WO2011154539A1

WO2011154539A1 - Building system

Info

Publication number: WO2011154539A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/059732
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacques François Marie Maurice TILMAN; Raymond Joseph Claire Reisdorf
Original assignee: MODULE HOME FUTURE bvba
Current assignee: MODULE HOME FUTURE bvba
Priority date: 2010-06-11
Filing date: 2011-06-10
Publication date: 2011-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 2012-12-11
Also published as: GB201009727D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to improved structural insulated building panels, as well as kits and building structures comprising the same. It further relates to use of the same in building structures, thereby reducing the number of thermal bridges and air leakages, while at the same time significantly increasing vertical and horizontal load resistance.

Description

BUILDING SYSTEM

The present invention relates to improved structural insulated building panels, as well as kits and building structures comprising the same. It further relates to use of these improvements in building structures, thereby reducing the number of thermal bridges and air leakages, while at the same time significantly increasing vertical and horizontal load resistance.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Building structures using prefabricated panels, which are assembled and interconnected, on site, have been known for many years. However, these conventional building structures making use of prefabricated panels often have several disadvantages in comprising high amounts of metal, concrete or wood, rendering them heavy and difficult to manipulate and transport. Furthermore, heavy machinery is required for the manipulation and installation thereof. Although such panels may be of high strength, they have further disadvantages in that they are often not waterproof or mold-proof and in that they do not provide adequate insulation. The panels are generally not only expensive to fabricate but their erection is relatively slow as well. This is because of the fact that the panels are mostly of a small size and their installation is labor intensive . Many improvements to these conventional panels have been made in the past, in order to provide easily installable prefabricated panels with reduced weight, reduced production costs and/or increased insulation capacity. For example WO2008116281 provides a structural wall panel, essentially made from insulating material having a structural member along one side, capable of mating with the opposite side of another insulated wall panel. Assembly of walls making use of said structural wall panels significantly reduces the number of cold bridges and airflows, at the connection side of 2 such panels. Furthermore, EP0612894 provides structural wall panels, essentially made from polystyrene plates with male and female shapes on opposite side, so that a wall panel can engage with the opposite side of a second wall panel, thereby reducing the number of cold bridges and air flows. Although these building panels clearly increase the insulation capacity at connection sides of 2 panels in a wall, they do not provide good insulation capacity at connection sides of walls with floor, sole and/or roof panels. Furthermore, these panels essentially exist of insulating material, and do not comprise additional reinforcement members to strengthen the structure. Therefore, these wall panels are generally not useful for building heavy structures with multiple floors.

Improved structural wall panels, providing good insulation capacity at the connection sides of 2 wall panels, but at the same time being reinforced and providing higher strength, are for example provided in US5638651, US2009311932, US5638651, GB2451275, GB2465568, GB2344834, GB2384461 and WO2010014195. However, as was also the case for the building panels from WO2008116281 and EP0612894, these reinforced building panels do not provide a solution to the formation of cold bridges and airflows at connection sides of the walls with floor, sole and/or roof panels .

A solution to this problem is partially given by the building panels provided in US4720948, as shown in figure 1A and B. These building panels comprise 2 side panels (56 and 58 in Fig. 1A and IB), providing the panels with sufficient strength by interspacing these side panels with an insulation component (60 in Fig. 1A and IB) . Furthermore, an engaging groove (X in Fig. 1A) on all sides of the building panel is provided by the overhang of the side panels with regard to the interspacing insulation material. Therefore, by connecting 2 panels with an insulated side post (62 in Fig. 1A and IB), which fits in said engaging grooves, increased thermal insulation is provided at the lateral connection of 2 wall panels, as well as at connection sides of wall panels with floor, sole and roof panels. Nevertheless, as indicated by the arrow in figure IB, corners formed by the perpendicular connection of 2 wall panels, are still prone to the formation of cold bridges and airflows. Furthermore, as also shown in figure IB, the assembly of such corners by making use of these wall panels in combination with the insulated side posts requires a complicated connection process (making use of many nails/screws), resulting in increased man-hours and assembly costs. As naturally, the same problem also occurs at connection sides between 2 wall panels as well as at connection sides of wall panels with floor, sole and roof panels.

