Technical Insight: Openings and Fillings

The next step in the technical solution for the beekeeping laboratory involves the fillings of window and door openings. This construction detail has a fundamental impact not only on the building's internal microclimate but also on its security, durability, and daily operation.

Windows and Steel Frames

The window openings are fitted with steel frames welded directly on-site. We therefore have custom-made fillings, which is a standard procedure. This simplified our logistics and contributed to the practical training of local workers, opening doors for us to support the teaching of welding and fabrication crafts. We intend to focus on this systematically once the site is stably connected to the public power grid. If everything goes according to plan, this could happen as early as next summer.

Insect Protection and Ventilation

A specific feature is the insect screens installed in the ventilation openings within the masonry. These ventilation openings are created by the specific bonding of bricks laid on their sides (shiners), naturally creating small ventilation ducts through the brick cavities. The screens are stretched across wooden frames, ensuring the space can be constantly ventilated passively without insects entering the laboratory interior. We will be adding insect screens to the windows next season to allow for more intensive ventilation.

This solution also has an important safety dimension. Inside the laboratory, work will involve honey and beeswax, the processing of which naturally attracts bees, which can be more aggressive, especially during harvest periods. By installing screens, we minimize the risk of them entering the workspace and the associated danger of stings. This protection is also vital regarding mosquitoes, which are present in the area year-round, particularly in increased numbers at dusk.

Doors and Security

We chose wooden doors in welded steel frames. For security purposes, the entrance doors are supplemented with lockable steel grilles, which protect the laboratory equipment during the staff's absence and increase the overall security of the campus.

Roof Overhangs and Microclimate

The roof overhang ensures that the perimeter structures are protected from direct rain and excessive sunlight, with their primary function being shading; the overhang is smaller on the more exposed northern side. The roof extension contributes significantly to extending the lifespan of the facade layers as well as the window and door structures themselves, while simultaneously helping to stabilize the building's internal microclimate by reducing interior overheating.

The roof truss design also took insect protection into account. The roof construction and the gap between the building's height levels create a so-called basilica strip of natural lighting, which is filled with polycarbonate sheets. At the contact points of the structures and ventilation gaps, this strip is supplemented with insect screens to maintain natural light and ventilation without insects entering the lab. The truss structure itself is treated with a coating of used engine oil, which serves as an effective protection against insects—predominantly termites in this case—and increases the lifespan of the wooden structure.