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For today’s self-builder, creating their very own personalised, energy-efficient home is of utmost importance and selecting adaptable, ‘green’ products, while meeting low U-values, can be a troublesome task. U-values are used to measure how effective elements of your self-build’s fabric are as insulators. The lower the U-value of materials used in your self-build’s fabric, the slower the heat is able to transmit through it and the better the insulating performance. Therefore, selecting low U-value products from the outset will result in less energy being required to heat your self-build, resulting in money being saved on energy bills.
Selecting low U-value materials from the outset for a self-build project, such as Groundshield for a self-build’s foundations, will enable self-builders to achieve the desired U-values from the very beginning of their self-build journey. Due to its bridge-free design and excellent thermal components, Groundshield achieves unsurpassed U-values and PSi values (linear thermal bridging values) – as low as 0.07 W/m²K and PSi values as low as 0.01 W/m.K.
Another key consideration for self-builders are timescales. Finalising plans can take a considerable amount of time, therefore for many self-builders, using innovative, quick and efficient building methods and materials, that will continue to benefit the homeowner over the entire lifetime of a self-build – such as Groundshield – are go-to techniques for those with short timeframes.
To install Groundshield, a small team of experienced groundworkers is required and the ground of a self-build’s site will have to be prepared with chippings. Following this, a short timescale of two to three days can be expected for the final pour and power floating – as the power floated slab will be the finished floor, using this method does not require a screed. By using Groundshield as a foundation method, ultimately the house sits on a raft of expanded polystyrene (EPS), which is an effective way insulating a self-build, quite literally, from the ground up.
As with all foundations, a soil survey will have to be undertaken when using the Groundshield method to establish the ground condition. From here, the correct type of foundation can be chosen for a self-build – which also includes the option of piled foundations and an option for underfloor heating, which is proving popular among self-builders.
Currently, Groundshield is a common approach within Sweden and is making its way into self-builder’s efficient plans throughout the UK. Because the material uses less concrete and reinforcement, this results in an economical choice for those self-builders in search of a cost-effective foundation. The speed of construction and minimal waste for disposal means that Groundshield is an ideal solution for insulated raft foundations.
The major component within the product is expanded polystyrene (EPS), which comes in three densities – EPS 100, EPS200, EPS300 – to receive the highest line and point loads in the design. The product is manufactured in EPS due to its lightweight properties and its ability to be easy to handle, alongside the fact that the product will put no damaging chemicals into a self-build’s ground or water supply.
Already well-established in northern Europe, Groundshield can be designed to suit a wide range of self-build types, including split level houses, circular houses as well as houses with basements or swimming pools. The adaptable product is also suitable for, and has been used for, Passive Houses, timber frame, steel frame, ICFs, masonry brick and block as well as single and multi-storey houses.
