Method of erecting walls, and form elements therefor

Method for erecting walls, in particular exterior walls, of a building, by means of form elements with insulating inlays. The interior of the form blocks or of form elements is thereby divided in the longitudinal direction of the walls into two regions by a layer of heat-insulating material. A layer of readily heat-conducting material is inserted in the region towards the exterior surface of the wall and a layer of heat-retaining material is inserted in the region towards the interior of the wall. A pipe is disposed in the layer of heat-retaining material for conducting a carrier medium for selectively heating and cooling. Another pipe may be placed in the layer of heat-conducting material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to a method for erecting walls, in particular 
exterior walls of buildings, by means of form elements which are formed 
with insulation inserts, and to a component for producing the walls of a 
building. 
The present invention is based on the premise that heat and cooling medium 
collected in an environmental collector can be utilized in conditioning 
rooms disposed in buildings, inasmuch as the carrier medium of the 
environmental collector is used for heating or cooling the walls of the 
building. It must thereby be taken into consideration that the temperature 
prevailing in the rooms of buildings is to be maintained at a constant 
value of approximately from 22.degree. C. to 25.degree. C., while the 
ambient temperature outside the building is subject to wide fluctuations, 
which, in addition, may take place within short periods of time. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method of 
erecting walls, and form elements therefor, which overcomes the 
hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of 
this general type and which walls allow the building to be heated or 
cooled in cooperation with an environmental collector. 
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in 
accordance with the invention, a method for erecting walls of a building, 
which comprises: 
providing form elements with insulating inlays for a wall of a building, 
dividing the form elements in a longitudinal direction of the wall to be 
built by means of an insulating layer of a heat-insulating material into 
an outer region towards an exterior surface of the wall and an inner 
region towards an interior surface of the wall; 
inserting a heat-conducting layer of readily heat-conducting material in 
the outer region defined in the form element; 
inserting a heat-retaining layer of heat-retaining material in the inner 
region region defined in the form element; 
inserting a pipe into the heat-retaining layer for conducting a carrier 
medium for heating and cooling the wall; and 
joining the form elements together for erecting the walls of the building. 
In other words, the interior of the form blocks is divided into two regions 
by means of a layer of a heat-insulating material extending in the 
longitudinal direction of the walls. The layer of readily heat-conducting 
material is provided in the region towards the exterior wall surface (the 
outer region), and a layer of heat-retaining material is provided in the 
region towards the interior surface of the wall (the inner region). A pipe 
is inserted in at least the layer of heat-retaining material. The pipe 
conducts the carrier medium for selectively heating and cooling. 
A pipe for conducting the carrier medium for heating or cooling is 
preferably also installed in the layer of readily heat-conducting 
material. The region of the wall facing the room is brought to the desired 
room temperature by means of the carrier medium which flows through those 
pipes which are located in the layer of heat-retaining material. Due to 
the heat-retaining properties of that layer, the desired temperature level 
is maintained at a largely constant value. In contrast, the carrier medium 
flowing in those pipes which are disposed in the layer of highly 
heat-conducting material, cause a quick heating or a quick cooling of the 
outer region of the wall, depending on the quickly changing outside 
temperatures, so as to be able to maintain the desired room temperature. 
The transfer of the outside temperature into the rooms is hindered with 
the insulating layer disposed between these two layers. 
The layer of readily heat-conducting material is preferably formed as a 
static support layer, i.e. a structural support. Further, that layer is 
preferably provided with a supplement of heat-conducting material, as for 
instance metallic powder. 
In contrast, the layer of heat-retaining material is preferably formed of 
clay, mud, light concrete, or the like. The layer of heat-insulating 
material may be formed of mineral wool, glass wool, slag wool, cork, or 
the like. 
In a preferred embodiment, the layer of heat-retaining material has a 
thickness which is about twice that of the layer of readily 
heat-conducting material and of the layer of insulating material. 
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is also provided, in 
accordance with the invention, a form block element for walls of a 
building, comprising: a form block defining longitudinal walls with an 
exterior surface and an interior surface, respectively, and transverse 
walls extending between the longitudinal walls, the longitudinal walls and 
the transverse walls defining an interior space of the form block; an 
insulating layer formed of heat-insulating material disposed in the 
interior space and extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal 
walls, the insulating layer dividing the form block into an outer region 
facing towards the exterior surface and an inner region facing towards the 
interior surface; a heat-conducting layer of readily heat-conducting 
material disposed in the outer region; a heat-retaining layer of 
heat-retaining material disposed in the inner region; and the transverse 
walls each having an opening formed therein for receiving a pipe, and a 
pipe extending through the opening and along the heat-retaining layer for 
conducting a carrier medium for selectively heating and cooling the wall. 
Again in other words, a component for use with the method as outlined above 
may be formed as a (concrete) form block with at least one opening formed 
at each transverse wall thereof for receiving a pipe. It is furthermore 
preferably provided at its interior wall with two mutually opposite 
grooves as seen in its longitudinal direction, in which grooves a plate of 
heat-insulating material is attachable. Such a component element is built, 
in particular, of insulating material such as wood fiber, straw, or the 
like. 
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the form block element 
further comprises two grooves formed on an interior surface of each of the 
transverse walls and disposed opposite one another in a longitudinal 
direction of the form block, the grooves being adapted to receive and 
retain the insulating layer in the form of a plate of heat-insulating 
material. 
