1.
Why is Ytong AAC considered a 'green' building product?
Ytong Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (Ytong AAC)
is well known as an environmentally friendly construction
material. The production of Ytong AAC requires only a fraction
of the energy compared to other materials. The manufacturing
process emits no pollutants and creates no by-products
or toxic waste products. Ytong AAC is manufactured from
common and abundant natural raw materials. The finished
product is up to five times the volume of the raw
materials used, making it extremely resource-efficient
and environmentally friendly.
Non-polluting Manufacture - Ytong AAC manufacturers
use a closed-loop manufacturing process, so that nothing
is ever released other than clean steam. Product trimmings,
slurry and water are reprocessed, and steam is reused
whenever possible.
Resource Efficiency - The end product
is approximately 80% entrained air and 20% mass. Thus
5 parts Ytong AAC are produced from just 1 part raw materials.
Low Energy Consumption throughout Lifecycle
- The total energy consumption to produce Ytong AAC is 1/3
to 1/2 that of comparable building materials. When
installed, Ytong AAC results in tremendous energy savings
for heating and cooling the building.
Healthier Indoor Air Quality - Ytong AAC
products are an excellent choice for the chemically
sensitive because Ytong Autoclaved Aerated Concrete does
not offgas. Ytong AAC does not promote the growth of mildew
and mold, and cannot be infested by termites. Rats
and other pests find no home, since there is no cavity
in an Ytong AAC wall. Pesticides can be reduced, and the
occupants can breathe a little easier. 
2. How safe is Ytong AAC?
Ytong AAC is probably the safest building
product available. Ytong AAC is a non-toxic product that
does not pollute the air, land or water. During the
manufacturing process, waste from the cutting process
is recycled back with raw materials and used again.
During construction, there is virtually no waste generated.
Ytong AAC products were designed to respond to the urgent
need to conserve and protect the earth's precious
natural resources.
3. Will an
Ytong AAC building last as long as other buildings?
Yes, in fact it will last longer.
The durability of Ytong AAC has been proven in every type
of climate in the world for over 75 years.
4. How durable
is Ytong AAC and can it be used in cold climates as well as
hot climates?
Ytong AAC has proven to be a very durable
material. There are numerous structures in many different
climates worldwide, many over 75 years old, in excellent
condition. Ecolite Ytong AAC will not rot, warp, rust, corrode,
or otherwise decompose. Termites and other pests do
not eat it. Ytong AAC will not burn. The millions of tiny
cells in Ytong AAC cushion buildings from major force, preventing
progressive collapse. Ytong AAC has withstood earthquakes
in Japan, the frigid temperatures of northern Europe,
the harsh salt air of the French Riveria, and the
hillside fires of San Fransisco.
Ytong AAC provides a very low maintenance building, saving
considerable time and money in upkeep over the life
of the building. Although damage to an Ecolite Ytong AAC
wall is unlikely, repair is simple using an Ytong AAC repair
mortar. The durability of finishes, both exterior
and interior, plays an important role environmentally.
Ecolite Ytong AAC provides excellent thermal insulation
due to the ideal balance between low thermal conductivity
and available mass. A material's mass and thermal
properties are important measures of its capacity
to store energy and resist heat transfer. The degree
of benefit of thermal mass depends on the climate,
building type and use.
5. Is Ytong AAC a
new product?
No. Ytong AAC was first commercially produced
in 1923 in Sweden. Since then, Ytong AAC construction systems
such as masonry units, reinforced floor/roof and wall
panels and lintels have been used on all continents
and every climatic condition. Today Ytong AAC is used all
over the world in places such as the Far East (Japan,
Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia
and Thailand), in the Middle East (Israel, Kuwait
and Turkey), in Europe (Germany, France, Netherlands,
Italy, Greece, Belgium, Switzerland) and in both North
and South Americas (United States, Mexico, Chile,
Brazil and Argentina).
6. Is Ytong AAC better
than standard construction materials such as wood and
concrete?
Ytong AAC outperforms concrete and wood.
Ytong AAC is the only durable, structural, thermal and fire
rated material all in one product. For example, in
wood construction, insulation and drywall must be
added to make the wall fire rated and thermally compliant.