Reinforced building panels that provide improved corner connections are described in GB2436989, as shown in figure 1C. Overlying edges (50 and 51) of boards (48 and 49), together with vertical timber (52) create an engaging groove (53) in wall module 47. A corner module (55) comprises a set of vertical timbers (58, 61 and 62) that form a framework to which vertical timber 54 is connected. This timber projects outwardly from the corner module (55) for interaction with the engaging groove (53) from wall module 47. Compared to the corner assembly provided in US4720948, the connection process of GB2436989 is less complicated. Nevertheless, due to the perpendicular orientation of the vertical timbers 52, 54 and 62 to the wall panel 47, these timbers intersect the insulation component. This problem not only arises in corner assemblies, but also occurs when connecting two wall modules. Therefore, these connections are still prone to the formation of cold bridges and prevent a uniform distribution of the thermal conductivity along the walls.

Similarly, in GB2391027, assembly of a corner involves intersecting the insulation with a section of vertical plywood (87), as can be seen in Figure ID. Furthermore, at regular intervals within a structural wall module, the insulation is intersected with reinforcement beams (14) and hollow or composite support columns (15) with an empty space between them (Y) . Therefore, as was also the case for the building panels of GB2436989, these corner connections and the intersecting structures within the wall modules are still prone to the formation of cold bridges and also prevent a uniform distribution of the thermal conductivity along the walls. Furthermore, the construction of the wall panels is complex and costly, due to the presence of various different components at regular intervals, such as the reinforcement beams, support columns and air spaces.

Therefore, it was an objective of the present invention to provide improved structural building modules that are easy to install, light weight, but at the same time strong and easy to produce, in order to significantly reduce the formation of cold bridges and air flow, at all connection sides of wall, roof, sole and floor panels, as well as within the building modules and thus provide building modules that generate a uniform distribution of thermal conductivity along the walls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As an object, the present invention provides an insulated building module (1) comprising:

- an insulation component (3) , and

- at least 2 side beams (2) attached to said insulation component in parallel to the building module,

said building module being characterized in that said insulation components of adjacent building modules are not interrupted by said side beams, thereby reducing the formation of thermal bridges and air leakages.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the insulated building module (1) according to the invention, may further comprise:

- one or more reinforcement members (4), bridging the side beams, and/or - one or more optionally removable attachment members (7), connected to the side beams, by which 2 building modules can be attached to each other, and/or

- one or more vertical beams (8) connected to the lateral side(s) of the side beams, and by which perpendicular building modules can be engaged to said building module.

In a particular embodiment, the insulated building module (1) according to the invention comprises at least 4 side beams (2) each of them having an insulation component (3), and/or reinforcement members (4) as defined hereinbefore. This building module (1) is particularly useful as an outer and/or an inner wall module.

In another particular embodiment, the insulated building module (1) according to the invention comprises 3 side beams (2), each of them having an insulation component (3), and/or reinforcement members (4) as defined hereinbefore. Said building module (1) being in particular useful as a corner module.

In yet another embodiment, the side beams (2) of the insulated building module (1) according to the invention are L-shaped. This building module (1) is particularly useful as a brace and/or sole module.

In yet another embodiment, the insulated building module (1) according to the invention comprises 3 or more reinforcement members (4), and where in between each pair of adjacent reinforcement members an insulation component is provided (3) . In another particular embodiment, the insulated building module (1) according to the invention comprises one, two, three or more different insulation materials as the insulation component (3) .

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide the use of insulated building modules according to the invention for making a building structure, characterized by having reduced the number of thermal bridges and air leakages.

In a further objective, the present invention provides a kit for making a building structure comprising insulated building modules according to the invention, said building being characterized by having reduced thermal bridges and air leakages.

