School building

Slide 1: 

The following photographs attempt to present the ECOBRICK BUILDING SYSTEM and demonstrate the many advantages it has over more traditional building methods. The main and obvious advantages are the speed of build and the energy efficiency: the children attended classes in the 600+m² school block featured here less than three months after the ground was excavated. They have not had to install heating or air-conditiong of any kind here in Málaga where temperatures can oscillate between 6º and 44ºC. Other less obvious advantages are the noise reduction, the increased concrete resistence as a result of a more homogeneous curing process inside the polystyrene without evaporation and the increased durability of the concrete structure as it is not exposed to the elements: this means that a lower quality or cheaper concrete would be adequate from the point of view of strength and durability. Yet another advantage of the ECOBRICK Building System is that it is extremely light weight and in many constructions the erection of the walls has been carried out by female workers, the polysterene mitigates the effects of minor earth tremors and the final construction is a concrete monolythic structure which in more serious earth tremors should be safer.

Slide 2: 

The blocks are laid on their side in case of wind.

Slush concrete is laid on top of a DPM, and marked out for the reinforcing steel mesh to be placed. : 

Slush concrete is laid on top of a DPM, and marked out for the reinforcing steel mesh to be placed.

Steel cages are laid below each proposed wall and the mesh is propped by spacer to ensure full wrap concrete : 

Steel cages are laid below each proposed wall and the mesh is propped by spacer to ensure full wrap concrete

Shuttering board is installed to pour the slab : 

Shuttering board is installed to pour the slab

The concrete is poured in with a boom pump and then vibrated. : 

The concrete is poured in with a boom pump and then vibrated.

Here we have the slab with perimetral re-bar starters. : 

Here we have the slab with perimetral re-bar starters.

De-shuttered 24 hours later with the vertical starter bars ready to receive the blocks. : 

De-shuttered 24 hours later with the vertical starter bars ready to receive the blocks.

The first row is the most important one. This is laid on a cement bed to make sure they set level and plumb: if this row is set with a true vertical the wall will continue this perfect vertical to its full height. : 

The first row is the most important one. This is laid on a cement bed to make sure they set level and plumb: if this row is set with a true vertical the wall will continue this perfect vertical to its full height.

Slide 10: 

The vertical starter bars continue up from the slab to roof level. They have horizontal re-bar tied to them at 25 cm intervals and this gives the load bearing wall sufficient strength to support further floors above. For a three storey building 10 mmØ vertical re-bar tied with 8mm Ø horizontal bar is more than sufficient.

<<<<< perfect levels and angles >>>>> : 

<<<<< perfect levels and angles >>>>>

The walls are built up leaving spaces for windows and doors. : 

The walls are built up leaving spaces for windows and doors.

The scaffolding and walkboards are placed around the walls : 

The scaffolding and walkboards are placed around the walls

The boom pump unfolds for action!!! : 

The boom pump unfolds for action!!!

The concrete is poured into the walls in a spiral rising about 80 cms with each circuit. : 

The concrete is poured into the walls in a spiral rising about 80 cms with each circuit.

Steel H-beams are set in place and spot-welded to the vertical re-bars to support the thermally-insulated roofing. : 

Steel H-beams are set in place and spot-welded to the vertical re-bars to support the thermally-insulated roofing.

The roof is in place within 28 days of excavation !!! : 

The roof is in place within 28 days of excavation !!!

The chasing-out to embed the conduits and the plumbing circuits is done with a simple sabre saw with no brick dust or hammer and chisel work . The ceramic tiles adhere perfectly. : 

The chasing-out to embed the conduits and the plumbing circuits is done with a simple sabre saw with no brick dust or hammer and chisel work . The ceramic tiles adhere perfectly.

Here we see electric conduit in polystyrene, ceramic tiles and plasterboard dry-lining, : 

Here we see electric conduit in polystyrene, ceramic tiles and plasterboard dry-lining,

Dry-lining is a quick and clean option but normal plaster render adheres perfectly. : 

Dry-lining is a quick and clean option but normal plaster render adheres perfectly.

The dining-room is now ready for furnishing. : 

The dining-room is now ready for furnishing.

The IT laboratory is ready for action. : 

The IT laboratory is ready for action.

The exterior is clad in hard cladding (here a terracota tile) for the first metre and rendered above in self-coloured washable external render. The roof overhangs for shade and shelter. : 

The exterior is clad in hard cladding (here a terracota tile) for the first metre and rendered above in self-coloured washable external render. The roof overhangs for shade and shelter.