ABP BUILDING PRODUCTS - NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 2008

ECO FRIENDLY EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE
The following diagram illustrates the overall energy saving that can be achieved over time by thermally insulating a house with expanded polystyrene.

NEW BUILDING ENERGY REGULATIONS

With the impending new building regulations related to energy efficiency in new buildings, and in order to comply with the current drafts of SANS204 part 2 and 3 it will be necessary to install 40mm thickness of expanded polystyrene (EPS) of thermal resistance R = 1,0 m²/WºK in a double brick wall in the Highveld region. Currently the thermal resistance of a double brick wall is approximately 0,4m²/ WºK. In combination with the EPS the wall will therefore meet the new requirement of 1,4 m²/WºK.
To achieve the same rating in a low mass wall of less than 450kg/m² it will be necessary to insert a minimum of 80mm thickness of EPS in the wall.
It is anticipated that the new standards will be approved and the revision to the National Building Regulations made in 2008. New buildings will have to comply with these codes as soon as the amendment to the regulations is gazetted.

Why delay, the products to meet these requirements are available right now from ABP?

LIMPOPO EDUCATIONAL CENTRES

The 5 educational centres in remote Limpopo Province are nearing completion. These buildings where constructed using the Polyblock walling system, TASS suspended floor slabs and Polyplast expanded polystyrene plaster.

NEW PRODUCTS

ABP have launched two new products:
VARIBLOCK: A retaining wall system where the wall is constructed using expanded polystyrene panels for the formwork. These panels lock together vertically and are cross braced within the wall with high density expanded polystyrene spacers. VARIBLOCK replaces the need for metal or brick skin formwork is quicker and less expensive to install needing no skilled labour. VARIBLOCK is supplied in 3 sizes allowing the construction of concrete walls 270, 180 and 120 mm thick depending on the retaining requirement. The 3 sizes also allows stepped retaining walls to be built. Design of walls is to the prevailing SANS concrete retaining wall codes.
VARIBLOCK has the added advantages of providing greater water resistance and thermal insulation to basement retaining walls.

Mesh spacers for concrete floor slabs
Spacing of steel mesh to the mid point in concrete floor slabs is a key requirement. POLYSPACE is a high density, expanded polystyrene spacer for Ref 100 and 193 mesh grades. Advantages of POLYSPACE are that it can be fixed to the mesh before laying, it stays fixed and it is less expensive than most competitive products.

PROJECTS OF INTEREST

“Not a square house” – Parkhurst, Johannesburg.
The full range of ABP’s building products is being used in House Heafield. This will be a double storey construction with Polyblock walls, TUFS under floor insulation and TASS suspended floor slabs. Motivation for the use of these products is due to the cold local climate –the house is situated in a valley right next to the Braamfonteinspruit and due to the lower labour requirement and ease of building with these systems.
The walls of the house do not always join at right angles and this was easy to do with the Polyblock system.

TASS slab Pallinghusrt Road Westcliff Johannesburg.
TASS was used together with a cantilever steel frame construction of roof and garden extension slabs for a house renovation on a steep slope in Westcliff.
The steel support ribs of TASS were linked to the steel frame support structure with the lightweight components being easy to move around this difficult site.

NEW TASS LICENSEES
Two new TASS licensees were appointed early in 2008 – Duvhula Construction based in Gauteng and Pro.Com with operations in Bloemfontein and Nelspruit.

ABP MOVE OFFICES
From 1 March 2008, ABP will move their offices to; Eastwood Office Park, 11b Riley Road, Bedforview. Contact number (011)4502139 Fax; (011) 4503231.
Email and website addresses remain the same.

For further information on the above please contact us craig@abptass.co.za

BUILDING COMFORT BY DESIGN