In yet a further objective, the present invention provides a building comprising one or more insulated building modules according to the invention, said building structure being characterized by having reduced the number of thermal bridges and air leakages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With specific reference now to the figures, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the different embodiments of the present invention only. They are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention. The description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. Fig. 1A: Representation of a prior art insulated building module, used for building a wall (US720948)

Fig. IB: Representation of a prior art insulated building module, used for making a corner (US720948)

Fig. 1C: Representation of a prior art insulated building module, used for making a corner (GB2436989)

Fig. ID: Representation of a prior art insulated building module, used for making a corner (GB2391027)

Fig. 2: Representation of possible embodiments of the engaging means (5a and 5b) according to the invention. 2A- B: showing engaging grooves (5b) and engaging beams (5a) , provided on the engaging members. 2C-D: showing engaging grooves (5b) provided on the engaging members and separate engaging beams (5a) fitting in said engaging grooves. 2A and 2C: representation of the situation before engaging 2 building modules, 2B and 2D: representation of the situation after engaging 2 building modules.

Fig. 3: Representation of a possible embodiment of the present invention, showing the possible design of an insulated building module for use as a wall module. A: side view, B: top view Fig. 4: Representation of a possible embodiment of the present invention, showing the possible design of an insulated building module for use as a corner module. A: side view, B: top view Fig. 5: Representation of possible embodiments of the present invention, showing the possible design of an insulated building module for use as a brace or floor module. A: top/side view, B: side view, C: side view

Fig. 6: Representation of possible embodiments of the present invention, showing the possible design of combining 2 brace modules with a corner module, yielding an insulated building module suitable for use as an eve or ridge module.

Fig. 7: Representation of a possible embodiment of the present invention, having more than 2 reinforcement members (4) and different insulation components (3a, 3b and 3c) , represented by different shades of grey, provided in-between each pair of 2 adjacent reinforcement members.

Fig. 8: Representation of attachment members (7), which are optionally connected to the side beams, and by which 2 building modules can be attached to each other. Fig. 9: Representation of the connection of wall and corner modules, demonstrating the presence of the structural support members (side beams 2) at the outer peripheries of the construction, with a continuous inner core of insulation material (3) that is not being interrupted .

Fig. 10: Representation of the connection of wall, corner, brace and roof modules, demonstrating the presence of the structural support members (side beams 2) at the outer peripheries of the construction, with a continuous inner core of insulation material (3) that is not being interrupted by any of the structural support members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is within the ambit of the present disclosure to cover any obvious modifications of the embodiments as described herein and relating to the insulated building modules of the present disclosure, provided these modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, various types of suitable materials may be used for preparing said building modules and they may be of different lengths and shapes depending on the architectural design of a building to be constructed. Furthermore, one can appreciate that because of the lightweight of these panels, an entire building structure can be erected with minimal labor cost and because of the ease of interconnecting these panels, it is not necessary to have high-skilled craftsman to construct a building structure. A single panel can form a complete exterior wall of a building structure. The strength of these building modules as well as their water-proof, mold-proof and good insulation make them attractive for the construction of building structures, either residential or commercial in for example extreme temperature climate areas and areas subjected to high winds and hurricanes. Due to the reduction of cold bridges and airflows when using these modules, they are in particular useful in building passive houses.

The present invention provides an insulated building module (1) comprising:

- an insulation component (3) , and

at least 2 side beams (2) attached to said insulation component in parallel to the building module,

said building module being characterized in that said insulation components of adjacent building modules are not interrupted by said side beams, thereby reducing the formation of thermal bridges and air leakages. Different embodiments of the insulated building module (1) according to the invention are shown in figures 2-7, and further specified herein below.

As used herein, and evident from the aforementioned figures, the building modules of the present invention are characterized in that the structural support members, i.e. the side beams, are moved to the outer peripheries of the building module and alongside (in parallel to) the inner insulation material. Having, in each of the different building modules, the structural support members (i.e. side beams) at the outer peripheries results, in assembled condition, in a continues insulation core, which is never interrupted by structural support members (see also Figure 9) . Evidently, when being assembled and in order to assure the structural integrity, said structural support members of each of the individual building modules are connected with one another.

The side beams (2) can be made from any suitable material known in the art, such as for example but not limited to

- metal;

- concrete;

- plastic, such as PVC, PP and PET; and

- wood, such as natural plain wood, laminated timber and composite wood, including extruded composite wood, MDF, hardboard, multiplex, OSB and hard paper panel ;

in particular the material is one or more of natural plain wood, laminated timber and extruded composite wood.

