The paper presents the problems connected with preserved examples of buildings in Upper Silesia that contain the elements of half-timbered walls. This type of construction currently characterizes houses of various utility functions. Often, their formation was related to the construction of patron settlements, accompanied by the development of industrial plants. Today, there is a problem of insufficient thermal insulation of barriers in half-timbered houses and numerous attempts to improve their thermal parameters are observed. In this type of projects, the correct determination of the existing state in terms of construction of the barrier and thermal protection seems to be important, as the starting points for further analysis. The study determines the insulation of frame walls with ceramic fill, with a variety of material and construction solutions. Literature examples and in situ measurements results were used for the research

The paper discusses the conservation state of selected examples of historical objects preserved in the Silesia Province, having a complex structure with the elements of Prussian wall. They can be found mainly in the so-called company towns created in the late 19 ^th century. The work presents the structural and architectural details characteristic for such objects, with the emphasis on different technical condition of the structural and finishing elements. External envelopes were evaluated in terms of their thermal insulation and humidity condition, depending on their structure, type of material and location, using theoretical and calculation methods. Due to historical value of the buildings and special character of the façade, the paper suggests that the material values, thermal conductivity and humidity level of the envelopes should be closely identified to provide a basis for further analyses.

The energy-efficient renovation of historic buildings requires solutions that improve thermal performance while preserving their architectural character. This study investigates the influence of architectural detail geometry on the thermal performance of historic masonry walls using a case study of the historic psychiatric hospital complex in Rybnik, Poland. Four characteristic architectural details, including cornices, brick projections, a semicircular arch, and a reinforced-concrete cornice, were analysed. For each detail, four construction variants were considered, taking into account different wall thicknesses and the presence or absence of an air cavity, resulting in sixteen two-dimensional numerical models. Thermal analyses were performed using the THERM 7.6 software based on the finite element method. The temperature distribution and selected thermal parameters were used to assess the effect of detail geometry on local thermal conditions. The results indicate that architectural details can significantly modify the local temperature field and surface temperature, while their influence on global thermal parameters may be less pronounced. The analysed cases demonstrate that the actual geometry of preserved architectural details should be considered in the thermal assessment of historic masonry walls, particularly when planning energy-efficiency improvements that require the preservation of existing façades.

Obniżanie zużycia energii w budynkach doprowadziło do coraz powszechniejszego osiągania standardów budynków energetycznych i pasywnych, w których zapotrzebowanie na ciepło wynosi od 15 do 80 kWh/m2. Poprawa rozwiązań w zakresie stanu ochrony cieplnej przegród zewnętrznych oraz technologii pozyskujących energię doprowadziło do pojawienia się budynków zeroenergetycznych. Autorzy podjęli próbę opisu i ocenę wybranych rozwiązań budynku plusenergetycznego. Celem opracowania jest ocena rozwiązań w zakresie ochrony cieplnej wybranych przegród zewnętrznych budynku o obniżonym zużyciu energii. Przedmiotowy budynek został zrealizowany w technologii lekkiego szkieletu drewnianego. Przegrody zewnętrzne pełne (ściana, stropodach, podłoga na gruncie) charakteryzują się bardzo wysokim oporem cieplnym. Aby uzyskać niską wartość współczynnika przenikania ciepła zastosowano izolację termiczną typu VIP. W budynku zamontowano stolarkę okienną o zróżnicowanej izolacyjności termicznej. W celu zwiększenia akumulacyjności cieplnej wykorzystano materiały zmienno-fazowe. W zrealizowanym obiekcie wykorzystano zarówno pasywne jak i aktywne systemy pozyskiwania energii. Konwersja promieniowania słonecznego na energię elektryczną była możliwa poprzez zróżnicowane rodzaje ogniw PV

The paper presents select in situ and numerical investigations related to improving the energy efficiency of historic buildings. Using the case study of a historic timber building as an example, the procedure of the in situ investigation of its existing condition is presented. This procedure included measuring the moisture of the timber elements, determining the presence of fungi, mold, and wood-destroying insects, infrared camera inspection, and measuring the microclimate of the rooms. According to the conclusions of the building survey report, conservation guidelines were proposed. On the basis of those proposed guidelines, thermal upgrades were suggested, including insulation on the inside of the envelope components. Detailed numerical calculations were provided for the proposed thermal insulation systems. Those included a hygrothermal performance evaluation in the context of the change in the moisture content of timber elements in the insulated envelope components. The risk of mold development on the surface of selected junctions was also estimated. The key outcome of this study is a proprietary procedure for improving the thermal protection quality of envelope components of historic timber buildings.