MAXIWALL DELIVERS FOUR TIMES GREATER THERMAL RESISTANCE THAN STANDARD HOUSE BRICKS through reduced R-value, and the transportation of unconditioned moist air into living spaces. Air can carry significant amounts of moisture that can be deposited on cooler interior surfaces, leading to interstitial condensation. Repeated condensation events, coupled with slow drying rates, could lead to significant moisture degradation of building materials. Weather barrier envelopes with high vapour permeability give the wall and roof cavities the capacity to dry. Dow-DuPont Performance Building Solutions manufactures a range of envelope products that are designed to work together and provide the air barrier required for a durable water-tight and high- water vapour permeable building envelope. Look out for Tyvek HomeWrap, DuPont Tyvek Tape,® ® DuPont Flashing Tape and DuPont™ ™FlexWrap NF. Insulate and regulate In warmer areas builders can use solar passive design, which leverages insulation, thermal mass and controlled solar gain to keep homes naturally cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Building with materials that offer inherent thermal insulation properties, such as Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC), will help maximise the effectiveness of a solar-passive design. Photos courtey Big River Group MaxiWall, a new AAC product from Big River Group, delivers four times greater thermal resistance than standard house bricks, which installation. ‘We’ve noticed this cost comparison is means the amount of energy required to heat or very appealing to cost-conscious family customers cool the finished home will be greatly reduced, looking save on their heating and cooling costs over providing ongoing savings to the homeowner. the longer term,’ Ron adds. Big River Group says that MaxiWall also Ecoheat is set to disrupt substantial pockets offers excellent fire protection, insulation, and of the customer market who want a simple soundproofing qualities to deliver a superior home solar solution with a ‘set and forget’ approach living experience at a competitive cost. The product that comes with no need for maintenance, and is also extremely durable: when finished with negligible running costs. an external render, it’s unaffected by the harsh Seal the deal for thermal comfort Australian climatic conditions. It is classified as a 100 per cent non-combustible building material; resistant The effectiveness of any heating and cooling to fire up to 1200°C, and achieves a two-hour fire system can be further enhanced by strategic home rating when installed with approved systems. design and construction techniques. Passivhaus, MaxiWall is a pollutant-free building material, a European-based method that focuses on sourced from world-class production facilities using insulating and sealing the building envelope to German technology and automated processes regulate the internal temperature, decreases energy to ensure every panel is of optimum quality and consumption by retaining heated or cooled air. consistency. By using reduced raw materials it The Passivhaus model, which is ideally suited to helps reduce around 30 per cent of environmental colder climates, operates on eliminating uncontrolled waste and 50 per cent of greenhouse gas air leakage through the building enclosure. emissions compared to traditional concrete. This reduces overall energy use, and improves The use of MaxiWall panels leads to faster occupants’ thermal comfort and indoor air quality, construction times and decreased site costs, says Dow-DuPont Performance Building Solutions. as their light weight makes them safer to work Air leakage should not be confused with planned with and easier to cut, shave, shape and install. mechanical ventilation, which is fundamental to the Importantly, MaxiWall is also fully compliant with operation of a Passivhaus home. Ventilation air is current Australian Standards and has Australian not intended to originate from cracks or holes in Codemark Certification. THE PASSIVHAUS the building shell, but should be delivered through MODEL OPERATES a well-designed heat recovery ventilation (HRV) For more information: ON ELIMINATING system, which flushes stale air from the building Ecoheat – visit www.ecoheataustralia.com.au and replaces it with a fresh, temperature-controlled, Dow-DuPont Performance Building Solutions – UNCONTROLLED AIR filtered air. visit www.construction.tyvek.com/au LEAKAGE THROUGH THE The impact of air leakage on the thermal MaxiWall – visit BUILDING ENCLOSURE envelope is the loss of insulation performance www.bigrivergroup.com.au/maxiwall MAY 2018 HOUSING 83 EFFICIENT HEATING & COOLING • FEATURE PROMOTION