So, a big step forward was made with the appearance of the so-called. method of "dry construction", in which manufacturers of building materials offer innovative systems of frame and sheathing structures.
One of them is the KNAUF AQUAPANEL® exterior wall system. It is actively used in various architectural and construction projects: frame-panel wooden housing construction, in buildings with a steel frame, in monolithic-frame housing construction.
This technology is a relevant alternative to brick and block masonry, as it has a higher construction efficiency and has a number of unique advantages. The main one is the combination of high strength and low weight. Knauf AQUAPANEL® exterior wall constructions weigh 75% less than usual and traditional technologies, and this while maintaining similar indicators of fire resistance, sound and heat insulation. Structures save up to 40% of wall thickness. Less wall weight means less stress on foundations and floors. The smaller thickness, in turn, allows an increase in the usable area of the internal space of the building by up to 8% with the same external perimeter.
The main component of the system is AQUAPANEL® Cement Board Outer with Portland cement core. It is not susceptible to the formation of mold and mildew, does not exfoliate and does not collapse when exposed to water, has 100% moisture resistance. External walls constructed using these cement slabs have the necessary rigidity, they are able to withstand any atmospheric influences and have high seismic resistance.
Thus, the technology of "dry" construction contributes to significant cost savings in the construction of new buildings and renovation of old ones, greatly simplifying the repair and restoration work. The lightness of the structures makes the process of reconstruction and transformation of the building less laborious. This is especially applicable for multifunctional re-profiling of a building that requires a superstructure or a change in the geometric parameters of the building.
The complete system KNAUF AQUAPANEL® The outer wall is supplied as separate elements, mounted directly on the construction site, erected faster than brick or block walls. The system allows to close the heating circuit of the building 27% faster and start subsequent finishing works, which leads to a reduction in construction time in general and a quicker investment turnover.
Facade system KNAUF AQUAPANEL® Exterior wall in the residential complex "Krasnye Zori", Peterhof
The low-rise residential complex "Krasnye Zori" in the Peterhof district of St. Petersburg has become one of the pilot projects in the construction of low-rise apartment buildings, where a combined frame-panel technology was applied. On the site of the developer, 8 five-storey residential buildings were erected with a total number of apartments - 734. The total area of housing - 62,000 m2… In addition to residential buildings, the building complex includes a boiler room and a fire pumping station. At the heart of each house is a reinforced concrete frame, the KNAUF AQUAPANEL ® system was used as the enclosing structures. External wall on a wooden frame. This technology was chosen by the customer as combining low cost and tight construction time.
The construction of the residential complex started in the summer of 2010, and the walls were already in December. The construction site was supplied with ready-made panels for filling the interfloor openings. Since the base plaster layer was applied to the AQUAPANEL® Outside cement slabs, which are part of the system, directly in the factory, after the house was assembled, all that remained was to paint the facade. This not only reduced the construction time and labor intensity, but also significantly increased the quality of finishing.
In addition, the residential complex was built in accordance with modern requirements for energy saving: ITPs with heat metering units were equipped in the basements, and the external enclosing structures were designed in accordance with standard heat engineering calculations; effective insulating materials were used in the construction.
Buildings constructed using the KNAUF AQUAPANEL ® Outer Wall system receive an energy efficiency class A ++, i.e. "Very high", corresponding to the calculated specific consumption of heat energy for heating the building, which is 84% higher than the standard indicators.
Multifaceted design
Another important advantage of Knauf AQUAPANEL® Exterior Wall technology in comparison with traditional building materials is the ability to abandon everyday thinking and bring to life the most daring architectural projects. Cement slabs can bend with any radius over 1 meter, allowing you to create spectacular curved surfaces, arches, domes, as well as large seamless facades. Their external finish can also be any, including simple and decorative plastering, painting or cladding with natural or artificial stone, clinker bricks or tiles - after all, cement slabs can withstand a load of up to 50 kg / m2.
