outcomes for their housing projects.
These include:
• Non combustible
• Good thermal properties
• Durable
• Robust
• Inert
• Rot resistant
• Good acoustic properties
• Moisture resistant
Masonry products are local, low
carbon and long lasting. The inherent
properties of the product give
whole life performance that enables
designers to deliver homes with
benefits to occupants and owners:
Low fire risk – Masonry materials
are non- combustible and do not
allow the spread of fire, unlike some
other forms of construction.
Energy saving – The insulation,
air tightness and thermal mass of
masonry homes, particularly when
combined with concrete floors, can
result in low energy bills.
Long life – Meaning homes retain
their value for future generations. A
valuable investment.
Quiet – Aircrete and aggregate
concrete blocks are included in
34 registered Robust Details for
separating walls, which exceed
minimum noise performance
requirements. Upper floors of
concrete provide exceptional internal
sound insulation.
Secure – in high risk areas and for
attached housing, solidity of masonry
provides increased security.
Comfortable – A home needs to be
solidly built with no vibration issues,
good with noise separation from
family, housemates and neighbours;
as well as being warm in winter and
cool in summer. Masonry homes
deliver this comfort.
Flood resilience – Homes built from
aircrete and concrete blocks suffer
less damage because they are robust,
dimensionally stable and do not rot
in the event of flooding.
Thermal bridging
Achieving required or desired energy
performance arises from good design
and construction in the following
areas: U-values, air tightness and
thermal bridging at junctions.
non-combustible structural materials.
Thermal bridging is not a new issue buildings are more susceptible to fire or concept, but as the U-values spread than masonry buildings are. of walls and floors has improved During the construction stage of a Whilst the benefits of masonry
and airtightness has increased, building project, choosing the right during the construction phase are
the percentage of lost energy that materials is essential in mitigating apparent, on completion the reduced
passes through thermal bridges has any fire risk. Whilst proper design risks from fire remain. With the
increased. Therefore it has become is essential, the structural material inability of the product to burn,
increasingly important to attend chosen is incredibly important; non- masonry homes offer a long life
to thermal bridges – and for SAP combustible masonry blocks are a solution. By choosing masonry over
assessors to sharpen their pencil and great starting point. timber or other materials, builders
not use default values.
reduce the risk of fire related
The HSE has previously raised hazards. The masonry industry
For masonry construction, design concerns of poor management in has made a huge response to the
help is available through a suite reducing the risk of fire in timber increased activity in the housing
of details for which psi values* buildings. There has been unease that sector, and by watching demand
have been calculated. Clients and the necessary procedures are not for products it continues to deliver
architects should require SAP being followed, further increasing energy efficient, fire resilient homes
assessors to use these more accurate the risk of harm to occupants of with excellent food resilience and
psi values associated with the actual neighbouring buildings. acoustic performance.
Department of Communities and “All those making design and For more information visit
Local Government showing statistical procurement decisions that analysis of fires in completed timber significantly affect fire risk should www.modernmasonry.co.uk
buildings. consider and reduce the risk
details rather than default values
in SAP. Use of these details goes a
long way to helping optimise fabric
performance. By having details
with the associated psi values,
compliance can be demonstrated
without recourse to more expensive
solutions. Their use can also help
avoid the need for renewables.
Fire resilience during
construction and on
completion
In mitigating the risk of fire, a
sensible starting point is choosing
non-combustible structural materials
– and masonry is one of these.
Data has been published by The
and consequences of fire during
“Fires in dwellings of timber framed the construction phase through
construction experienced on DESIGN.” (HSE Open Letter
average more damage than those of October 2014)
no special construction” (Stephen
Williams, MP, Minister Communities The masonry industry suggest that
and Local Government. House of whilst proper design is required no
Commons January 22, 2015) matter what structural material is
chosen and whilst workmanship is
always important, a sensible starting
The results aren’t surprising – timber
point in risk mitigation is to choose
9
*A psi value is the measure of
energy lost at a junction.