Marie Curie Actions: Inspiring Researchers - Imdea

cooperation with appointed researchers. Training was cappedby a two-week fi nal seminar at STU Bratislava’s Faculty of CivilEngineering at the end of the project. The purpose of this seminar,says Dr Rabenseifer, was the improvement and refi nement ofFellows’ skills after they had gained some practical experience.Aside from the development of new software tools, some keyobservations were reported during the project. For example,project partners used the new optimisation models to demonstratethe extent to which thermal insulation thickness infl u-ences the reduction of heating-energy demand in low-energyand passive houses, a very important fi nding of this project.Dr Rabenseifer says he is now deeply involved in follow-upresearch on double-skin façades and curtain walls. Meanwhile,Marie Curie Fellows Enikö Sallai and Milan Janak have beenengaged by industrial partners.‘These researchers are specialists in computer-aided buildingphysical modelling with extensive experience and knowledgeof relevant standards. They [MC Fellows] are now helpingtheir companies to develop tailored computer models ofparticular building types and templates of building details,’says Dr Rabenseifer, emphasising how the Marie Curie Fellowshipshave helped the researchers get ahead.Opening new doors‘Importantly, the newly developed generic model for assessinghome renovation has been a key asset for the university’, saysDr Rabenseifer, ‘allowing us to win a new industrial researchcontract with a major European manufacturer of double façadesand curtain walls.’In addition, knowledge and experience gained during the projecthelped the Slovak academic research partner to successfullyimplement several European standards, including EN ISO 10456 onthe hygrothermal properties of building materials and products.Project acronymCABFull project titleInternational computer-aided building physical modellingType of grantIndustry Academia PartnershipBudgetEUR 235 000Duration of project01-09-2006 - 31-08-2008Scientific disciplineEngineeringLead partnerDr Roman RabenseiferDepartment of Building StructuresFaculty of Civil Engineering at the STU BratislavaRadlinského 11SK-813 68 BratislavaTel. +421 903 552300E-mail: rabens@svf.stuba.skOther partnersAPLAN, Slovakia - EEB, Slovakia - Konieczny Architekten undStadtplaner, Germany - Physibel, Belgium127