Building efficiently using lightweight concrete blocks – Prefabrication of wall panels
Serial and modular construction is considered to be an efficient solution to drive affordable housing. Industrial prefabrication of wall panels is particularly helpful because it saves time and money on the construction site. German manufacturers of lightweight concrete masonry blocks, including KLB Klimaleichtblock, responded to this trend and adapted their product range accordingly. The “KLB-RATIOWALL” wall panel system makes it possible to prefabricate solid, floor-to-ceiling exterior and interior wall panels and to transport them to the construction site just in time. For this purpose, KLB provides its approved materials designed specifically for walls and offers advice and consultancy in the project implementation phase if required.
Prefabrication allows shell construction times for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings to be shortened from several months to just a few days. The system relies on national technical approval Z-17.4-1224 granted by Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt), which states that all flat blocks and elements of the KLB range meet the requirements for serial construction. It is interesting to note that the floor-to-ceiling wall panels can also be configured to meet specifications for seismic areas or enhanced fire safety.
The materials used in the wall panel prefabrication process also excel with their thermal performance. Highly load-bearing acoustic blocks and KLBQUADRO systems can be used to create slim, low-cost structures. For exterior walls without additional insulation (ETICS), highly insulating flat blocks with integrated insulation are used. Flat blocks and elements are processed into finished wall panels using the tried-and-tested thin-bed method, which has a positive effect on work reliability, material consumption, and the required heat insulation of the walls. This approach results in healthy living and working spaces made of lightweight concrete that meet demanding thermal performance standards.
