Question 1

Why is orientation the first decision when building a house?

Accepted Answer

The orientation of the house is decided when you choose the plot and at the first sketch, and it can never be changed afterwards — you cannot turn a house around. Poor orientation adds heating and cooling costs for the whole life of the house.

Question 2

Why does the mass of the wall structure matter?

Accepted Answer

A heavy, solid wall — for example Liapor expanded-clay lightweight concrete at 1,600 kg/m³ — holds heat: it keeps the interior cool in summer and stable in winter. You cannot add mass to the walls afterwards.

Question 3

What makes a house mould-free?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the wall build-up and its hygrothermal design, which must be right at the design stage. A vapour-open (diffusion-open) wall build-up lets moisture pass through but does not let it condense inside the wall. It can only be corrected later by opening up the entire wall structure.

Question 4

What is the digital backbone?

Accepted Answer

The cabling and conduit network running inside the walls, which carries the house’s current and future smart functions. Before plastering it can be installed for a fraction of the cost; afterwards every metre means breaking into the wall. From 2040, smart metering and control are expected to be mandatory in all new buildings.

Question 5

Why plan the building services in advance?

Accepted Answer

The position and piping of the heat pump, rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse are decided at the foundation stage. Without preparation, modern building services can later be installed only at a disproportionate cost, or not at all — while from 2030 the EU expects every new building to have near-zero energy demand.

Question 6

When should the roof be prepared for solar panels?

Accepted Answer

When the roof structure is designed, the structure must be able to carry the panels and the cable route must be ready. On a prepared roof, solar panels can be fitted at any time; strengthening a roof afterwards is a separate, costly project.

Question 7

Why is the window size final?

Accepted Answer

The openings are built together with the facade and cannot be changed later. Well-sized glazing and fixed shading let the winter sun in and keep the summer sun out — passively, with no mechanical systems.

Criterion	Conventional house	Bolygóbarát Ház
Indoor temperature	Fluctuates with the outside weather	Constant: the mass of the Liapor structure keeps the house 3–5 °C cooler in summer, without added cooling
Noise	Sound carrying in from the street and from neighbours	Rw ≥ 56 dB inside, ≥ 63 dB outside — the traffic stays outside
Fresh air	Opened windows, draughts, cooling down	Heat-recovery ventilation, 250–300 m³/h — the air is exchanged automatically, without heat loss
Humidity	Condensation, risk of mould	Vapour-permeable (diffusion-open), breathing wall — moisture passes through, no mould
Natural light	Smaller windows, darker rooms	Large glazed areas, 3.5–5 m ceiling height — more diffuse light all day
Interior materials	Plastics, VOC emissions	VOC-free, natural paints and finishes — clean indoor air

Health — on measurable foundations

Six dimensions where you feel the difference — and can measure it

Feel the difference — the air, the quiet.