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aircrete foundation blocks

Aircrete foundations for energy efficient homes

Building Products Index Ltd Blocks, Concrete Leave a Comment

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Whether masonry or timber frame, every house can benefit from an aircrete foundation.

A foundation distributes the weight of a building to the ground so needs to be of the highest quality and reliability to provide stability.

Aircrete is a popular material for building foundations for the wide-ranging benefits it offers as a groundworks solution. Its light weight and fast build-speed enable a building’s foundations to be constructed quickly, easily and cost-effectively.

Advantages of aircrete foundation blocks

Celcon Foundation Blocks can support both solid and cavity wall constructions along with timber and steel-framed systems. These aircrete blocks, manufactured by H+H, are available in a range of face sizes and thicknesses to ensure the foundation is at least as wide as the thickness of the wall being supported.

  1. Thermal performance

Aircrete’s material properties make it highly thermally efficient. This enhances a dwelling’s energy efficiency by reducing heat lost into the ground while reducing the need for additional insulation.

Achieving Part L of the building regulations is easy with Celcon Blocks because of the low U-values they achieve. In fact, Part L recommends using aircrete foundation blocks where aircrete is being used in the construction of external walls to ensure continuity of insulation levels within the building fabric.

In addition, the raw materials used in the production of Celcon Blocks give them excellent resistance to sulfate attack and frost damage.

  1. Speed

Weighing just one third of an equivalent dense aggregate block, Celcon Foundation Blocks are easier to handle and faster to lay, improving productivity.

Celcon Blocks can easily be cut with a hand saw meaning off-cuts can often be incorporated into the build, reducing wastage.

In addition, only a single leaf of blockwork needs to be laid to form the foundations, as opposed to cavity construction which requires two leaves of blockwork and concrete infill. This means works can be completed in less time, reducing labour costs.

  1. Approved method

Celcon Foundation blocks are approved by the British Board of Agrément (BBA) for use below DPC.

There are also health and safety benefits from handling lighter blocks. Although no specific weight limits are given in legislation, use of the heavier blocks should be subject to a risk assessment and a safe system of work established following the guidance of HSE Construction Information Sheet No. CIS77 ‘Preventing injury from handling heavy blocks’.

H+H products for the construction of foundations

H+H aircrete Foundation Blocks are available in Standard Grade (3.6N/mm2) and High Strength Grade (7.3N/mm2) to support buildings up to three storeys.

The blocks are available in two face sizes, 325 x 215mm and 440 x 215mm. The 440mm face size block is available in three thicknesses: 275mm, 300mm and 355mm.

H+H Standard Grade and Solar Grade aircrete blocks can also be used below the DPC for both the internal and external leaves of cavity foundations. For applications where a higher compressive strength is required, such as the foundations of three and four storey buildings, H+H’s High Strength and Super Strength Grade blocks should be used.

Full technical details for Celcon Foundation Blocks can be viewed on H+H’s website.

H+H aircrete Foundation Blocks for fast, cost-effective house building

Building Products Index Ltd Blocks, Concrete, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

View the H+H entry on BPindex

Visit the H+H website

There are wide ranging benefits to using aircrete foundation blocks as a groundworks solution, including helping to meet Part L.

Housebuilders are increasingly turning to aircrete foundation blocks for a simplified and cost-effective method of DPC construction.

Weighing just one third of an equivalent dense aggregate block, aircrete is relatively faster and easier to lay. In addition, only a single leaf of blockwork needs to be laid to form the foundations, as opposed to cavity construction which requires two leaves of blockwork and concrete infill. This means works can be completed in less time, reducing labour costs.

Aircrete is a high-performance material that helps housebuilders construct energy efficient homes that easily meet building standards. H+H Foundation Blocks, for example, can help to enhance a dwelling’s energy efficiency by reducing heat lost into the ground while reducing the need for additional insulation.

Aircrete’s material properties mean it’s highly thermally efficient and able to achieve low U-values which makes meeting the standard set out in Approved Document L easy.

In fact, as new building regulations increase emphasis on building fabric and thermal bridging, aircrete is a preferred material and this can include its use in foundations.

The 2021 amendment to Part L recommends using aircrete foundation blocks where aircrete is being used in the construction of external walls to ensure continuity of insulation levels within the building fabric.

Despite being one of the lightest forms of masonry, foundations built with H+H aircrete are fully load-bearing. H+H Foundation Blocks Standard Grade are suitable for housing up to two storeys high. For three storey buildings, H+H offers High Strength Grade Blocks which have a compressive strength of 7.3N/mm2.

For further information on H+H Foundation Blocks and our products visit www.hhcelcon.co.uk