In addition, insulation must be added to masonry to
obtain reasonable thermal values. Unlike wood and
concrete, Ytong AAC is lightweight, has superior acoustic
absorption, is a non-organic material that will not
decay or rot and is moisture and pest resistant. In
nearly every situation, Ytong AAC is the best building material
choice.
7. Is Ytong AAC material
resistant to growth of mildew and molds?
As a non-organic mineral based material,
Ytong AAC products do not promote the growth of mildew and
molds. Mildew may appear over finishes if material
used for finishing promotes the growth of mildew.
8. How has Ytong AAC been used?
Ytong AAC has been used worldwide in the following applications:
• Hospitality; hotels, motels and restaurants
• Retail and warehouses
• Industrial
• Office Buildings
• Education
• Medical, clinics and offices
• Religious
• Single family homes
• Multi-family projects
• Specialty application such as fire walls
and sound walls
9. How do you
hang heavy items like cabinets or shelves on Ytong AAC walls?
Fasteners are available that easily
drive into Ytong AAC walls and are capable of securing heavy
items. These fasteners are similar to standard concrete
"spread-fast" anchors. Since Ytong AAC is less
dense than standard concrete, fasteners can be driven
in with a hammer. Specialty drills are not required.
Unlike stud walls, fasteners can be placed anywhere
in Ytong AAC walls. No need to explore to find studs for
hanging heavy objects.
10. How is
Ytong AAC finished?
Standard elastomeric paint, traditional
or synthetic stucco, thin brick facing, tile, siding
materials or any other building finish can be used
on the outside of Ytong AAC walls. Inside, Ytong AAC walls can
be finished with plaster, textured paint, gypsum drywall
or any other interior finish.
11. How much does Ecolite
Ytong AAC cost?
Ecolite pricing is very competitive
with other quality building materials. Installed cost
and operating cost must be considered as well. These
costs are all affected by project size, location,
labor market, current freight rates, building codes
and the particular application. Ytong AAC typically pays
for itself within 3-5 years.
now to have a costing done for your project.
12. Do Ytong AAC walls require insulation?
Almost never. Ecolite Ytong AAC walls
are insulated by millions of tiny air cells which
reduce thermal conductivity. The thick walls also
benefit from high thermal mass, much like a log home.
13. How is
wiring installed in Ytong AAC walls?
Easily. People often imagine that
wiring will be a challenge due to the solid structure
of Ytong AAC blocks. When they discover how versatile and
workable Ytong AAC really is, they are pleasantly surprised.
There are 2 standard methods for installing wiring
in Ytong Autoclaved Aerated Concrete walls. Many installers
use a combination.
Routing: Build the
walls first. The electrician draws directly on the
block to indicate where the wires will go. The Ytong AAC
installer uses a manual or electric router to cut
channels on the inside of the walls. After the electrician
installs the wiring, the wall is plastered or sheetrocked.
Requires no pre-planning, and changes are easily made.
Conduit usually required.
Inside the Wall:
With this method, the majority of the conduit is installed
as the wall is built. Wiring may also be run in the
vertical cores. Pre-wired conduit is typically used
to reduce the hassle of pulling wires. Wiring is deep
in the wall and surrounded by a fire retardant material.
Extra switches and receptacles can still be added
by the routing method.
14. What are
possible exterior finishes that can be used over Ytong AAC?
Many of the conventional exterior
finishing systems such as one coat plastering (sometimes
referred to as a hard coat system) and two coat systems
can be used over Ytong AAC as an exterior finish. Other
options such as brick veneer, stone and siding can
be used and have been used in many residential projects.
15. What are
possible interior finishes that can be used over Ytong AAC?
Typical interior finishes such as
plastering, acrylic paint, ceramic tiles, and wood
panel can be used over Ytong AAC walls. Vinyl wall covering
should not be used since it creates a vapor barrier,
which may lead to growth of molds and delaminating
of wall covering.
16. What is the thickness
of the finish systems?
Depending on the manufacturer
and type of system, thickness for exterior finishes
range from 3mm to 10mm. Finish coats such as textured
paint or acrylic coating are applied over a base coat
on the first pass. Regarding the interior finish,
the approximate minimum thickness is 3mm to 10mm over
Ytong AAC standard masonry units. Again, paint or other
surface finishes such as wall covering are applied
over the base coat.