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the form block is 
essentially formed of insulating material, preferably of mineralized wood 
fiber or straw. 
With the objects of the invention in view there yet again provided, in 
accordance with the invention, a form element for erecting walls of a 
building, comprising: a first plate defining an exterior surface of a wall 
of a building, a second plate defining an interior surface of the wall 
extending substantially parallel to the first plate, the plates defining 
an interior space therebetween, cross-bars extending in the interior space 
between the first and second plates, the cross-bars being articulated at 
the plates in a hinge-like fashion; an insulating layer formed of 
heat-insulating material disposed in the interior space and extending 
substantially parallel to the longitudinal walls, the insulating layer 
dividing the interior space into an outer region towards the first plate 
and an inner region towards the second plate; a heat-conducting layer of 
readily heat-conducting material disposed in the outer region; and a 
heat-retaining layer of heat-retaining material disposed in the inner 
region. 
As above, a pipe is provided, in accordance with a further feature of the 
invention, which extends along the heat-retaining layer for conducting a 
carrier medium for selectively heating and cooling the wall. 
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the insulating layer 
is formed as a plate insert, and the element further comprises groove bars 
disposed on the cross-bars for retaining the plate insert. 
With the objects of the invention in view, there is finally provided, an 
exterior wall of a building, comprising a heat-conducting layer formed of 
readily heat-conducting material oriented substantially parallel to an 
exterior wall surface of a building, an insulating layer formed of 
insulating material disposed adjacent the conducting layer, and a 
heat-retaining layer formed of heat-retaining material disposed adjacent 
the insulating layer, and pipes extending in the heat-conducting layer for 
a carrier medium for selectively heating and cooling the wall. 
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, a pipe for the 
carrier medium extends in the heat-retaining layer. 
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are 
set forth in the appended claims. 
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a 
method of erecting walls, and form elements therefor, it is nevertheless 
not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various 
modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing 
from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of 
equivalents of the claims. 
The construction of the invention, however, together with additional 
objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following 
description of the specific embodiment when read in connection with the 
accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, 
particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a portion of a wall of a 
building which is erected by joining form blocks 1, one adjacent to the 
other. The form blocks 1 are preferably provided, at the external surfaces 
of the transverse walls, with a tongue 11 and a corresponding groove 12. 
The interior of the form blocks 1 is divided into two regions (an outer 
region on the side of the exterior wall surface and an inner region on the 
side of the interior wall surface) by means of a plate 3 of insulating 
material. The plate 3 is inserted in two grooves 31 provided at the inner 
surfaces of the transverse walls. 
A layer 4 of readily heat-conducting material is placed in the outer region 
(facing towards the exterior surface of the wall). A layer 5 of 
heat-retaining material is placed in the inner region (facing the interior 
surface). Pipes 6 and 7 are placed at the top of these layers, which pipes 
can be supplied with a carrier medium for supplying or removing heat 
(heating or cooling). 
The form blocks 1 are preferably formed from cement-glued or plastic glued 
mineralized excelsior (wood fiber), from straw, or from another insulating 
material. 
The layer 3 consists of a plate of glass wool, mineral wool, slag wool, 
cork, or the like. 
The layer 4, which is a static support layer, is formed of concrete with 
supplements serving to increase its heat conductivity, such as metal 
powder. 
The layer 5 consists of clay, mud, or concrete with heat-storing or 
heat-retaining supplements. 
A carrier medium from an environmental collector for heating or cooling is 
conducted through the pipe 6, whereby, depending on the prevailing outside 
temperatures, the region facing the exterior surface of the wall is either 
heated or cooled. Because the layer 4 is produced from a readily 
heat-conducting material, the temperature thereof can be quickly adjusted 
to the climatic conditions. In contrast, the carrier medium flowing 
through the pipes 7 brings the layer 5 near the temperature which is 
desired for the interior rooms. Because the layer 5 is produced from a 
material with good heat-retaining capacity, a uniform temperature level is 
assured. 
With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the form element 2 consists of two plates 
21 produced from insulating material. The two plates 21 are connected to 
one another via cross-bars 22 which are articulated thereon in a 
hinge-like manner. The cross-bars 22 are provided with a molding strip 24 
or similar groove bar, into which plates 23 of insulating material are 
inserted. For the purpose of erecting a wall, layers of a readily 
heat-conducting material and of a heat-retaining material, respectively, 
are inserted into the spaces between the plates 21 and 23. Furthermore, 
pipes for conducting a carrier medium are laid in. Reference is had, in 
this context, to the above explanation with regard to the exemplary 
embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2. 
The particular advantage of such form elements is found in the fact that 
they can be transported to the construction site in a folded, i.e. 
collapsed, condition. There they are provided with plates 23 by means of 
which they are held in a position necessary for receiving the filling with 
the other layers. 
The method according to the invention is particularly suited for erecting 
exterior walls of buildings which are then heated or cooled by means of a 
carrier medium provided by an environmental collector. The method can, 
however, also be utilized in erecting interior walls. The present 
invention also pertains to the exterior walls of buildings which have the 
discussed structural configuration. 
Environmental collectors which are suitable are solar energy collectors, 
heat collectors, earth reservoir heat pumps, or the like.