Content
Traditional Building
The Seurobric house
*. Very solid system
The summarised specifications of a Seurobric house
Topics
In southern countries, like Portugal, traditional buildings consist of a concrete shell of columns and beams, with bricks laid in between. (skeleton-structure). These walls are then plastered with a cement mortar. From now on we will refer to this building system as traditional building.This traditional building system is well known because of its very strong construction, though it is burdened with a few structural and ambiant disadvantages :
The insulating value of a house depends on the total building concept. One weak link in the insulation undermines the entire insulating value. In Portugal usually little attention is paid to professional insulation of walls, windows and roof. The reason is that the concrete shell construction cannot easily be insulated. When executing the roof, the walls and the concrete beams, thermal bridges are unavoidable.Because of insufficient insulation a traditional construction is not energy-saving, is difficult to condition and certainly not an agreeable living environment.
In shell constructions the shell itself transmits sound. Connected concrete beams and columns (iron and concrete) are excellent sound conductors. This sound transmission can be avoided by casing the construction. In practice this is not applied in traditional building. The low internal acoustics of the building may be a disturbance of your privacy. In noise intensive areas the penetration of external noise may have an additional disturbing effect.
*. Low moisture-resistance and
moisture problems
A traditional building often suffers from moisture and condensation problems because of not-shielded concrete beams, the inevitable thermal bridges, the absence or interrupted use of waterproof membranes, occurrence of cracks and fractures in the cement plastering. This moisture damage strongly decreases the durability and surplus value of a building. On the one hand, infiltration of moisture causes damage to the building (efflorescence of plaster, salt, minerals, early erosion, formation of mildew and moss,…) and on the other hand, an increased level of condensation results is a disagreeable living environment : musty and stuffy smells.
In traditional buildings the interior and exterior walls are finished with cement plastering. This plastering is then painted. The advantage of this plastering is its low cost: in fact the raw material (sand and cement) are blended on site. Water can penetrate through these cracks and fractures, resulting in moisture problems.
Interior plastering is carried out in cement. Although cement does not rot, the moisture will affect other materials and cause unpleasant smells. The comfort of the house will decrease.
Interior cement plastering has a bad acoustic value and does not at all control the humidity of the air.
Because of a lack of insulation, the inevitable thermal bridges, the low acoustic features and the frequent occurrence of moisture and condensation problems, the traditional house hardly allows for the creation of a cosy and comfortable atmosphere. A traditional house is not at all energy-saving and complicates conditioning. In addition, traditional buildings are maintenance-intensive. These disadvantages endanger the durability of the house. If traditional houses are not maintained properly, they acquire a neglected appearance after approximately ten years, which in turn seriously undermines the surplus value of the building.
De SEUROBRIC-house :
A SEUROBRIC building only offers the advantages of a traditional building,
without suffering from its disadvantages.
IN SHORT, BUILDING A HOUSE IN SEUROBRIC EQUALS AN INVESTMENT IN QUALITY, USER COMFORT AND DURABILITY
The characteristics of the SEUROBRIC house.
By using the « insulation bricks » filled with concrete and iron, we obtain a very strong, stable bearing construction. Because of this concrete structure the building is extremely strong and has a great bearing strength, which has no trouble coping with the ravages of time. This solid building system gives the building a real surplus value.
With SEUROBRIC we construct and insulate in one go. Both interior and exterior walls are insulated by means of a 4.5cm thick EPS. The uninterrupted insulation provides a protective shield against cold and heat. A SEUROBRIC wall presents an excellent U-value of 0.35. This insulating value cannot be obtained in a traditional building.
The roof is executed by means of insulated roof elements that ensure an airtight and
waterproof roof. The inside of these panels is finished. These roof elements ensure a
perfect insulation and make sure no thermal bridges and heat leaks can occur. 
For our SEUROBRIC houses we use thermally interrupted window profiles with insulating double-glazing. Although such quality is not common in PROTUGAL, it is completely in line with our philosophy.
Besides better thermal features, these windows also offer improved acoustic features.
A SEUROBRIC house is a durable, environment-friendly and energy-saving house. The house can be optimally conditioned. This means that heating and/or cooling is immediately noticeable and is not first absorbed by the building itself. Besides there is no energy loss (heat/coolness) through walls, windows or roof. Therefore the inside of the house will always be cosy and pleasant with minimum energy costs.
Because of the low
weight and the easy-to-handle feature of the SEUROBRIC we construct the walls in a quick
and precise manner. Subsequently the roof made of high-quality sandwich panels is
professionally placed on top of the construction. This concept allows for immediate
airtight finishing of the rough structure. The speed of this building system is several
times that of traditional building systems.
The works following the rough structure (electricity, plastering,…) run a lot smoother and more correct. The overall result is a well-organised and time-saving construction site.
A short building period implies that the customer can sooner enjoy his building.
The share of labour costs in the total price of the house is lower. This is an important money-saver on the one hand, and on the other hand the chances of mistakes in the construction are decreased.
