Alba

Albabalance
Efficient room temperature management with innovative PCM plasterboards.

Where energy efficiency increases comfort.

Energy-efficient construction is the order of the day. However, demand for maximum indoor comfort is also increasing. The new Albabalance plasterboards allow you to efficiently reconcile both of these targets whilst saving energy. This is made possible by the innovative microcapsules with phase-change material (PCM). These ensure that surplus heat in walls and floors is latently stored and automatically released again when temperatures drop.

Albabalance plasterboards for a balanced indoor climate.

Phase-change material PCM as latent heat storage
Phase-change material (PCM) is able to soak up large quantities of thermal energy and retain it for long periods of time with very little loss. This is made possible by high-quality paraffins which change physical state between solid and liquid: when they melt upon reaching a particular temperature, they absorb the resulting thermal energy (heat of fusion), which is then released again upon solidifying. This phase transition can be repeated as many times as required.

Plasterboard as a natural thermostat

The innovative Albabalance plasterboard construction material contains specially developed PCM microcapsules which change phase within humans comfort zone (23C or 26C). If the room temperature exceeds these values, then the excess heat is absorbed by the boards. If the temperatures should drop again, this heat is returned to the environment. This creates natural regulation of the indoor climate without the need for an external energy source.

Increased comfort all year round

Albabalance plasterboards with PCM microcapsules ensure an even room temperature whatever the time of year in summer and winter alike. This makes them an ideal panelling material for partition walls, wall linings and claddings as well as for suspended ceilings. The fact that they do not simply increase comfort but also reduce heating and cooling costs makes them a worthwhile investment in building efficiency, environmental protection and quality of life.

According to a study conducted by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), buildings are the cause of around 40% of all CO2 emissions in industrial nations. Energy-efficient construction using Albabalance plasterboards thus makes an active contribution to climate protection.

Delay overheating, reduce peak loads.

Temperature peak shifting
Whilst classic (plasterboard) drywall panels heat and cool in parallel with the intensity of the heat input, Alba
Temperature T Temperatur T

balance plasterboards break up the heat peaks. This is due to the latent heat storage properties of the PCM
Tm

microcapsules used: when the phase transition (from solid to liquid and vice versa) is initiated, the temperature of the board remains at its current level and only further increases or decreases once this process has been fully
Time t Heat input Classic drywall panels (plasterboard) Plasterboards with PCM

completed. This means that excessive maximum temperatures due to intense sunshine or heating or to waste heat from machines and appliances can be significantly delayed. This peak shifting effect reduces energy requirements for the mechanical re-cooling of excess heat, or allows the heat surplus to be postponed to times when it will not be disruptive or can even be used (e.g. when the heat output drops during the evening).

Since classic (plasterboard) drywall panels offer sensitive heat storage, heating runs in parallel to heat radiation. For boards with PCM, however, this process persists for longer at their defined phase change temperature. This gives rise to a peak shift, i.e. a time delay in the temperature change.

Temperature smoothing
Heat storage Heat output

Since the PCM microcapsules store the absorbed heat and release it again once the room temperature drops below the predefined value, Albabalance plasterboards

Temperature T

reduce temperature fluctuations. In order to achieve the desired effect within the human comfort zone, the choice
Tm

of board type is governed by the need for the correct phase change temperature (23 or 26C). Temperature smoothing should not be confused with an air-conditioning or heating system, as the PCM
Classic drywall panels (plasterboard) Plasterboards with PCM Heat Q

microcapsules do not generate any heat or cold but instead simply temporarily store it. However, this can be used to lower the peak load of mechanical air-conditioning and significantly reduce heating consumption.

Excess heat is stored by the PCM microcapsules during phase changes and rereleased when required. This results in a smaller temperature fluctuation amplitude and thus a more uniform room temperature.

Temperature equalisation with Albabalance plasterboards.

