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21 December 2021 | Industry
A willingness to learn and be inspired by new ways of doing things is the key to progress. Our versatile and adaptable SIP & ICF panel system allows the creation of high-energy efficient green buildings, either as a whole building system or hybridised with other techniques.
To hit the government’s zero carbon targets, we need to be building sustainably both now and in the future – and our building system provides up to 40% less CO2 in the construction of the building and up to 65% less when in use. This makes it, arguably, the best passive house system on the market.
The panels’ inherent lightness allows for rapid production and installation along with optimisation of the assembly sequence, reducing on-site work and meaning that a complete watertight house can be built in just five-six weeks.
Build a whole house in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost, thanks to a SIP home building system that allows for rapid installation and no need for cranes or other external equipment.
Simple and light to transport and manoeuvre, our eco-friendly structural insulated panels weigh no more than 5kgs per square metre so can be carried on site by hand, and one person on their own can easily handle and position a room-high wall panel in place before it gets its shotcrete treatment in situ.
Simple construction using UK made Polystyrene and fine concrete to provide an extremely low carbon build simply and efficiently. Our sustainable system creates less CO2 in construction (33kgCO2e/m2) and saves over 65% of user energy requirements than traditional homes and our panels provide less waste in design and production, they can be recycled and, thanks to being lightweight, it saves on transport.
Any shape, structural or not, our panels can be cut on site to any geometric shape so give full design flexibility, offering a complete range of building elements: load-bearing walls, curtain walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, and stairs. Mix and match with other systems.
Our advanced building system has undergone internationally recognised laboratory tests that prove the structural strength of its monolithic joints, meaning it can withstand earthquakes and cyclone as well as day to day family life. Fix to the walls wherever you like.
Panels are made of self-extinguishing expanded polystyrene, completely encapsulated in reinforced concrete which cover the sides of panels and prevent combustion. They meet international fire resistance standards, providing an REI rating of 120 minutes.
The Advanced Building System reduces construction times by as much as 50% compared to traditional building methods.
A raw structure made with GLB panels can cost up to 40% less than a traditional structure of comparable market value. Plus, panels are machine made and assembly processes are optimised, leading to big savings on labour costs and all with a carbon benefit too.
Downloads
For more information on Green Life Buildings and our Advanced Building System, and to see how we can make a difference and change the way you build, download our GLM Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) / Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) brochure.
Download Brochure View all DownloadsTechnical
The Emmedue Building System allows for rapid installation and can be configured to provide virtually any characteristics needed. While remaining light weight to install, the panels are robust with proven high resistance to fire, water, wind, earthquakes and blasts. Despite its lightness, it is structurally strong and load resistant, and its versatility allows for many different design options.
FAQs
What are SIPs panels?
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are a building system that can be used in commercial and residential building construction. They can be used for walls, roofs, flooring, stairs and roofs. SIPs are made from expanded polystyrene enclosed by a steel mesh. SIP panels benefit construction by being strong but lightweight, being highly thermally efficient, quick to put in place and ecologically friendly.
What is an insulated concrete formwork?
Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) is a construction system that uses insulation moulds that are already put in place on-site to apply concrete too. The moulds then provide thermal insulation. This makes it a quick building system that provides excellent thermal insulation.
Where can I see some Green buildings that have been completed?
Although the Green Life facility is relatively new to the UK, there are a number of projects that have been completed throughout the UK. There are also over 1 million buildings made using eco-friendly Emmedue M2 technology around the world and you can see examples of them on the projects page.
How long does it take on average to build a typical house?
Whilst the Emmedue Building System shell can be erected in hours, it depends on how the house is being constructed. For a single home of 9 x 5m at height 8.3m we could make a 4 bed with two bathrooms in this footprint and provide c.120m2 of floor space over ground, on the first and second floor. Using a rendered finish, the build would be less than three months from finalisation of design to handover, allowing time for the concrete to cure (28 days).
A six-home project would be completed in five months, with a five-person team, by moving between them as the concrete cures. This can be further scaled to give extra homes in the same time scale with additional team members. A twelve-home project would be able to be completed in five months with a nine-person team.
For large-scale projects we can provide several hundred homes in less than five months, but we are restricted by the capacity of the building site and not the factory. Our factory has the current capacity for more than 4000 SQM of panels per day, based on a 400 SQM building, that is 10 houses per day, which can be increased as required.
Other options include precast units that could be made away from the building site, ready to be craned into position either as panels or modules. The disadvantage here is that precast units limit your design flexibility.
Once constructed, can properties be extended upwards or do sub-floors need extra structural support?
The Emmedue single panel is structural to four stories and if used as internal walls then all elements are structural. For larger structures, the Emmedue double panel is suitable.
As there is no cavity, how are additional pipes and cables inset after the build?
In the UK we can specify plasterboard on the internal walls to allow for extensions and movement of fittings. All ceilings have a height void from 38mm- 75mm which again makes movement of fittings easier for homes that do not use the plasterboard approach. A wall chaser will allow new chases to be cut before hitting the mesh.
Warranty
In addition to our product warranty, we work with Build-Zone, Advantage and others to exceed the requirements for 10 year structural warranty insurance (a normal requirement for a residential mortgage).
We know you are under pressure to reduce construction costs and build time, while also building in a more sustainable way. Our building system will provide you with greater speed of construction, a lower carbon footprint and better value than traditional bricks and mortar, steel, or timber frames. So, why not change the way you build today?
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