Because of the double row of tenons on the SEUROBRIC we achieve a strong and waterproof casing. The SEUROBRIC is placed on moisture insulation. This insulation is not interrupted anywhere ensuring that no moisture can rise or penetrate. Besides an overall finishing of waterproof and reinforced cement is applied, so that moisture does not get the chance to penetrate.
The roof panels are provided with a waterproof slab, with a vapour permeating film. This guarantees a 100% waterproof roof.
The special joint system of the SEUROBRIC guarantees perfect watertightness on the one hand, and a very stable, strong structure with level walls.
Building the exterior walls in one even material avoids the tension and cracks that may occur when combining materials with different features.
As opposed to materials blended onsite (traditional building), we always use specialised products that meet the highest quality standards. These products are applied according to the specifications of the manufacturer and consist of different layers. A first binder course contains a tissue (net) to which the primer is applied. Then the final layer is applied (a cement based on synthetic resin or rubber).
These products are dyed in the mixture and therefore no additional painting is required. The products are maintenance-friendly and their elasticity avoids cracks and fractures.
We use plaster mortar for interior plastering. Plaster mortar has a moisture controlling quality. Besides, a plaster mortar plastering provides better acoustics. The plastering contributes to the comfortable environment of the house.
Neither the concrete nor the EPS have any trouble coping with the ravages of time.
Therefore the building acquires a real surplus value which will not be lost through time.
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This surplus value is even enhanced by the high thermal and acoustic features. Because of the monolithic wall structure a high moisture-resistance is obtained.
We only use quality products when executing the building project.
Building with Seurobrics equals investing in durable quality materials.
As an answer to traditional building in Portugal, we offer a high-quality alternative with the following advantages:
Because of the solid insulation and moisture protection we obtain a durable and maintenance-friendly house which allows us to create a cosy and comfortable atmosphere inside, independent of the weather conditions outside.
IN SHORT, BUILDING A HOUSE IN SEUROBRIC EQUALS A QUALITY INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE
IT OFFERS A SIGNIFICANT SURPLUS VALUE.
The summarised specifications of a Seurobric house.
Click on the SEUROBRIC for more details
(Each product used holds a quality label and has a technical card stating its characteristics.)
TOPICS :
Insulation: an unnecessary luxury?
Several countries already have legislation concerning the compulsory insulation of houses because insulation stands for energy-saving houses. Energy consumption is decreased and leads to a cleaner environment.
Such legislation does not exist in Portugal yet. Often only little attention or none at all is paid to the insulation of houses.
Can saving money on insulation to lower the total cost be justified? Is insulation unnecessary in a warmer climate?
No, the insulation allows for better protection of the indoor climate of the house, both in terms of heat and cold.
The Algarve region presents significant differences in day and night temperatures. During the summer day temperatures may exceed 30 degrees, while 15 degrees is a normal temperature at night. In winter temperatures may be around 20 degrees during the day, while the nights are of just a few degrees.
Insulation contributes to an improved living comfort of the house when there are strong differences in temperature.
Though we may conclude that many older houses in Portugal only dispose of a wood-burning stove, our experience tells us that heating is an indispensable comfort to endure the winter months. Energy-saving heating equals insulation.
Insulation is not only applied to save energy. There are several engineering motives to provide a building with a solid insulation:
*. Energy-saving
Non-insulated walls cause a great heat loss that may well represent 40% of total energy consumption. Investing in insulation results in lower energy costs.
*. Decreasing thermal tension
By means of a solid insulation thermal bridges can be avoided in a simple manner. Insulation ensures a decrease in the thermal tension of building materials, thus decreasing the chances of cracks and fractures.
*. Comfort-enhancing
-) Heat-controlling power of the walls
Building physics show us that applying insulation provides a better control of the differences in indoor and outdoor temperature, which leads to an improved living comfort (in any climate)..
-) Neutralisation of ‘false draught’
Air that is cooled off by an non-insulated wall, comes down. This phenomenon is experienced as a draught and is called false draught. Because an insulated wall does not cool off so quickly, this ‘false draught’ cannot occur.
-) Fighting fungus growth
Cold, non-insulated walls allow for quick condensation. This condensation may cause fungus growth..
-) Noise insulation
Besides the thermal effect, insulation also ensures better acoustic features of the house.
*. Durable
All these items ensure that the sales value of the insulated real estate is higher than that of the non-insulated one. Investing in insulation is therefore investing in the future.
*. Ventilation
When insulating houses enough attention should be paid to providing ventilation.
CONCLUSION :
Insulation is not an unnecessary luxury in the ALGARVE region. A SEUROBRIC house is optimally insulated. A traditional building is ill insulated.
A thermal bridge is a weak link in the heat insulation, a place where the insulating sheath is interrupted. Thermal bridges cause differences in temperature between the insulated parts and the non-insulated parts.
First, these thermal bridges are the cause of increased energy consumption.
Second, thermal bridges promote condensation. Water vapour preferably condenses on cold parts of the wall. This leads to fungus growth and can even result in rotting.
Third, thermal bridges form the ideal spots for cracks and fractures in different building materials.
Thermal bridges undermine the comfort and the durability of the house. Therefore it goes beyond saying that thermal bridges may not occur.
