The Time is Now for Porotherm

Between the ongoing housing crisis and a renewed demand for large-scale public developments, the UK construction sector is currently being asked to build more than ever before. At the same time, new measures and legislation have made traditional construction practices more difficult to undertake. As such, housebuilders and developers should look towards more modern building methods to continue garnering results. Porotherm, an innovative clay block walling system is one such solution. Porotherm clay blocks provide an efficient alternative to building materials such as timber, concrete or light steel frames and is suitable for a variety of construction applications. 

With engineered solutions like Porotherm, construction companies are able to adopt more efficient working practices, which are perfectly suited to the current moment. The block solution provides a multitude of benefits, but most notably can be erected far quicker than masonry structures. In fact, for a standard residential property, the Porotherm system is capable of being built to storey height in just one day. In demanding times, this enhanced speed of build can make a huge difference, particularly when working on large-scale developments, or multiple homes. Although quicker to construct, buildings that use Porotherm still offer exceptional strength, safety and efficiency, while matching more traditional techniques in terms of fire resistance, acoustic performance and longevity.

As well as enabling faster construction on-site, Porotherm makes projects easier to coordinate. For one, the solution is far dryer than traditional blockwork systems, using around 95% less water. In turn, this means that on-site work is less dependent on local water supply. Similarly, buildings built from Porotherm take less time to achieve a watertight shell and are therefore, less susceptible to damage caused by weather. As a result of this, developers using Porotherm are able to continue building in conditions that would force others to stop, such as in freezing temperatures. Particularly in the United Kingdom, this is a significant benefit, which can ultimately end up making the difference between a project being delivered on time, or not.

What’s more, this combination of quicker erection times and weather-resistant performance also allows internal trades associated with later phases in the build programme to get on-site earlier. From a logistical point of view, this is a huge positive and helps to greatly mitigate the risk of on-site delays.

Of course, quicker building times and the reduced risk of delays also help to limit some of the financial outlays associated with traditional building methods. As Porotherm requires far less water and mortar usage, construction companies can garner further cost efficiencies from adopting the solution. The solution also helps to increase fabric efficiency, thus reducing the need for bolt-on attachments, such as ties. Once installed, the thermally efficient system can help to reduce the building occupant’s dependence on internal heating systems, when compared to traditional solutions.

Finally, Porotherm is a far more sustainable building material than traditional blockwork and could help the construction sector to finally embrace long overdue ‘green’ changes. By choosing this solution, construction companies are investing in a fully recyclable system, as 30% of the materials used to manufacture Porotherm are from alternative, recycled or secondary sources. Additionally, all code for sustainable home levels can be achieved with Porotherm and the material has received the ‘A+ BRE Green Guide’ rating in external walls. To this end, the product doesn’t only provide a way for the sector to begin building more efficiently but enables it in a way that promotes greater environmental consciousness. In turn, this can allow the sector to get ahead of any future legislation, which will inevitably target more unsustainable building methods.