Amvic combines the best of ICF building with tilt-up technology to create the EnerTILT system
The copious advantages of building with concrete are already well established. Concrete is impervious to the destruction caused to wood framed homes by rodents and insects. Mould and mildew also hold no sway and concrete structures are known for their resilience to extremes in inclement weather. Earthquake and fire resistant, concrete structures enjoy lower insurance premiums than their wood framed counterparts. Concrete walls offer increased noise reduction and lower heating and cooling costs.
ICFs combine all the strengths of concrete with an accelerated build time thanks to the ease with which the blocks are assembled and the lack of expertise required. Additional insulation reduces heating and cooling further still, making ICFs the more environmentally friendly option.
Now, an innovation in building technology combines the speed of ICF building blocks with concrete tilt-up wall construction to make a stronger building that is easier to construct. This system is best suited for warehouses, storage facilities, office blocks, institutions or schools.
Instead of utilizing skilled masonry labour to construct walls on site, or paying exorbitant fees to transport pre-cast blocks, tilt up technology uses the floor of the building as a casting block for wall panels.
Here’s how it works
In traditional tilt-up construction, the floor of the building is used as a surface to cast the walls on site. Cranes raise the walls and position them while they are braced and welded together.
Amvic improved the traditional tilt-up method tenfold by combining all the best properties of tilt-up building with the advantages of building with ICFs. With the Amvic EnerTILT system, the convenience of ICF technology is combined with tilt-up building techniques. With this system, the wall panels can be quickly assembled by unskilled workers. Interlocking polystyrene forms are assembled on the floor slab. Rebar is placed on top of the polystyrene forms and the concrete is poured, vibrated and left to cure. The wall panels are then hoisted into place and secured.
Tilt-up construction using the Amvic system holds a plethora of benefits for the building owners. There is no need for skilled masonry or the high transportation costs of conveying pre-cast walls. Many aspects of the wall (like the plastic webbing and rebar) are made from recycled materials. Energy efficient insulation and concrete construction significantly reduce heating and cooling costs; the insulation has an R value of between 13 and 19, depending on the system utilized. These insulated walls can show a 50 to 75% increase in energy efficiency over traditional tilt-up walls. The polystyrene forms are easy to assemble and customise and require less concrete, making the wall panels lighter and easier to install. The wall structures can be erected with the insulation on the inside or the outside, depending on the building’s needs.