Many factors including cost, speed of build and environmental conditions inform the decision of which building system and material to use. Ian covers some of the main types used for residential or small commercial building, including concrete block, timber frame, insulated concrete form, precast concrete and structurally insulated panels, discussing the appropriate usage and advantages of each.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Concrete blocks are durable, energy efficient in cold climates, vermin and insect resistant, low maintenance, fire resistant and cheap but have a high labour cost, have difficult access to services installed deep in between them and can suffer from water seepage over time. 
• Timber frame, often utilised in America, is recyclable and renewable, can have low construction waste if managed correctly, is energy efficient when insulated and can come pre engineered and quality controlled for simple construction. Your location and access to timber is key in its cost of transportation and sourcing, it is combustible unless correctly treated, and is susceptible to heavy rainfall, decay and burrowing type insects like termites.
• Insulated Concrete Form is an H shaped block with steel reinforcement so it is very strong and sturdy. It can be used to construct multiple types of building up to seven storeys or more, is very quick to build with semi skilled labour, easily accommodates services, is energy efficient and sound resistant and offers a number of aesthetic choices due to its multiple shapes. They come in one size only so need to be cut to fit exact requirements, can be expensive especially if transported long distances and require you to facilitate concrete pouring and curing time.
• Precast Concrete is reliable and, due to its moulding, uniform and repeatable. It is solid and strong, can be moulded into multiple shapes for a multitude of functions, is very durable and can be constructed with a smaller workforce supported by the required machinery. However, the workers need to be skilled and experienced and precast concrete requires cranes and heavy machinery to be placed and can be difficult to cut and drill. It is heavy and needs efficient drainage and requires precise design, placing and construction. 
• Structurally Insulated Panels are board or plywood bonded in layers with foam or polystyrene insulation and various other materials to form rigid, light panels. They are fire and pest resistant if correctly treated and can result in an easy and quick construction. They slot together and can be airtight for insulation and can be rendered or clad in a number of finishes for completion. Currently there can be a shortage of experienced builders available and it is a relatively new system so its durability and lifespan is untested.

BEST MOMENTS

‘And in high humidity environments such as tropical areas, they can be susceptible to black mould if they're not treated correctly and rendered and finished off correctly.'

‘It can be built to exceed a 60 year life, particularly if the timber is treated properly. And it can be energy efficient when insulated and can have a fast heating due to low thermal mass and it can have a reduced time on site.'

‘It improves the indoor air quality because it's a sealed system. It helps to protect the concrete during current curing which can be beneficial in hot climates. And the end result is very energy efficient, which has a significant impact on the energy use either in heating or in cooler climates or on air conditioning in warmer climates. And that has significant sound reduction and temperature stability. So it's got a lot of advantages as a system.'

‘There's a high initial investment for the factory and the moulds and all of that sort of thing. But obviously once you've started off and your producing then that stops. Modification can be challenging and difficult, particularly as inevitably the concrete is actually made to very high density and therefore cutting and drilling into it can be challenging.'

‘My personal favourite is insulated concrete form. As I say, this is not advice. That's just my personal preference because I think there's a lot more flexibility in it. It's very quick.'

VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://www.ianjrogers.com/

ABOUT THE HOST

Ian Rogers is an entrepreneur running businesses in the Real Estate, Construction and Facilities Management arena. Ian has over 40 years' industry experience, as he was effectively born into construction with his father having his own building company and Ian spending time working on sites from the age of 11!. As a result Ian has seen the industry from a trades person perspective, as a chartered quantity surveyor working on large commercial projects, as a project manager and then working on structured project finance through PFI/PPP deals. This has given Ian a unique whole life approach to any project by considering the end game at the beginning.

CONTACT METHOD

 https://www.ianjrogers.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.