Keep wall temperatures in the comfort zone
The fact that the PCM microcapsules in Albabalance plasterboards offer a reduction in fluctuations between lightweight walls has been proven with measurements conducted in a reference room of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, Germany (Albabalance test report). This measured the wall temperatures of a simple panelled lightweight wall with 12mm (plasterboard) drywall and a plasterboard wall consisting of 2 x 12.5mm PCM boards with a melting point of 26C. The results conclusively demonstrated that the peak levels of PCM boards remained consistently below those of lightweight boards.
20 160 162 164 166 168 170 28

Wall temperature (C)

30

Temperature (C) Temperatur (C)

maximum and minimum wall temperatures compared to

26

24

22

Day of the year Classic drywall panels (plasterboard) Plasterboards with PCM

Albabalance plasterboards ensure reductions of up to 2K in wall temperature measurements compared to classic (plasterboard) drywall panels.

Reduce maximum room temperatures

30

Room temperature (C)

Walls heat absorption and emission properties have a significant effect on room temperature.
Temperature Temperatur (C) (C)
29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 160

Measurements conducted in a reference room on various drywall varieties attest to this. Classic (plasterboard) drywall panels have the widest fluctuations and reach the highest temperature in the course of the day. Due to their higher mass, conventional Alba (solid) plasterboards already produce slightly lower maximum temperatures. However, the top performers were Albabalance plasterboards with PCM microcapsules: thanks to their latent heat storage properties, the peak values can be reduced by another 1.5K. In addition, a long-term comparison shows a considerable reduction in temperature fluctuation amplitude.

165

170

175

180

Day of the year Classic drywall panels (plasterboard) Classic plasterboard panel (solid plaster) Plasterboards with PCM

For walls with Albabalance plasterboards, the room temperatures measured over a longer period of time remained consistently in the comfort zone between 22 and 25C (with the exception of a handful of peaks and troughs).

Summer and winter, day and night.

26C 19C

Comfort through natural temperature equalisation

An even room temperature increases the productivity and physical comfort of those in the room. As the PCM

24C

19C

microcapsules introduced into the plaster ensure natural temperature equalisation, Albabalance plasterboards are able to achieve this with considerably reduced use of energy. The boards also release the heat evenly, ensuring that there is no difference in temperature between the floor and ceiling. Draughts and other unpleasant side effects of mechanical air-conditioning systems are also reduced.

17C

19C

Classic drywall panels (plasterboard)

Plasterboard with PCM

Albabalance plasterboards emit heat evenly, largely neutralising temperature differences between floor and ceiling.

Phase transition

Increased comfort thanks to effective thermal insulation in summer

Highly effective insulation and airtight construction
sensitive

Temperature T

methods in buildings with large windows prevent trapped heat from escape back outside. Albabalance plasterboards offer an easy solution to this problem: as they absorb ambient heat above the comfort

Tm
sensitive

latent

sensitive

Classic drywall panels (plasterboard) Plasterboards with PCM Heat Q

zone and then rerelease it when there is sufficient nighttime ventilation (air exchange rate of 3 to 4), they ensure efficient heat insulation in summer.

Under strong sunlight, classic (plasterboard) drywall panels heat up in parallel to the heat input. With Albabalance plasterboards, on the other hand, the heat is absorbed by the PCM microcapsules.

Dynamic heat capacity, based on layer thickness [kJ/(m K)]

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000

Save space with more compact space storage

Slowing down heating in summer and cooling in winter requires as high wall thicknesses as possible in solid construction. With phase-change material (PCM), this heat exchange requires significantly reduced weight and mass. A plasterboard partition wall with 2.5cm Albabalance panels on each side (+ 5cm insulation) can store as much heat as a brick wall 20cm thick. This saves space and increases the yield of commercial properties.

Concrete Sand-lime brick Brick Lightweight Wood Glass wool Albabalance

The dynamic heat capacity of Albabalance plasterboards in the PCM microcapsule melting range (21 to 24C) compared to walls made of conventional construction materials.

Increase comfort and save energy with Albabalance plasterboards.