17. Do you
have a list of commercial installation contractors?
Yes, however, we prefer to screen
inquiries for commercial installers to determine the
proper installer match for the project in terms of
size, capability, availability, and experience.
now with your inquiry.
18. Are there
any homes or buildings near me that used Ytong AAC or are
being built now using Ytong AAC?
Yes. Please
to find the nearest Ytong AAC completed home or
under-construction project in your area.
19. What
is the maximum length and structural span for precast
Ytong AAC reinforced floor / roof and walls panels?
The structural span for floor/roof
and wall panels depends on the live and dead loads
and the thickness of the panel.
As for wall panels, the maximum structural span depends
on the design load and thickness of panels. However,
wall panels can be designed for almost all design
loads typically required by national design codes.
20. Can Ytong AAC
be used with standard concrete blocks (CMU)?
Although the mix of Ytong AAC material
and CMU blocks is not required in most cases, there
is no technical restriction to prohibit the use of
both products.
21. Why is
a vapor barrier not required in the exterior wall assembly
of Ytong AAC wall?
As solid monolithic Ytong AAC wall system,
the enclosed non-connected cellular structure and
exterior finishes provide the healthy balance between
resistance to moisture penetration and vapor diffusion.
This balance is adequate to maintain a dry system,
prevent moisture condensation and allows vapor diffusion
when and if any presence of vapour occurs within the
wall system.
22. What
is the R-value for the Ytong AAC system and what do you mean
by "effective" R-value?
Ecolite Ytong AAC wall, floor and roof
systems provide an innovative combination of excellent
low thermal conductivity, thermal mass and low air-infiltration.
This practical combination of properties in one system
provides an excellent thermal insulation material
and permits peak energy usage in the building to be
shifted to off-peak hours, thus reducing operation
cost for building users and owners, improving comfort
of living and reducing the demand on power generation
facilities.
It is important to remember that thermal performance
of any building material is the result of several
factors and may not be assumed either effective or
ineffective on the basis of any one factor.
Typically, most people refer to the steady state R-value
as a measure of the material resistance as tested
under steady and constant climatic conditions. In
the "steady state" where thermal values
are obtained from laboratory testing, it is assumed
that temperatures at both sides of a wall are constant
and remain constant for a period of time, unlike what
actually occurs in normal conditions. In actuality,
the temperature levels on both sides of walls may
change during a 24-hour period. In many cases, the
exterior temperature may experience large temperature
swings. These changes may cause a reversal in direction
of the heat flow or at least "delay" the
heat flow to the point where it substantially reduces
the heat transfer to the inside the building envelope.
In this case, the combination of the heat capacity
and the excellent thermal resistance exceeds the performance
of a high "steady state" R-value. This dynamic
process is known as the "thermal mass benefit"
or "mass-enhanced" R-value.
23. Do exterior
walls have to be weather protected?
All cementitious or mineral constructing
products should be protected from moisture during
construction and before finishing. Ytong AAC is a cementitious
material, but also a thermal insulating building material.
Therefore, Ytong AAC must be protected against moisture
to preserve the high thermal property of the material.
24. Can gib
board be applied directly over Ytong AAC walls?
Gib board can be applied directly
to the Ytong AAC with construction adhesive and screws or
attached to furring over Ytong AAC walls. However, one should
be aware of the fact that gypsum board may promote
the growth of mildew. We recommend the use of mineral-based
finish to prevent such a problem.
25. Is a floor
surface treatment required? If yes, what are the options?
Yes, finishes are required for all
Ytong AAC floor systems. All commonly and commercially available
products such as carpet & pad, tiling, wood flooring
and industrial surface treatment can be used.
26. What kind
of roofing material or system can be used over Ytong AAC roof
panel?
All commercial available roofing
systems can be used over Ytong AAC roof. Generally speaking,
when Ytong AAC roof panels are used flat or near flat, they
are covered with a membrane system such as built-up
or EPDM. On a pitch, they are often covered with concealed
fastener metal roofs or shingles.
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