Concrete Block Association kicks off the Modern
Masonry ‘Better Built in Blockwork’ campaign by unveiling its U-value calculator
and thermal bridging details
Today, The
Concrete Block Association (CBA), the independent UK body for aggregate
concrete block manufacturers, launches its part of the Modern Masonry ‘Better
Built in Blockwork’ campaign to educate the construction industry on benefits of
concrete block construction. The CBA has created an online portal, backed up
with an events programme focused on the benefits of using concrete blocks. The
portal includes guidance aimed across the construction industry, with everything
from datasheets to support design, supplier choice advice and guidance as to the
benefits of concrete blocks.
From
ultra-lightweight to dense, concrete blocks help achieve the highest levels of
fabric energy efficiency in the long term. Their attributes
include:
- Fire and
flood resistance
- Good acoustic
performance due to mass and damping qualities
- A thermal
mass that naturally keeps temperatures cool in the summer and warm in the
winter
- Cost-efficiency; minimal need for ongoing
maintenance
- Resistance to
currency fluctuations as concrete blocks are manufactured locally in the
UK
To launch its
‘Better Built in Blockwork’ activity, the CBA is unveiling a free online
U-value calculator. This invaluable tool provides interactive help in
choosing block and insulation combinations to achieve required U-values. In
addition, the CBA offers a comprehensive set of thermal bridging construction
details free to download. These help designers and SAP assessor optimise
projects with accurate psi values for each thermal bridge.
Thermal
transmittance and the impact of thermal bridging
Thermal
transmittance, or U-value, is the rate of transfer of heat through a structure
(which can be a single material or a composite), divided by the difference in
temperature across that structure. To calculate a building’s U-value, you have
to consider the different elements layer by layer.
The CBA’s new
online calculator helps people decipher this complex equation and make the right
material choice. It simplifies the process of finding the desired U-value,
ensuring greater efficiency and accuracy.
The highest
level of fabric energy efficiency can be achieved with concrete block
construction. This will ensure long-term airtightness, minimal thermal bridging
and gives different options for locating insulation.
Our building
stock is gradually becoming more airtight through the use of higher performance
materials. During construction greater attention is being paid to the junctions
and sealing between different materials. As a result, thermal bridging becomes
of central concern as its relative effects are heightened. Especially in a cold
climate such as the UK, any break in insulation can significantly add to heat
loss. Thermal bridging can be responsible for up to 30% of heat loss in a modern
building.
Andrew
Minson, Executive Director of Modern Masonry, the umbrella body for masonry,
states: “The U-value calculator is a really simple tool that makes a big
difference for specifiers to help them make the right choice. Together with the
extensive thermal bridging details and calculated psi values designers can
ensure they optimise the thermal efficiency of masonry construction to meet
regulations or even exceed them if desired.”
Minson goes
on to contextualise this with recent consumer trends: “Energy efficiency has
been a core consideration for the construction industry for some time. However,
consumers are also becoming increasingly aware of the impact their energy usage
has on the climate, and realise better insulation means lower heating bills.
According to an Energy Savings Trust survey, nearly 90% of UK homeowners
completing a home improvement between 2013-2016 made energy efficiency
upgrades.”
Commenting on
the CBA’s ongoing role and purpose, he continues: “Membership of The CBA is a
mark of quality and we only recommend using blocks purchased from our accredited
manufacturers. Members are committed to producing robust, high performance
construction materials of the highest standard. Members have increased output to
meet the demand from increasing housing starts over recent years, and as the
government pushes to deliver 300,000 houses per year, concrete block production
will be further increased to meet this demand and deliver long-lasting thermally
efficient homes.”
Andrew Minson
will give a presentation titled ‘Building more without compromising on
performance’ at UK Construction Week on Wednesday 10 October at the NEC,
Birmingham. For more information, please click here.