Case study Minergie-P-Eco residential building: soak up the sun and enjoy comfort.
In order to ensure optimal implementation of the thermal storage mass in the timber structure, together with the timber structural engineer and the energy planner we sought alternatives to complicated and bulky solutions. We eventually concluded that Albabalance plasterboards were very well suited to our directly solar powered house concept primarily because they are thinner and significantly lighter than other options. We used Albabalance plasterboards for walls and ceilings in rooms which receive high levels of heat from the sun. This provides additional sound insulation for ceiling areas, improves the indoor climate in summer and helps to store heat in winter. The additional production cost expenditure of approx. 1.25% is easily justified by the increase in living comfort and the anticipated energy savings. Stephan Spaar, HTL-qualified architect, partner at 5 Architekten AG
Property: apartment building on Poststrasse, Spreitenbach Use: 7 freehold apartments across 3 floors and one attic floor Developer: Poststrasse construction consortium, c/o 5 Architekten AG, Wettingen Architecture and planning: 5 Architekten AG, Wettingen Energy planner: Solararchitektur GmbH, Chur Timber structure: Timbatec GmbH, Thun

Case study private villa in Tessin: eco-friendly construction and healthy living.
In this property, thermal mass for heat storage was lost due to the internal insulation required for the exposed concrete faade. We assessed a number of scenarios which might compensate for this loss, and the option of using a construction material containing PCM emerged as the ideal solution. Its low space requirements, high storage capability and ease of processing were the key factors in this decision. We used the new Albabalance plasterboards as panelling for walls and ceilings in rooms which receive high levels of heat from the sun, and also as internal insulation for the faade walls. Since environmental protection and healthy living is very important to us, we were happy to accept the marginal cost increase. Jean-Patrick Jaccard, STS/OTIA-qualified architect, proprietor of Studio darchitettura
Property: Private villa on the Via i Qudra, Novaggio Architecture: Studio darchitettura Jean-Patrick Jaccard, Caslano Energy planner: Moggio Engineering SA, Bioggio

Where you create sustainability in construction.

Albabalance plasterboards do more than simply provide your construction projects with efficient passive climate regulation they also make an effective contribution to protecting the environment. Thanks to their excellent ecological credentials, they can be seamlessly included in the efforts for sustainable construction and to improve buildings energy efficiency. Their technical and economic advantages are winning over those responsible for their active implementation.

Albabalance plasterboards for eco-friendly construction concepts.

Energy-efficient construction concepts

Intelligent construction in accordance with the Minergie-P-Eco standard or with low-energy, passive or self-sufficient active housing concepts could sustainably reduce Switzerlands CO2 emissions. As an ecologically responsible construction material, Albabalance plasterboards can help to achieve this goal. Their thermo-active properties increase individual wellbeing in buildings with thick shells, and solve the issue of heat insulation for large windows in summer without additional (or with hugely reduced) energy consumption.

Enormous potential for old buildings

According to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the energy needs of all Swiss residential and commercial buildings can be reduced by 50 to 70% in the long term. As well as for new builds, there is great potential for saving energy by renovating old buildings. However, so-called surface renovation is still very widespread when restoring existing buildings. Albabalance plasterboards can be used to quickly and economically introduce thermal mass into old buildings, motivating the homeowners to ecologically upgrade their holdings.

Closed cycles for construction materials

Albabalance plasterboards achieve an excellent ecological balance. Made from the natural raw material plaster and non-toxic paraffins for the PCM microcapsules, they are totally harmless to humans. Considerate management of Rigips Swiss quarries and their subsequent renaturalisation, energyefficient panel production, short transport distances and the recycling of waste and dismantled building materials all serve to protect the environment and ensure a closed cycle.

Together with ecologically responsible construction methods, technical installations and energy systems, a buildings ecological balance is also affected by its construction materials, as well as their transport and disposal. This means that the entire life-cycle from cradle to grave must be considered as a whole.

Environmentally sound and economically attractive.

Reduction in CO2 emissions
Albabalance plasterboards are manufactured in Rigips Swiss factories using local raw plaster. This ensures short transport distances from the quarry to the production plant and on to the market. The manufacturing process uses cutting-edge, energyefficient, latest generation burners as well as environmentally-friendly natural gas and green electricity. Once installed, the boards do not produce any additional CO2 emissions: in fact, they help to reduce the energy consumption associated with heating and the use of mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning systems, which continue to consume power even after their construction is complete.

