Improving the energy efficiency of buildings sustainably

CONCRETE PRODUCTS & CAST STONE

CPI – Concrete Plant International – 2 | 2020 www.cpi-worldwide.com86

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is among

the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Approximately

one-third of global energy consumption is currently used

for heating and cooling buildings. Buildings generate

close to 20% of global greenhouse gases during their

use phase1. There is a way to reduce that and the

product from LafargeHolcim can contribute.

Buildings play a major part in climate change as they con-

sume immense amount of energy for cooling and heating.

Ironically, the living conditions within those buildings are also

impacted by the same climate change to which it’s a contrib-

utor. Inhabitants either suffer from extreme temperatures or

face rising electricity bills to moderate the temperatures to

comfortable levels. To counter this thermal regulations are

shifting worldwide. In favor of improved thermal efficiency of

course, but also demanding improved performances around

fire resistance, recycling, air quality or CO2 footprint per

square meter.

On the other hand the emphasis on public safety and health

in buildings is gaining traction. There are ~700k cases of fire

in buildings with ~70k injuries, ~20k deaths per annum2.

Maintaining healthy air quality inside buildings is also being

focussed upon.

While a lot is being talked about, one company decided to

answer the challenge. LafargeHolcim’s R&D teams came up

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings sustainably

LafargeHolcim, 5113 Holderbank, Switzerland

1IEA 2016 2Centre of Fire Statistics, 2015

Airium is made of cement-based slurry, aqueous foam

and mostly enclosed and distributed air bubbles.

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with an insulating technology that not only improves energy

efficiency of buildings, from wall to wall and floor to ceiling

but is also safe and sustainable. They call it Airium – as light

and as useful as air. This is echoed by a top executive in a

major construction company in France “Airium is fully mineral

and highly insulating. It really fits well with our willingness to

differentiate and to meet with what we feel our customers are

increasingly asking for: products which are healthier, safer

and more sustainable.”

Overcoming the challenges in insulation technology

When we look at the insulation solutions that have existed

and been used so far, there are several challenges and

unanswered needs.

Existing insulation solutions are highly inflammable and not

chemical free which are a real concern from the perspective

of inhabitants. While buildings are made to last for several

years, today’s insulation solutions are not designed for dura-

bility, with several widely used alternatives settling over time

or not allowing for a continuously insulated envelope. In ad-

dition to that, wool based insulation tends to attract and to

get damaged by rodents and insects. Needless to say, it

directly affects insulation performance.

Constructors are looking for easiness to use whether it’s for

transport, storage or cutting. Speed of construction, safety in

use and continuity of insulation is important. At the end of the

useful life of the building, insulation materials should be

recyclable.

Airium helps in overcoming these challenges. The product is

a patented technology made of cement-based slurry, aque-

ous foam and mostly enclosed and distributed air bubbles.

According to the company, it is the first mineral foam to offer

a top-tier insulating performance, for an ideal thermal com-

fort, be it for cold temperatures or heat waves. Being mineral,

it is also fully fire-resistant, completely recyclable, unfavorable

to insects or rodents. The product is also very easy to use, can

be industrialized easily, increasing the speed on jobsites and

tightly filling any corner or shape.

Produced directly either on the jobsite or in a precast envi-

ronment, Airium is a big step in favor of local and affordable

materials, especially in countries where most insulation mate-

rials are imported.

To make it work, a range of tailor-made fixed and mobile

equipment have been developed to produce Airium at differ-

ent densities at the industrial and jobsite scales.

Airium is a top-tier mineral insulating foam technology and is

today available in five countries and will expand to 10 coun-

tries in 2020. For every application, an external close collab-

oration with partners all along the value chain is being done.




Applications of Airium: Technology with infinite possibilities

In a typical house, the mineral foam has various applications

giving the possibility of a complete insulation envelope for

the entire house.

Let’s look a bit more deeply into some precast applications:

Filled Concrete Blocks

Blocks with a low density Airium (70 kg/m3), injected into any

block in a precast environment. It provides increased carpet

area, -10% heating/cooling bill vs hollow blocks not filled with

the product, fire resistance, has less CO2 impact and recy-

clable. No additional soundproofing layer is required. In ad-

dition to the above it offers complete design flexibility, its safe

and 12 times less volume is required to be transported.

The company works in partnership with block manufacturers

providing a complete solution approach: block design, certi-

fication, machinery, industrialization, branding & prescription

Sandwich Walls

Mineral foam with a low density (100 to 180 kg/m3), which can

be injected into any type of Double or Sandwich wall design

within a precast environment. It is recyclable, “fully mineral”,

The product is

easy to use and

tightly filling any

corner or shape.




safe, long-lasting, healthy, fire resistance, lesser CO2 footprint

and comfort vs heat. Pre-cast manufacturers who seek differ-

entiation and innovation love the solution as expressed

by Georg Wieder, Alfred Trepka GmbH, one of our first

customers in Austria. ‘Innovation has always a played a big

role here at Trepka…we strive to try out new things and use

innovative products”.

Thermal conductivity and strength performance of Airium

At present Airium is actively present in France, Austria, Alge-

ria, Jordan and Morocco. Countries where the product is in

the process of launching are Belgium, Poland and some oth-

ers. It has been used in a variety of projects like individual

houses and blocks as well as has been also the solution of

choice for iconic projects.

So, what's the vision for Airium? Alexander Eisenhauer, Head

of Airium, explains: “Airium was developed with a vision to

make comfortable, safe and sustainable housing a reality for

people. We see a scenario where Airium will become the in-

sulation solution of choice because of its positive impact on

the planet and of its easiness of use. Our goal is to bring Air-

ium to scale all over the globe and to accelerate the transition

of the construction industry towards lower carbon, simplified,

long-lasting, safe and comfortable buildings”. �

LafargeHolcim

Schachen 291, 5113 Holderbank, Switzerland

T +41 58 858 58 94

[email protected]

www.lafargeholcim.com

www.airium.com

FURTHER INFORMATION

Mineral foam with a low density (100 to 180 kg/m3),

which can be injected into any type of Double or

Sandwich wall design within a precast environment.

Compressive strength vs density curve of Airium™

Com

pres

sive

str

engt

h (N

/mm

2 )

Density (kg/m3)300 400 500 6000 100 200

0,5

1

1,5

2

2,5

3

3,5

4

4,5

3000 100 200

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

Material SI Units (EU) USCS Units (US)

Composition 100% mineral 100% mineral

Properties

Fire protection class A1 (incombustible) Incombustible

Thermal conductivity 35 to 60 mW/K.m 2.5 to 4 R-value/inch

R-value examples3 to 4 (15cm)

m2.K/W

10 to 16 (4 inches)14 to 24 (6 inches)

hr.ft2

Density 40 to 200kg/m3 3 to 13lb/ft3

Compressive strength 20 to 500 kPa 3 to 73 psi

Sound absorption (20cm width) 0.6 0.6

Water absorption (EN 1609) 4kg/m2 0.8lb/ft2

Vapor diffusion resistance 7 18 perm.inch

Shrinkage 0.4% m/m 0.4% m/m

Insect/mildew resistance yes yes

Application

On-site foaming yes yes

yes yes

Production rate 5 to 30m3/h 177 to 1059ft3/h

Automated production yes yes

Curing

Moisture content 50% RH 50% RH

24 h 24 h

<10 h <10 h

Depending on the density, different compromises can be

achieved between insulation performance and structural

resistance as is shown in the graph.

Technical Data of the mineral foam Airium.


Improving the energy efficiency of buildings sustainably

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