The insulation component (3) can be made from any suitable material known in the art, such as for example but not limited to polystyrene, polyurethane, fiber-glass, rock- wool, wood-wool, flocked materials and plastic foamed materials in particular polystyrene and polyurethane. Furthermore, any combination of the above materials with each other and/or with materials made out of nanogel structures; as well as combinations with Vacuum Insulated Panels, may also useful. The insulation material is either an integrated part of the building modules of the present invention, e.g. fully glued to the reinforcement members (4) or loosely inserted therein. In either embodiment, the insulation material of choice can for example be added to the building modules of the present invention at the building site.

It is accordingly a further embodiment of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing an insulated building module, said method comprising;

- an insulation component (3) , and

- attaching at least 2 side beams (2) to said insulation component in parallel to the building module . The side beams (structural support members) are typically glued to the insulation component, to form the building module. As such, the building modules of the present invention allow to build easily (no special skills required) and fast (few days) a complete closed "passive" type building. It is composed principally of only three parts for each of the outside envelopes and the partition walls :

1. wall/roof module (Figure 3)

2. Corner module (Figure 4)

3. Intermediate sole module (Figure 5)

The different parts are adapted in sizes to fit the specific architectural requirements of the house. Each of said modules is essentially composed of two different parts:

1. The "heart" (3) made out of a pre-cut expanded polystyrene bloc

2. the two symmetrical sides (2), also referred to as the side beams which can be compared to a pu/wood composite beam; wherein the "heart" and the sides are glued together to form the module.

Optionally thin hard board panels are glued on both sides of the module for the wall bracing. The symmetrical sides, side beams, of each of the aforementioned building modules are configured to be connected with one another and enable an easy and fast construction of a building with a continuous sheet of insulation material.

In a particular embodiment the insulation material as used herein, is further characterized in that it has a conductivity ranging from between and about 0,0015 to 0,080 W/m.K; in particular from between and about 0,02 to 0,060 W/m.K.

Thermal Conductivity Values of common insulation materials

Material/Substance W/mK Material/Substance W/mK

Mineral insulation materials,

Corkboard 0.043 wool blankets .. 0.04

Cork, regranulated 0.044 Oxygen 0.024

Cork 0.07 Paper 0.05

Plastics, foamed (insulation

Cotton Wool insulation 0.029 materials) 0.03

Diatomaceous earth (Sil-o- cel) 0.06 Polystyrene expanded 0.03

Felt insulation 0.04 Polyurethane 0.02

Fiberglass 0.04 Rock Wool insulation 0.045

Fiber insulating board 0.048 Sawdust 0.08

Foam glass 0.045 Silica aerogel 0.02

Glass, wool Insulation 0.04 Straw insulation 0.09

Kapok insulation 0.034 Styrofoam 0.033

Magnesia insulation (85%) 0.07 Urethane foam 0.021

Wool, felt 0.07 Vermiculite 0.058 In a further embodiment of the present invention, the side beams are inter-connected with one another by means of one or more reinforcement members. The reinforcement members (4) can be made from any suitable material known in the art, such as for example but not limited to metal, concrete, plastics and wood, in particular natural plain wood, laminated timber and extruded composite wood. In any case, the reinforcement members (4) as used herein, do not add to the structural support strength of the building module, but enhance the lateral strength. The reinforcement members have a minimal impact on the insulation as their thickness is limited to a couple of mm' s, i.e. up to about 3,0 mm and there is no requirement for the enforcement members to be present across the whole length / width of the building module. As such, the reinforcement members can be present as wires, straps, sheets or plates, which are encapsulated in the insulation material between the side beams, without the formation of thermal bridges.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the insulated building module (1) according to the invention may further comprise:

- one or more reinforcement members (4), bridging the side beams, and/or

- one or more optionally removable attachment members (7), connected to the side beams, by which 2 building modules can be attached to each other, such as for example to provide mechanical reinforcement between two vertical elements positioned one on top of the other, or to attach the inside partitioning walls to the inside of the outside wall modules and/or

In addition to the above, the removable attachment members (7) may also allow fixation of the skin (9) material, i.e. the inside or outside finishing materials, such as for example selected from plasterboard or wood siding.

