Fire Resistant & Energy Efficiency Building

Hello,

We are a building contractor from Scotland. We have set up a couple locations in the United States building with AAC. We have been in business since 1954 in Scotland and have built mostly in Scotland & the UK, in 2015 we decided to open & build in the United States. 

We offer an unrivaled range of premium products with stunning natural colors and striking finishes, designed for any project large or small.

We pride ourselves on quality, commitment, and a seamless process for our customers from beginning to end.

Here is some information about what we do:
 We supply and build Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) shell structures ( Kits ) for homes and commercial buildings. AAC shells remove the need for wood framing, insulation, sheathing and drywall.  Not only is the build extremely fast in comparison to wood-framed homes, but they can save up to 35% in energy costs and over 25% in insurance costs.  Additionally, the need for maintenance is drastically less throughout the lifetime of the home.
AAC can stand up against most natural disasters if built correctly, most specifically it is very fire resistant.  It has one of the highest hourly fire resistance ratings per inch of any building material out there. Just a 4 inch AAC wall carries a 4-hour UL rating.  AAC is also non-combustible and does not emit dangerous chemicals when in direct contact with a heat source. Additionally with an AAC wall it has 1-3 components vs a typical wood frame wall with 7-13.
 
With the rising cost of lumber throughout the United States, the cost of building with AAC is very competitive with the current market.  AAC is fire resistant, energy efficient, impervious to pests and requires less materials to complete the build.  While some builders here may have heard of AAC, the correct technique and proper tools are not commonly found in the US.  However, I have availability to all of the tools and fasteners needed to comply with all the code requirements in the US.
While AAC is not very well known in the United states, it is widely used all around the world.  I am here to help establish it in the US to help build efficient and eco-friendly homes & commercial buildings.  I am very passionate about the benefits of using AAC and am excited to bring my knowledge of the product to others.
 

Making AAC

AAC is made from fine ground silica sand, Portland cement, lime, water and aluminum powder as an expansion agent. The production process is very carefully monitored to ensure a controlled consistency in the proportions and timing of all ingredients that are used in each batch. 

 

The materials are first mixed into a slurry and then poured into large molds where the expansion agent reacts with the alkalis in the cement and lime to produce millions of small hydrogen gas bubbles.  

 

The mix expands and rises almost 2 times its initial volume. The hydrogen evaporates and the ‘cake’ sets up and hardens into a stable closed cell matrix which can then be precision wire-cut into blocks or panels.  

 

The green aerated concrete is then steam cured in a pressurized autoclave for about 12-14 hours whereupon it undergoes a second chemical reaction and transforms into the mineral Tobermorite or calcium silicate hydrate. The finished materials are palletized, wrapped and delivered to the job site.