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The Alternative to CMU !
The following description only touches on the multitude of
advantages of constructing your building in whole or in part
from this material.
Thanks to its many excellent properties, AAC is equally suitable
for residential, multi-story, commercial and industrial buildings.
For nearly 80 years, AAC has proved its superior quality in all
areas of building construction and in virtually all climatic
conditions throughout the world.
The raw materials - quartzite sand, lime and water - can be
found in almost unlimited quantities throughout the world.
These raw materials are then processed to provide a building
material with a large number of air pores - aerated concrete.
And it is precisely these pores in addition to the solid structure
of calcium silicate hydrates which give AAC its exceptional
product properties:
• high compressive strength
• excellent thermal insulation
• creates and energy efficient envelope
• low material weight
• ease of workability and handling
• universal applications
• non-allergenic
• highly resistant to mold, insects and moisture intrusion
• superior impact penetration
• superior wind load strength - making structures disaster
resistant
• environmentally friendly
Absolutely no pollutants or hazardous wastes are generated in
the process and there is no waste of precious raw materials.
AAC can be recycled into other useful products.
Even the production method conserves energy since steam
curing is carried out at high pressures and thermal energy is
recovered and reused for maximum efficiency. Production
trimmings can also be fully recycled.
The basic construction units are blocks measuring 10” high by
24” long, in thicknesses of 4”, 8” and 10”. There are
reinforced and unreinforced panels for walls, roofs and floors.
A 10”-thick block weighs less than a much smaller standard
concrete block with voids—about 46 pounds. The blocks are
much easier to lay and are laid in thin-set mortar that is
applied with a toothed trowel. The joints are only 1/16” which
make for a much better looking unfinished wall.
It was discovered in 1914 in Sweden that adding aluminum
powder to cement, lime, water, and finely ground sand caused
the mixture to expand dramatically. The Swedes allowed this
“foamed” concrete to harden in a mold, and then they cured it
in a pressurized steam chamber—an autoclave.
Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC, also called autoclaved
cellular concrete—ACC) is produced by about 200 plants in 35
countries and is used extensively in residential, commercial,
and industrial buildings. At a density of roughly one-fifth that
of conventional concrete and a compressive strength of about
one-tenth, AAC is used in load-bearing walls in low-rise
buildings. In high-rises, AAC is used as infill, cladding,
mechanical rooms, all types of shafts, partition and curtain
walls. It insulates much better than concrete and has superior
sound absorbing characteristics.
AAC has significant environmental advantages over
conventional construction materials. AAC has a much larger R-
value, higher STC, vastly higher fire rating. It’s lighter so less
concrete is need for foundation and floor pads. AAC an ideal
material for to create a healthy indoor air quality.
AAC is being used extensively across Europe, Asia and the
Pacific for the past few decades. It is just now making it’s way
to Florida. AAC is manufactured in Central Florida and now
being used extensively throughout Northern and Central
Florida. Because of South Florida’s ‘entrenchment’ and fear of
change AAC is slow to be use here. But that’s soon to change
with the wave of Green Building that is slowly growing.
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Announcing the formation of a new alliance to create a Green
Building, LEED commissioning Consulting Firm.
Brian Dugas and I have joined with Rob Hink, LEED AP to
consult developers, architects and cities and to guide projects
through LEED certification.
Through our years of experience and multitude of relationships,
we’ve formed a team of Green experts to consult at every
level of Green Building and Sustainable Design.
The Spinnaker Group is comprised of experts in:
• LEED Certification and Commissioning
• Sustainable Design
• Sustainable Interior Design
• Solar Electric Design/Build
• Product Experts
• Sustainable Landscape Architecture
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I am available to visit with you anytime to discuss how The Spinnaker Group or Eco-Smart can help you build Green. Come to us in any stage of design, with Conceptual being the optimal time to open the dialogue. It is our hope that you'll think of us for both for Consulting work and Green Performance Building Products. Thank you for your time,
Gary Shlifer Regional Representative - Green Consultant
954-557-3516
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