In a particular embodiment and as for example represented in Figure 3A (side view) and 3B (top view) , the present invention provides an insulated building module (1) according to the invention, further characterized in that it comprises at least 4 side beams (2) each of them having an insulation component (3), and/or reinforcement members (4) as defined hereinbefore. Furthermore, the building module (1) as represented in Figure 3A, also shows a possible representation of the optional engaging groove (6) at the top and on the bottom of the module, as well as of the optional vertical beams (8) connected to the lateral side(s) of the side beams (2) .

These building modules are particularly suitable for use as an inner or outer wall module. An outer wall module according to the invention may have:

- a length of about and between 0.3 m and 12 m, in particular about 3 m,

- a width of about and between 0.1 m and 2.4 m, in particular about 0.6 m, and - a thickness of about and between 0.15 and 0.6 m, in particular about 0.3 m

An inner wall module according to the invention may have:

- a length of about and between 0.3 m and 12 m, in particular about 3 m,

- a width of about and between 0.15 m and 2.4 m, in particular about 0.6 m, and

- a thickness of about and between 0.1 and 0.4 m, in particular about 0.12 m

In yet another particular embodiment and as for example represented in Figure 4A (side view) and 4B (top view) , the present invention provides an insulated building module (1) according to the invention, comprising at least 3 side beams (2), an insulation component (3), and/or reinforcement members (4) as defined above, characterized in that at least 2 of said side beams form an angle with one another. Depending on the intended use of said building module, any suitable angle of about and between 1° and 90° and of about and between 91° to 179° may be used, in particular about and between 1° and 10°, 11° and 20°, 21° and 30°, 31° and 40°, 41° and 50°, 51° and 60°, 61° and 70°, 71° and 80°, 81° and 90°, 91° and 100°, 101° and 110°, 111° and 120°, 121° and 130°, 131° and 140°, 141° and 150°, 151° and 160°, 161° and 170°, 171° and 179°. Furthermore, the building module (1) as represented in figure 4A, also shows a possible representation of the optional engaging groove (6) at the top and on the bottom of the module.

These building modules are particularly suitable for use as a corner module (see Figures 4A, 4B & 6), which may have :

- a length of about and between 0.3 m and 12 m, in particular about 3 m,

- a width of about and between 0.15 m and 0.6 m, in particular about 0.3 m, and

- a thickness of about and between 0.15 and 0.6 m, in particular about 0.3 m

When used at the gable end (Fig. 6) or as the ridge, the corner module may be prepared using the 90° corner module as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, by adapting the length to the length of the roof and with both end respectively cut with the angles corresponding to the ones of the eves and the ridge (i.e. between and about 1° to 89° and between and about 91° to 179°) .

In yet another particular embodiment and as for example represented in Figure 5A, 5B and 5C, the present invention provides an insulated building module (1) according to the invention, further characterized in that the side beams (2) are L-shaped.

These building modules are particularly suitable for use as a brace and/or sole module (Figures 5A and 5B) or as a beam (Figure 5C) , which may have:

- a length of about and between 0.1 m and 12 m, in particular about 3 m,

- a width of about and between 0.1 m and 1.0 m, in particular about 0.15 m, and

- a thickness of about and between 0.15 and 0.6 m, in particular about 0.3 m As a further embodiment, any suitable combination of wall modules, corner modules and/or brace/sole modules can be used for making an insulated building module according to the invention. For example, as shown in figure 5C, by combining 2 brace modules with an insulated building module having 2 side beams as defined hereinbefore. For example, as shown in Figure 6, by combining 2 brace modules with a corner module, an insulated building module suitable for use as an eve or ridge module, can be made.

