Cavity Walls-Vol-3 240 to 290 (CMA)

Benefits Of Cavity Wall Construction.

Introduction The masonry skins of a cavity wall can be brickwork, block work or similar. Different masonry materials can be used on either side of the cavity. The cavity is initially empty but can be filled with insulation by various methods. Cavity walls are more time consuming and therefore slightly more expensive– to build than walls with the two skins bonded together, but they provide better sound and heat insulation and most importantly resistance to rain penetration. For instance, in South Africa the building code requires cavity walls for residential buildings in coastal regions that have higher rainfall.

Insulation

An added benefit of cavity wall construction is that it provides the ability to more adequately insulate the building. A continuous layer of rigid insulation is easily fitted between the cavity and the inner skin of the wall. The insulation does not fill the cavity but rather slip in behind it. The cavity itself also helps in insulating the building by acting as a thermal break between the two skins of the wall.

With environmental conditions becoming more of an issue,people now take much more interest in reducing energy wastage and cavity wall insulation is a cost effective way to reduce the amount of heat (as much as 35%) lost from convection off walls. As well as being more environmentally friendly, it can reduce heating costs as more of the heat is used effectively and it is often used as a first step, due to its low payback time and smaller initial installation costs. As the demand for energy efficiency in buildings increases the issue of thermal bridging in cavity wall openings is becoming more prominent. Solutions to thermal bridging include cavity closers, an insulated frame seals the cavity at apertures for doors and windows.

A Selection of Links to Southern African Web Sites

Aggregate & Sand Producers Association of Southern Africa (ASPASA)

Agrément South Africa

Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI)

Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA)

Concrete Society of Southern Africa (CSSA)

Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB)

Khuthaza (Women for Housing)

Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA)

Libwin Library Systems

National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC)

National Spa & Pool Institute (NSPI)

Sabinet

South African Bureau of Standards (SABS)

The South African Coal Ash Association (SACAA)

The South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC)

The South African Institute of Architects (SAIA)

The South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE)

South African Post Tensioning Association (SAPTA)

South African Reinforced Concrete Engineers' Association (SARCEA)

Southern African Online User Group (SAOUG)

Southern African Readymix Association (SARMA)

Special Libraries & Information Services Group (SLIS)