Unsual Building Block

[User]

 

[slowmotion]

It looks like a clay block similar to Porotherm. Maybe Spanish.

http://porothermuk.co.uk/

 

[User6179]

Cellular block, as above looks Spanish

 

[slowmotion]

Maybe Greek, Italian or from somewhere else sunny!

 

[classic33]

Thermoplan or Zeigel Blocks
http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/manufactured_systems.htm

 

[classic33]

Maybe Greek, Italian or from somewhere else sunny!

German

http://www.greenspec.co.uk/green-pr.../details/ziegelwerk-thermoplan-ziegel-blocks/

 

[slowmotion]

German

http://www.greenspec.co.uk/green-pr.../details/ziegelwerk-thermoplan-ziegel-blocks/

I owe you a cigar.

 

[Garry A]

Looks like someone has smashed up a huge Cadbury's Flake

 

[classic33]

[QUOTE 4807375, member: 9609"]yes, that seems to be them - apparently supper efficient on insulation. 0.09w/mK (btw I havn't got what those figures mean but I guess they are good) wonder how that compares to those lightwieght thermalite blocks?[/QUOTE]
Typical thermal conductivity:
Lightweight Thermalite Blocks: 0.70 – 1.28 W/mK
Ziegel Blocks: 0.10 W/mK

Note
Some forums are throwing up Thermite Blocks. Not safe for use in the home.

 

[classic33]

[QUOTE 4807345, member: 9609"]Passed a house today (in england) being built with these, they seemed to be being used as an outer skin. Presumably they have great insulating properties ? does anyone have a name for them I would like to know more.
They seemed to be a double width breeze block.
View attachment 353023 [/QUOTE]
That's the bit I don't believe. Makes it sound as though you escaped afterwards.

 

[MikeG]

On the continent these are almost always used as infill for a cast in situ reinforced concrete frame. That may be good enough, in terms of thermal performance, in Greece or Spain or Southern France or whatever, but it isn't good enough for here. There would always be "cold bridging" through the concrete structure, no matter how warm the rest of the walls were. That's why these things, which are ubiquitous on the continent, aren't typically seen here.

I'd be interested to know more about the building they're being used to construct. I have never seen these extruded clay blocks used in a load-bearing situation, so I'd like to see what is holding up the roof and first floor. I'm betting that there is a steel or concrete frame somewhere, which only means a whole lot of detailing issues getting insulation onto the insides of the framework.

 

[Aperitif]

Keep this thread updated User9609 - so that we can all watch, and revel in the details! Interesting materials handling videos on the clay block site...explains why all that has been built since Monday morning.

 

[nickyboy]

Looks like someone has smashed up a huge Cadbury's Flake

Or stuck it under an electron microscope

Take another look

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Note
Some forums are throwing up Thermite Blocks. Not safe for use in the home.

Sounds fun tho'.

 

[MikeG]

[QUOTE 4807568, member: 9609"]Think it is going to be 2.5 to 3 stories..........[/QUOTE]

........and there it is, in a load-bearing situation, it seems. Interesting.