In yet another embodiment and as for example represented in Figure 7, the present invention provides an insulated building module (1) according to the invention, comprising 3 or more reinforcement members (4), and insulation components (3a, 3b and 3c) provided in-between each pair of adjacent reinforcement members. Furthermore, each insulation component used in any building module may be made from a different insulation material, as for example represented in Figure 7 by differing shades of grey. Any type of insulation material suitable and as further detailed herein above may be used. For example, for increasing the strength of the building modules and at the same time decreasing heat conductivity, the insulation components 3a and 3c may be polyurethane, whereas the insulation component 3b may be polystyrene.

In a further embodiment, the insulated building module of the present invention, may further comprise a skin, applied to one or both of the outer sides (9) of the insulation component, that are not covered by the side beams (2) . Said skin may be made from any suitable material known from the art, such as for example, but not limited to MDF, hard board, multiplex, OSB, hard paper panel and plastic sheets including PVC, PP and PET.

The current invention further provides the insulated building modules according to the invention for making a building structure, said building structure being characterized by having reduced thermal bridges and air leakages . The invention in addition provides a kit for making a building structure, comprising insulated building modules according to the invention, said building being characterized by having reduced thermal bridges and air leakages .

The invention further provides a building comprising one or more insulated building modules according to the invention, said building structure being characterized by having reduced thermal bridges and air leakages.

EXAMPLES

The invention will be better understood with reference to the following non-limiting examples of characteristics of the building modules of the present invention in comparison with traditional building structures. These examples are for the purpose of describing a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention thereto.

Example 1: Comparison of the flexion and compression resistance in traditional structures versus insulated building modules according to the invention.

The resistance against flexion and compression between insulated building modules and traditional structures was determined during a wind load of 800 kg/m² or a vertical load of 40.000 kg/m². As evident from table 1, the insulated building modules, according to the invention, are more rigid showing a 825% decrease in flexion (0,8 mm) and a 29.2% decrease (4,1 mm) in compression compared to traditional structures (6,6 mm and 5,3 mm respectively) . However, more important, according to Euler, they can bear an 844% higher load (184 ton/module) per module compared to traditional structures (21,8 ton/module).

Example 2 : Comparison of thermal bridge formation in traditional structures, versus insulated building modules according to the invention.

Thermal bridge formation was analyzed in traditional structures versus the insulated building module according to the invention. A traditional structure made of standard timber profiles (pin wood) was used for the calculations. This structure comprising timber profiles of 18 cm x 4 cm, provided every 40 cm and having glass wool as an insulation component in between each 2 adjacent profiles.

For comparison, a structure comprising insulated building modules according to figure 3, was used. As insulation components (3) , polystyrene was provided as 3b (see figure 7) and polyurethane was provided as 3a and 3c.

Used calculations :

U = 1/R = l/RlxSl% + l/R2xS2% + ... (depending on the number of isolation materials used)

S = relative surface of insulation material

R = Ep/C

Ep = thickness in m

C = Conductivity in W/ (m.k)

Thermal bridge = U + 1/RlxSl + l/R2xS2 + (depending on the number of isolation materials used)

Module Structure Traditional Structure

PU Conductivity 0, 024 Glass wool conduct. 0,045

Polystyrene 0, 034 Wood conductivity 0,15 Conduct .

Wood conductivity 0,15 Wood width 0, 045 m

Hard Board conduct. 0,1 Wall thickness 0,18 m

Wall thickness 0,3 m

Rl Hard Board 3 Rl Wood 1,2

R2 Beam 9, 57 R2 Glass wool 4

R3 Polystyrene 8, 82

U = 1/R 0, 114 U = 1/R 0, 33

R 8,75 R 3, 0

No Thermal bridge 0,83% Thermal bridge loss - 23,95% As evident from the above calculations, the insulated building modules according to the invention score 288% better with regard to thermal heat loss, compared to comparable structures, made in the traditional way.

Claims

1. An insulated building module (1) comprising an insulation component (3)

2. The insulated building module (1) according to claim 1, further comprising 1 or more reinforcement members (4), bridging the side beams.

3. The insulated building module (1) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, further comprising one or more optionally removable attachment members (7), connected to the side beams.

4. The insulated building module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising one or more vertical beams (8) connected to the lateral side(s) of the side beams.

