Industrial renovation in Kambja
The apartment building, constructed with a reinforced concrete structure in the early 1980s, is located in a small Estonian village beside a forest grove. It is the middle one of three identical buildings and the last one to be renovated. While the facades of the neighboring buildings are in brighter colors (green and white), the residents of this building chose a natural sand-colored tone. For the finishing of the loggias facing the forest grove, black glass was used, adding a modern touch to the building.
What sets this apartment building’s renovation apart is the use of industrial renovation for the facade work. Industrial renovation is an innovative method for insulating old buildings, jointly developed by researchers from Tallinn University of Technology and Estonia’s leading housing manufacturers. The primary advantage over traditional renovation is the absence of scaffolding and the significantly faster execution time for facade work.
The building, originally constructed in 1982, underwent a comprehensive renovation in 2024. This reinforced concrete panel structure was insulated with factory-produced timber-framed insulated panels (facade elements). The apartment building has two entrances, five floors, and a total of 30 apartments. For the renovation of this type of building (with a net floor area of 2311 m²), a total of 1495 m² of insulated facade elements were manufactured.
The structural design of the building remained unchanged—windows, doors, and loggias retained their original sizes, with only the facade’s appearance being modified. A natural, long-lasting, mass-colored fiber cement board was used. The building’s functionality and spatial layout were not altered, but thanks to the renovation, heating costs decreased by at least 55%. A heat recovery ventilation system was installed, along with an automatic smoke extraction system. Windows and ventilation ducts were pre-installed in the elements at the factory, and the facade elements were finished externally to nearly 100% completion. Since the ventilation system is integrated into the window openings, there was no need for extensive additional work inside the apartments.
To determine the optimal fastening solution for the facade elements, test samples were drilled from the building’s foundation and analyzed in TalTech’s laboratory to assess the concrete quality. Pull tests were also conducted to ensure the feasibility of this facade element installation method and technical solution. All facade elements across the building’s full height are supported by brackets anchored into the foundation, with only wind clips securing the upper edges. A laser scan of the building was conducted to create a 3D model, ensuring precise design and integration of the facade elements.
The materials used in the facade elements are as natural as possible and ensure proper moisture control for the exterior walls, allowing accumulated moisture from previous decades to safely dry out from the building’s concrete structures. To enhance fire safety, mineral wool was used around the facade and openings, and airflow within individual facade elements was restricted to prevent wind corridors.
After renovation, the building’s energy class is C, with an energy efficiency rating of 130 kWh/(m²a).
Construction timeline – total duration: 6 months
The facade work execution time on-site:
+ Installation of load-bearing brackets: 7 working days (including additional pull tests)
+ Installation of elements: 14 working days
+ Final finishing work: 21 days (connecting elements, balcony connections, etc.)
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