As a buildings environmental balance is affected to a considerable extent by the manufacturing processes of the construction products it contains, Rigips is continually reducing its factories CO2 emissions and has also filed binding reduction targets with the federal authorities.

Worthwhile investment
In ideal conditions, energy-efficient refurbishment and the use of PCM materials can entirely remove the need to install air-conditioning systems or considerably reduce the required size of such systems. This significantly lowers investment costs for building service equipment. Thanks to their economic construction, low operating weight and easily-achieved high-quality Q3 surface finish, the minimal additional costs of the boards are negligible. The high level of flexibility as regards changes of use, the removal of the need for drying time and the space gain offered by the plasterboards all provide additional economic benefits.
In light of global warming, investment in mechanical cooling systems is becoming more and more significant. In many cases, installing comparatively cheap Albabalance plasterboards considerably reduce the building service equipment costs.

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Responsible construction with Albabalance plasterboards.

Reduce energy and operating costs
Depending on the buildings construction type and technical equipment, using Albabalance plasterboards can cut cooling energy requirements by up to 50% and also significantly reduce heating consumption. This helps the environment and also lowers operating costs. By removing the need to install mechanical air-conditioning, the purchase of PCM plasterboards will pay off within just a few years. As energy prices will continue to increase over the coming years, the payback period is becoming increasingly short! This combined with the fact that the wall panels have no maintenance costs.
Medium and long term energy prices are demonstrating a purely upward trend for both fossil fuels and electricity. Increasing energy efficiency by constructional means is therefore an ecological and also economical necessity.

Long service life and eco-friendly RiCycling

PCM microcapsules are as ecologically harmless and durable as the natural construction material plaster. RAL endurance testing has demonstrated that the melting and liquefaction process used for heat storage and emission can be repeated indefinitely. This guarantees the Albabalance plasterboards a service life of at least 30 years. Segments and dismantled building materials can be easily reprocessed in the Rigips RiCycling plant, and subsequently used to produce new Alba panels.
In September 2011, Rigips put Switzerlands first reprocessing plant for plaster segments and dismantled plaster building materials into operation in Granges. This move relieves the burden placed on landfills and saves valuable local resources.

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Where people feel comfortable.

Besides their thermo-active properties, Albabalance plasterboards with phase-change material offer all the familiar advantages of drywall construction: a healthy indoor climate without formaldehyde, plasticiser or similar emissions, natural regulation of air humidity, pleasant surface temperatures all year round, excellent sound insulation and maximum flexibility. Their extremely smooth surface provides a perfect appearance. This produces rooms where people feel comfortable at work and at play.

Albabalance plasterboards for new builds and renovations.

Ideal for residential and commercial buildings

Whether conventional or air-conditioned, traditional or complying with the Minergie standard Albabalance plasterboards ensure a balanced room climate anytime, anywhere. This makes them equally suitable for residential homes and industrial, office, commercial and public buildings. As PCM boards also absorb exhaust heat from office equipment and lighting, in many cases they eliminate the need to retrofit air-conditioning systems or devices when renovating older commercial buildings.

Versatile particularly for wooden structures

Albabalance plasterboards have extremely versatile applications as panelling for faade and partition walls or alternatively as cladding for suspended ceilings, wooden beam ceilings and attics. In wooden structures, they enable the thermal mass to be brought up to the level of a solid or conventionally designed building. This creates unprecedented levels of comfort and counters many common preconceptions of timber constructions.

Renovations with interior wall insulation

Energy-efficient improvements are often made to old buildings using interior wall insulation. As these separate the solid external walls from the interior rooms, the heat stabilising effect of the brickwork is lost. The thermo-active properties of PCM compensate for this drawback. Whilst a conventional lightweight faade panel with 2 x 12.5mm (plasterboard) drywall panels achieves a heat storage capacity (Ceff) of approx. 6.00 Wh/m2K, a faade panel using 1 x 25mm Albabalance plasterboards reaches 72.5 Wh/m2K.