5. An insulated building module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further characterized in that it comprises at least 4 side beams (2) each of them having an insulation component (3) as defined hereinbefore.

6. An insulated building module (1) according to claim 5, further characterized in that it comprises 1 or more reinforcement members (4) as defined hereinbefore.

7. An insulated building module (1) according to claim 5 or 6, for use as a wall module, including an outer or an inner wall module.

8. An insulated building module (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that it can be used as an outer wall module, having:

- a length of about and between 0.3 m and 12 m, in particular about 3 m,

- a width of about and between 0.1 m and 2.4 m, in particular about 0.6 m, and

- a thickness of about and between 0.15 and 0.6 m, in particular about 0.3 m

9. An insulated building module (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that it can be used as an inner wall module, having:

- a length of about and between 0.3 m and 12 m, in particular about 3 m,

- a width of about and between 0.15 m and 2.4 m, in particular about 0.6 m, and

- a thickness of about and between 0.1 and 0.4 m, in particular about 0.12 m

10. An insulated building module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising at least 3 side beams (2) each of them having an insulation component (3) , characterized in that at least 2 of said side beams form an angle with one another.

11. An insulated building module (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises reinforcement members .

12. An insulated building module (1) according to claim 10 or 11, for use as a corner module.

13. An insulated building module (1) according to claim 12, having:

- a length of about and between 0.3 m and 12 m, in particular about 3 m,

- a width of about and between 0.15 m and 0.6 m, in particular about 0.3 m, and

- a thickness of about and between 0.15 and 0.6 m, in particular about 0.3 m

14. An insulated building module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further characterized in that the side beams (2) are L-shaped.

15. An insulated building module (1) according to claim

14, for use as a brace or sole module.

16. An insulated building module (1) according to claim

15, having:

- a length of about and between 0.1 m and 12 m, in particular about 3 m,

- a width of about and between 0.1 m and 1.0 m, in particular about 0.15 m, and

- a thickness of about and between 0.15 and 0.6 m, in particular about 0.3 m

17. An insulated building module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 16 comprising 3 or more reinforcement members (4), and in which an insulation component (3) is provided in-between each pair of adjacent reinforcement members.

18. An insulated building module (1) according to claim 1 to 17, further characterized in that one, two, three or more different insulation materials are used as the insulation component (3) .

19. An insulated building module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the side beams (2) are made from a material selected from the group comprising:

- metal;

- concrete;

- plastic, such as PVC, PP and PET; and

in particular the material is one or more of natural plain wood, laminated timber and extruded composite wood .

20. An insulated building module (1) according to anyone of claims 1 to 19, wherein the insulation component (3) is selected from the group comprising polystyrene, polyurethane, fiber-glass, rock-wool, wood-wool, flocked materials and plastic foamed materials, or any combination thereof with each other or with materials made out of nanogel structures or with vacuum insulated panels, in particular polystyrene and polyurethane.

21. An insulated building module (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the reinforcement members (4) are made from a material selected from the group comprising metal, concrete, plastics and wood, in particular natural plain wood, laminated timber and extruded composite wood.

22. An insulated building module (1) according to any of claims 1 to 21, further comprising a skin (9) applied to one or both of the outer sides (9) of the insulation component, that are not covered by the side beams (2) .

23. An insulated building module (1) according to claim 22, where the skin (9) is made from a material selected from the group comprising MDF, hard board, multiplex, OSB, hard paper panel and plastic sheets including PVC, PP and PET.

24. Use of insulated building modules according to any of claims 1 to 23 for making a building structure, said building structure being characterized by having reduced thermal bridges and air leakages.

25. A kit for making a building structure, comprising insulated building modules according to anyone of claims 1 to 23, said building being characterized by having reduced thermal bridges and air leakages.

26. A method of manufacturing an insulated building module according to any one of claims 1 to 23, said method comprising;

- an insulation component; and

- attaching at least 2 side beams (2) to said insulation component in parallel to the building module A building comprising one or more insulated building modules according to anyone of claims 1 to 23, said building structure being characterized by having reduced thermal bridges and air leakages.