Technical Commission 6 - Building Physics

Head of the working group: Dipl.-Ing. Daniel Kehl

The working group is made up of 15 - 20 people from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The working group has finalised the revision of guideline 6-2 ‘Simulation of thermal and moisture-related processes’.

Guideline 6-3 ‘Computational prediction of mould growth risk’ has been revised and is now available as a final version following the expiry of the objection period. The Viitanen model (VTT) was included in the revision, including corresponding graphics.

Guideline 6-8 ‘Moisture-related dimensioning of timber constructions’ is still being revised.

Head of the working group: Dr.-Ing. Anatol Worch

The working group is very large with over 20 registered members. It deals with issues related to interior insulation. So far, the guidelines 6-4 and 6-5 have been published.

The guideline 6-4 "Interior insulation according to WTA I: Planning guideline" was completely revised and republished at the end of 2016. The guideline 6-5 "Interior insulation according to WTA II: Verification of interior insulation systems by means of numerical calculation methods" is from 2014 and is very well recognised among experts.

In 2018, there was a meeting. The revision of guideline 6-5 was suggested. New experience is to be incorporated here; in particular, there is a need for regulation of building components in contact with the ground and driving rain (W-value of 0.2 kg/m∙h0.5). The subject of driving rain should also be discussed with Technical Commission 3 (Eberhard Wendler).

Head of the working group: Dipl.-Ing. Wilfried Walther

Three guidelines on air tightness in existing buildings have been published.

The working group has finalised the revision of the three guidelines on airtightness (planning, execution, measurement). The drafts will be available for free download at the beginning of January 2025.

Head of the working group: Wolfgang Böttcher

The working group was reactivated to continue the revision of the drying guidelines. In addition to many of the old members, new interested parties were also recruited for the working group, including some from the field of monument preservation.

Head of the working group: M. Eng. Benjamin Standecker

The working group was reactivated to continue the revision of the drying guidelines. In addition to many of the old members, new interested parties were also recruited for the working group, including some from the field of monument preservation.

Head of the workig group: Prof. Dr. Philipp Leistner

The working group was founded in 2014 and has started its work.

In the past year, several objects/projects on the topic were dealt with, including the noise sensitivity of historic buildings using the example of Ludwigsburg Palace. They expand the pool of practical experience and are currently being collected, sorted and subsequently evaluated.

The future work of the WG is currently being reoriented. The need is mainly due to the changed standardisation with regard to the new/old building situation.

Head of the working group: Dr.-Ing. Andrea Staar

The working group, which was founded in 2016, currently consists of 19 members.

Code of Practice 6-19 Edition: 03.2025/D "Wall heating, Part 1: Basics" was published in June 2025.

The preparation of the information sheets "Wall heating - Part 2: Planning" and "Wall heating - Part 3: Implementation" has begun.

Head of the working group: Dr.-Ing. Peggy Freudenberg

The overheating protection of buildings is increasingly becoming a challenge in view of climate changes (stronger and longer heat phases) and increasing urbanisation (heat island effect). A focus on the requirements for new buildings does not do justice to this circumstance. We have an enormous building stock that does not offer sufficient protection against heat periods. If we do not want to run the risk of undermining the hard-won winter energy savings through the widespread use of inefficient decentralised air conditioning systems, we need strategies for upgrading the existing building stock.

Before the introduction of normative requirements for the overheating protection of buildings in 1981 (DIN 4108-2:1981 as well as TGL 35424-4), there were no requirements at all for the summer thermal insulation of new buildings. Buildings from the 1970s and before consequently have a considerable overheating risk. Buildings constructed later, from the 1980s to the early 2000s, are also not significantly more stable in terms of indoor climate, as the first version of the standard only set low requirements. For existing buildings, there were and are currently almost no requirements, except for the workplace directive (ASR 3.5 version 2021) with an unhelpful limit value of 35°C. There is also a lack of clarity in the standards for indoor climate stability. Likewise, there is a lack of clarity in the assessment methodology and the selection of suitable improvement measures in terms of indoor climate and design.