Solutions for airtight passive building

'The combination of insulation and air sealing should always be the starting point'

For around 40 years, the name Celdex has been linked to the development and production of plastic foam sealing products for the building and industry sectors. While in the early days the emphasis was on specific solutions for the roof and facade sector, the company, which is based in Boxtel, can now rightfully call itself the sealant specialist in the building and industry sectors. A status that is proven once again in the field of airtight passive building, a discipline for which Celdex offers the required expertise and a wide range of solutions and quality products.

Within the industrialization of construction, Celdex has been at the forefront with a diverse range of 'dry' sealing products for many years. "Metal, concrete and wooden sandwich panels and even complete houses are increasingly rolling off the assembly line completely prefabricated," says Jos ten Brincke, Sales Manager Airtight Construction at Celdex. "It is a development that is also changing the approach in terms of sealing technology and products. Celdex understands this like no other. And this is reflected, among other things, in the solutions we offer the market. As a developer and manufacturer of plastic foam sealing products for the end user, we make a product that can be completely prefabricated in a conditioned environment. As a result, not only is the element in question guaranteed to be airtight, it can also be installed immediately upon arrival on site. It couldn't be easier."

Eye for detail

Choosing Celdex is choosing customization. Customer demand is and always will be the starting point within the company walls of the Brabant-based company. Ten Brincke confirms it: "When we look for a solution for our customers, we always look very specifically at the detail. What is required? Is it about air sealing alone? Does the sealant also have to be resistant to driving rain or UV radiation, for example? Just a few questions that we put to the customer one-on-one and consider during the selection of the most suitable product. The result is a solution that optimally meets the wishes and needs of the end user. Only then are we satisfied."

Two-Unit 

That solution increasingly relates to airtight passive construction, a trick to which Celdex is making a solid contribution and which is especially linked to the construction of so-called passive houses. "When constructing passive houses, homes with extremely low energy requirements, it is important to position them as well as possible, prevent thermal bridges and provide the houses with high-quality technical systems for heating and ventilation," Ten Brincke said. 

"Typically, you then talk about a heat pump with low-temperature floor heating and a ventilation unit with heat recovery, respectively. But even more important is the shell of the house, a bi-unit consisting of insulation and air sealing. That should always be the starting point. The explanation for this is simple. Almost every new house must be built gas-free. And that has consequences for the way of heating and creating comfort in the living environment. To get all that to the desired level, without drafts or other unpleasant conditions, airtight construction is a requirement. After all, what you don't lose in terms of heat, you don't need to supplement."    

Passive house: active low-energy building 

A passive house, a home with extremely low energy requirements, should not consume more than 15 kWh/m2 annually for space heating. To retain heat, a passive house must have good insulation and high-quality sealing. Such features prevent heated indoor air from escaping to the outside and air from outside from entering the house. Celdex offers a wide range of plastic foam sealing products that serve custom window frame manufacturers and timber frame manufacturers, among others.