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Why do we not build using thermal blocks?

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  • 25-09-2020 12:24pm
    #1
    v638sg7k1a92bx
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,913 ✭✭✭


    Family member sent me photos of a house he's building. I noticed from the photos that the blocks were 9 inch thermal blocks which to me seemed like a really good idea. Insulated aerated etc.

    Would it not make sense to use these as standard, other than cost is there any reason for not using them or are 4 inch "just the way we do things in Ireland"


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    #2
    The Continental Op
    Registered Users Posts: 6,187 ✭✭✭The Continental Op


    Were they thermal blocks or Breeze blocks?

    Wake me up when it's all over.



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    #3
    v638sg7k1a92bx
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,913 ✭✭✭v638sg7k1a92bx


    The Continental Op wrote: »
    Were they thermal blocks or Breeze blocks?

    Thermal blocks afaik


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    #4
    The Continental Op
    Registered Users Posts: 6,187 ✭✭✭The Continental Op


    Its just that breeze blocks are very commonly used in the UK because they are cheap, they have the coal burning power stations that create the breeze.

    Wake me up when it's all over.



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    #5
    v638sg7k1a92bx
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,913 ✭✭✭v638sg7k1a92bx


    The Continental Op wrote: »
    Its just that breeze blocks are very commonly used in the UK because they are cheap, they have the coal burning power stations that create the breeze.

    These are 9 inch thermal blocks.


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    #6
    Shaunoc
    Registered Users Posts: 521 ✭✭✭Shaunoc


    Achilles Shapely Winter wrote:
    These are 9 inch thermal blocks.


    Cost?


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    #7
    v638sg7k1a92bx
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,913 ✭✭✭v638sg7k1a92bx


    Dunno but in the grand scheme of things with a new build I expect that something like this would be standard?


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    #8
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,008 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    There are other interesting products like clay blocks which got a bit of attention a few years ago but don't seem to have caught on.

    IMO it's partly because the objective in modern construction is to achieve theoretical performance in a piece of software rather than actual performance over the life of the building.

    Also, regular concrete has the real advantage of being both cheap and incredibly strong and durable which makes it much more idiot and accident proof to work with, both during and after construction.

    So why would you choose materials which are more expensive and fragile when you can achieve the same theoretical whole building performance for less money with concrete, foam and complex ventilation systems? There are answers but they're not obvious.

    Less rationally, there's the three little pigs mentality rooted in history and culture.


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