What are the main current challenges of a building? Insulation, phase shift, inertia, diffusivity, airtightness, perspiration, thermal bridges, condensation, capillary rise. So many concepts to understand, parameters to implement and above all to master.

 

Since 2008 and the emergence of the EPB, buildings have been understood in terms of energy performance. Today it is a necessary step and an essential study for the design. But what about the feelings of the occupant? What is the pleasure experienced when faced with a material? What are the comfort standards? When and how are these aspects taken into account in the reflection?

 

With OTRA, we try to influence the behavior of the building in our achievements, put it at the service of its occupants by making it ALIVE - ACTIVE. We take into account all the parameters that define a material and its interactions with others to improve comfort and make lasting savings in energy and greenhouse gases (GHGs).

 

At OTRA, we even think of our own office as a lab. We test our feelings about a material or a wall composition before implementing it at a customer's premises. We test the limit comfort temperatures with or without additional heat and this in different environments. Beyond our own experiences and considerations, we also collaborate with the Scientific and Technical Center for Construction (CSTC) which collects physical data on the different wall compositions used in order to draw their own conclusions.

 

We also draw our own conclusions. With regard to a reference temperature of 21 ° C included in the energy studies, we are assured that with natural materials 18 ° C is sufficient to ensure a static comfort temperature.

 

This is what we call, among other things, energy comfort. This is what we all want! However, we are convinced that this cannot be done without understanding the existing building or building to be created, without understanding its occupancy logic or even and above all without an in-depth reflection on ecological and bio-sourced materials to be used.

 

A unique place where you can feel, touch, see renovation and construction techniques with bio-sourced, natural and local materials.

 

The renovation of the existing building and the future new construction of our premises will allow OTRA to highlight Belgian, local and European manufacturers of bio-sourced and natural materials. Isohemp, Gramitherm, HomeEOS, Omnex-planel, Hins, BC-materials, Cortex, MatGreen, Isoproc, Les Bois d'Antan ...

 

To date, apart from the future offices of the Ecoconstruction Cluster under construction, there is no place to represent innovative bio-sourced techniques, which will become the standard of tomorrow.

 

Otra in the realization of this place highlights and promotes its various techniques.

 

This unique place will be available to its customers and suppliers.

 

The new construction will also allow the expansion of the existing activity.

 

OTRA to date represents 5 office positions and 12 positions in the field.
According to the outlook for 2021 OTRA estimates that it will double its workforce.