CONCLUSION:
The SEUROBRIC house does not contain the thermal bridges that inevitably occur in traditional buildings.
What is a waterproof membrane? (or diba-strip)
Insufficient moisture insulation at the beginning of the construction is a serious engineering mistake. At the first layer of aboveground masonry, a water-retaining layer should be placed, because rising moisture is one of the trickiest moisture problems in a house. After all, almost any building material that comes into contact with water or humid soil, is subject to capillary rising of moisture.
The same waterproof membrane should be used for lintels (supporting beams above window and door openings) and beams (horizontally placed constructional beams) to avoid moisture in those spots.
In Portugal too little attention is paid to the use of waterproof membranes. Moisture damage is supposed to have a lower impact because the walls are plastered with cement instead of plaster. This is a limited point of view because moisture does damage other finishing materials. However, it is difficult to provide traditional buildings with a waterproof membrane, because the concrete columns constantly interrupt the walls.
It is important to take care of moisture prevention in a house. Because penetration of moisture damages the house (flaking of paint and wallpaper), materials rot and also the increased humidity entails musty and stuffy smells. Penetrating moisture leads to damp walls which cause a lot of damage and costs, such as decrease of the insulating value, efflorescence of salt and plaster on walls, early erosion, fungus growth and moss,…
On the one hand, moisture undermines the comfort of the house and on the other hand, it decreases the durability of the building. Therefore moisture should be avoided in a house.
CONCLUSION:
A traditionally built house often suffers from moisture problems. However, moisture does not have a disadvantageous effect on a SEUROBRIC house.
The U-value of a house or the heat transmission coefficient
This value corresponds to the amount of heat that is transmitted per hour, per square meter and per degree of difference in temperature between the interior and exterior wall of the air in a room to the outside air. In other words, the lower the U-value, the lower the heat loss, or the bigger the U-value, the greater the heat loss.
To restrict energy loss governments in several countries force owners to have their houses insulated and house are required to have a certain U-value. The minimum U-value for a house in Belgium in order to obtain a building permit is K55.
A SEUROBRIC house has a U-value of 35, which means that the climate inside the house is not related to the outdoor climate (cold and/or warm), which allows for the creation of a comfortable and cosy climate in the house at any time.
*. Comparison of the U-value of other materials:
| Type of walls | U W/m².U |
| 24.5cm thick Seurobric | 0.35 |
| 19cm prefab + 6cm insulating wool | 0.40 |
| 19cm prefab + 6cm PUR | 0.36 |
| Cellular concrete | 0.58 |
CONCLUSION
A Seurobric house only suffers a small amount of heat loss.
*. Roofing
In a traditional house roofs are cemented by means of concrete beams shaped as reversed Ts and hollow filling pots made of terracotta or ash concrete to which a concrete layer is applied. The insulation is applied on top of that, provided with the necessary attachment points to secure the tiles. Since the insulation is placed on the roof covering, it is called a « reversed roof ». A thermal bridge is inevitable.
In a Seurobric house the roof is constructed by means of sandwich panels which ensure a perfect insulation and an airtight and waterproof roof. Thermal bridges and heat leaks are avoided. Because of their watertightness these panels also ensure a waterproof sub-roof.
Although the Algarve region is characterised by one of the highest quantities of hours of sunshine, heating is indispensable. This may come as a surprise. In the months of November till April evenings and nights are cool. Besides, there are large differences between day and night temperatures. In those circumstances heating is an indispensable comfort. Because the house does not need to be heated throughout the day, it is important that you be able to enjoy the heating immediately.
a) wood
Though wood is one of the cosiest heat sources, it is often not the most practical solution. However, many (older) buildings rely on this kind of heating, simply because no other heat source is available.
b) solar energy
Of course energy can be won from the sun. This application is often used for hot water supply purposes.
c) gas
In big cities and urban centres, gas supply is often available. Gas is extremely user-friendly. In case no gas distribution is available, we can still use gas cylinders or gas in bulk.
d) electricity
Electricity is easy and always available. The most-quoted disadvantage of electricity is its high cost. However, because of the excellent thermal insulation value of a SEUROBRIC house, electricity is a suitable alternative. Remember, a SEUROBRIC house is an energy-saving house.
e) heating oil
Portugal does not have special oil (read: petrol with lower excise duty) for heating. Therefore there are no heating systems with heating oil in Portugal.
f) air conditioning
Of course air conditioning offers comfort in your house. Besides conditioning the house (heating or cooling), air conditioning ensures the necessary ventilation of purified and dehumidified air. In addition, heating by means of an air conditioning installation is cheaper than direct heating by means of an electrical installation.
g) underfloor heating
The heat of underfloor heating systems can only be noticed once the floor is heated and starts to radiate heat. This waiting period may be considered a disadvantage.
CONCLUSION :
Although all kinds of heat sources are possible, we consider gas and electricity to be good sources of heat in the ALGARVE region and in a SEUROBRIC house. Because of its thermal features a SEUROBRIC house is environment-friendly anyhow. Therefore air conditioning, which provides both heating and cooling, is an excellent alternative.
