Code 3 Success for Durox System
Essex house builder, E J Taylor and Sons has used Durox System thin joint blockwork in solid external wall construction for a development at Braintree. This form of construction helped to meet Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes as well as satisfying a requirement to build with a cost-effective modern method of construction.
The use of Durox System thin joint blockwork is well established in conventional cavity wall construction but with increasing standards of energy efficiency, the use of solid external walls becomes an obvious and viable building solution. Its many advantages include:
- Maintaining a practical wall width
- Simple to design and construct avoiding the need to form cavities and cavity trays
- Good building performance including high levels of airtightness and sound insulation
The Essex house builder, E J Taylor and Sons is an established user of Durox System. On previous projects they have used this construction for external cavity walls. But given the potential advantages of solid walls, together with the challenge of meeting Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, E J Taylor was keen to use this modern method of building to construct seven attached dwellings at their Heathlands, Braintree site.
After close collaboration with Topblock's Technical Services team on all aspects of design and construction, a specification for Durox System was agreed and included 200mm width external walls, 275mm separating walls and 100mm partitions. Durox Florbloc was also used as infill for the beam and block ground floor.
Externally walls were finished with a proprietary insulation and render, although a brick plinth was used around the perimeter to provide some contrast.
The use of Durox System contributed in a number of ways towards Code 3 compliance.
Firstly, to meet energy efficiency targets of a 25 per cent improvement above 2006 standards, the Durox external walls achieved a U-value of 0.20W/m2K. A similar standard was achieved for the Durox ground floor. The use of thin joint blockwork contributed towards good levels of airtightness - an equally important factor in meeting the 25 per cent target.
Secondly, the Durox cavity separating walls using System 600 blockwork were designed to achieve a 5dB improvement above the minimum standards of Building Regulations. This level of performance was confirmed by precompletion testing which enabled 3 credits to be obtained under Category 7 of the Code (Health and Wellbeing, Sound Insulation - Hea 2).
Lastly, the Durox wall and floor specifications achieved low environmental impacts and scored well under Category 3 (Materials - Mat 1), and Tarmac's Environmental Management System conforming to ISO 14001 assisted in meeting the Responsible Sourcing requirements for basic building elements (Materials - Mat 2).
March 2009
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