Life and work should also be healthy and comfortable in energy-optimised buildings. Albabalance plasterboards help to improve the environmental balance of buildings where they are used, and also to increase comfort levels.

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Albabalance plasterboards for walls and wall panels.

Plasterboard interior wall insulation Plasterboard metal-framed wall

Plasterboard exterior wall in timber structure

Plasterboard cladding for wooden frameworks

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Albabalance plasterboards for ceilings and attic extensions.

Plasterboard cladding for suspended ceilings Plasterboard cladding for wooden beam

Plasterboard cladding for heated/chilled ceilings

Plasterboard attic extension

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Albabalance plasterboards. The choice is yours.

Product range
Melting point Room temperature Latent heat storage (dH) Board type Board size Width x length x thickness Basis weight

23C 26C

300 kJ/m2 330 kJ/m2

Albabalance 23 Albabalance 26

500 x 1000 x 25 mm 500 x 1000 x 25 mm

25 kg/m2 25 kg/m2

Technical data
Identification Gross density Basis weight Latent heat (dH) Specific heat (C ) Total storage capacity (1030C) Flexural strength Hardness (Shore) Compressive strength Shear strength Adhesive strength Building material class (DIN EN 13826:2002-06) Fire class Characteristics Thermal conductivity Water vapour diffusion resistance Processing Surfaces Finish Pale pink approx. 1000 kg/m3 approx. 25 kg/m
2

2
2

300 kJ/m2 = 83 Wh/m2 (operating temperature 23C) 330 kJ/m2 = 91 Wh/m2 (operating temperature 26C) 28.3 kJ/m2 K 866 kJ/m
2 2

approx. 8.8 kg/cm 52 3.9 N/mm

2

1.4 N/mm2 > 0.25 N/mm2 Indicative test B S2 d0 5.3 (flame-retardant, low smoke formation) Ridge and groove profile round all edges 0.27 W/mK 510 Drill, saw or mill, never chisel Spackle in joint areas or all over Paint, wallpaper, top coat or tiles

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Albabalance plasterboards. Good service all round.

Technical advice
Experienced in-house and field service technical advisers support your detailed planning and offer you comprehensive information on all design types. We are also happy to advise you on special requirements, for example walls with high sound insulation requirements or with increased fire protection properties.

Quotations, costings, logistics

Quotation documents and calculation bases are available to you on CD-ROM or on our website. For more complex properties, we prepare a tender if desired and provide the corresponding material lists. It is also our policy to ensure punctual delivery to the construction site using our special cranes.

RiCycling
Thanks to our unique RiCycling concept, we ensure environmentally-sound disposal and reprocessing of plaster segments and dismantled plaster building materials. With each order, you will receive a number of Big Bags delivered to the construction site as collection containers. Full bags are collected by our partners, presorted and delivered to our RiCycling plant. For further information: Tel. 062 887 70 30 or www.rigips.ch/ricycling

www.rigips.ch

Drywall plasterboard. Expansion that makes sense.

Uses
Wall systems

Rigips

Alba

Lightweight walls Faade walls Cladding Suspended ceilings Cladding Coffered acoustic ceilings Jointless acoustic ceilings Dry flooring Lightweight walls and ceilings for large heights and spans Room-in-room constructions Stiffening panels Lightweight walls Faade walls Cladding Dry flooring

Plasterboard walls Partition walls Faade walls Cladding Suspended ceilings Cladding

Ceiling systems

Floor systems Room systems

Timber structures

Prefabrication
Mouldings

Rigips

Domes Panelling

Processing
Plaster and surfaces Auxiliary equipment

Rigips Alba

Adhesive Grout Filler and white plaster Machinery Tools Equipment

Service
Planning and implementation

Rigips Alba

Advice Training and further training Tender/costing Material list Logistics RiCycling

Rigips AG Gewerbepark Postfach 5506 Mgenwil AG Tel: 062 887 44 44 Fax: 062 887 44 45 Email: info@rigips.ch www.rigips.ch

nderungen vorbehalten