Housing in Southern Africa October-November 2016

Everite’s IBT systems A AC as a building material has gained a considerable share of the international construc- tion market since its inception in the 1920’s in Sweden. Today it maintains its reputation of the buildingmaterial of the future. It is viewed as a revolu- tionary material that offers a unique combination of strength, light- weight, thermal insulation, sound absorption, unsurpassed fire resistance and un- precedented ease of construction. Everite Build-

Hebel Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) has appointed Everite Building Products as the only producer in Africa of the product in a licensing deal with the Xella Group.

corrosion and gives thematerial both dimensional accuracy and stability. The steel reinforcing is placed in the moulds before the mix is added. The manufacturing process is then the same as described above for unre- inforced elements. It is available as blocks, precast reinforced units such as floors, walls, roofs and lintels. Features and Benefits High Speed of Construction Hebel panels are faster to construct and require significantly less la- bour when compared to traditional masonry construction techniques leading to substantial savings and reduced on-site costs depending on the finish required. • This means a cleaner easy workability with simple tools result in lower construction costs • Can be cut and shaped like wood with simple hand tools • Chasing of walls can be done by hand or with a wood router • Smooth finish can substan- safer work area during construction and less clean-up at completion • Fast installation and

tially remove plastering trades Load-bearing capacity Being a masonry product, Hebel blocks and panels provide the at- tributes of being solid, strong and secure – all of these normally associ- ated with traditional bricks. The 600 kg/m³ density product has a 5 MPa compressive strength and is rated for building up to four storey level and in earthquake zones due to its high strength and weight ratio. Fire resistance Non-combustible and renowned for its highly fire resistant properties a 150 mm thick ACC

ing Products h a s b e e n

recognised for its role in innova- tive build- i n g s y s - t ems and is renowned for its range of Nutec Fibre Cement roofing, ceilings and cladding

materials. Hebel AAC ticks all the boxes with speed of construction, thermal performance, thermal, sound and fire, requiring standard masonry the product has proved its cost ef- fectiveness. AAC is made from sand, lime, ce- ment, water and aluminium powder acting as a foaming agent to form a homogenous cellular structure known as calcium silicate hydrate. One quarter the weight of conven- tional concrete curing in autoclaves for up to 12 hours. It is this autoclav- ing process that gives this material its unique and superior performance characteristics over any other. Hebel reinforced elements, such as slab panels and wall panels, con- tain specially coated steel to prevent

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