, wearing a grey shirt) and his team focus on ecological construction. Pfleiderer’s LivingBoard was the first choice for the interior construction at the refugee accommodation in Lübbecke.
Drees is the head of operations and construction at the carpentry company Zimmerer- Profibau GmbH, based in Preußisch Oldendorf, North Rhine-Westphalia. His concern about air quality meant he was particularly glad when the town of Lübbecke’s call for tenders for the construction of refugee accommodation stated that only ecologically approved wood could be used. The use of polystyrene and mineral wool were also forbidden.
It is rare to see this being clearly articulated in a call for tenders because for interior construction, standard OSB board is used in 90 percent of all cases. The main advantages of using this material are that it is very durable, offers good value and is quick to obtain. Its disadvantage in terms of sustainability is that it is almost exclusively made of pine. The pine releases terpenes, which are a health hazard. These are sometimes released in such high concentrations that it is not permissible for the buildings to be inhabited or that they have to be closed down at a later date – assuming that measurements are taken at all.
For Mario Drees, the conditions of this call to tender were not especially challenging because the company already tasks itself with using ecological wood for its building projects. Drees was awarded the main contract for the construction of the refugee accommodation and he decided to use Pfleiderer’s LivingBoard product as an alternative to OSB board. “These boards will be made of up to 90 percent spruce wood, which is low in resin, and they will contain a formaldehyde-free adhesive,” Thorsten Strothmann reports. He is the manager for the area of wood-based construction materials at Pfleiderer. This type of board is made from wood types that are grown in sustainably managed forests. LivingBoard is also a top quality product when it comes to bending strength, thickness increase and mechanical resistance. The emissions of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are so low that they comply with the highest requirements. The ‘Blue Angel’ environmental quality label and the premium quality certificate (see the News section) are visible markers of the product’s quality. Thorsten Strothmann: “Since 1978, LivingBoard has been used in more than 460,000 homes. As a result, we have gained a lot of experience with LivingBoard and we know how reliable it is as an exceptionally sustainable material.”
Together with Mario Drees, Strothmann discussed all of the details for the construction of the refugee accommodation and set all of the necessary internal processes in motion at Pfleiderer. The building in Lübbecke will be completed at the beginning of February 2017. It will consist of two blocks of flats linked together by a covered staircase. For three to four years, the building will provide a safe and healthy home for up to 35 refugees. It will then be given over to the municipality to be used as social housing. “I see wood as being the ideal 21st century building material for ecological, sustainable construction. In relation to this, the issue of air quality in residential spaces is becoming increasingly important. For example, Munich’s city municipality has introduced a blanket ban on integrating boards that contain terpenes.” And Mario Drees is confident that this decision “will not remain the only one of its kind.” The new refugee accommodation in Lübbecke is a good example of this.
