Discussions are under way
with developers in the DRC, Ghana and Botswana for the supply of the ‘green’,
locally produced SanteQ lightweight walling system, as well as for potential
partnerships and projects in Sri Lanka, the UK and Australia.
Introduced
early this year, SanteQ was developed on the back of an existing load-bearing
walling system which successfully employs the same principles, but uses a
standard, load-bearing concrete infill, says SanteQ director Jonathan Peel.
“South Africa’s need to
remodel existing buildings for alternative use is driving the requirement for
lightweight solutions that offer acoustic-insulation, thermal-insulation,
fire-resistance, solid properties as well as offer ease of construction and
green credentials. Most projects of this nature have limited options to deal
with the challenge of loads on the existing structure.”
Weighing between 550 kg and
650 kg a cubic metre, or less than 30% of conventional masonry walling, SanteQ
claims to be simpler, quicker and cleaner to erect.
SanteQ also answers the local
campaign to adopt sustainable building practices, driven, in part, by the Green
Building Council of South Africa and major corporations, as its carbon
footprint is among the lowest of any construction system, explains Peel.
High-density, ecofriendly,
cellulose-fibre boards from Indonesia are precut to the required wall panel
sizes and transported flat to site. These Singapore Green Building
Council-certified boards are produced from the pulp of farmed trees.
The high-impact spacers,
fixed into position between the two fibre boards to provide rigidity and the
desired wall thickness, are moulded locally from 100% recycled material. The
resultant hollow walls are easy to handle and move into position on site, says
Peel.
SanteQ’s bespoke EnviroteQ
preblended lightweight concrete composite infill is pumped into the voids of
these walls, whereafter joints are taped and skimmed, and the walls are primed
and painted.
“The EnviroteQ lightweight
concrete infill manufactured and supplied by SanteQ uses 100% recycled
polystyrene, reducing the waste that would otherwise go to South African
landfills.”
The recycled polystyrene is
preblended with a special mix of cement and admixtures, and bagged locally.
The locally produced infill
bags are collected and reused wherever possible to reduce the impact on the
environment. “To date over 70% of the bags have been recovered for reuse,”
states Peel.
Peel notes that various
finishes can be applied to the surface, including skim plaster, ceramic tile,
wallpaper, wood panels and other materials, while a bespoke fastening system is
recommended to take loads from 30 kg and up.
The pre-engineered
cellulose-fibre walling system is available in five wall thicknesses – 62 mm,
112 mm, 137 mm, 162 mm and 229 mm.
Board cutting and recessing,
moulding of spacers, regrinding of waste polystyrene and the blending and
bagging of the lightweight concrete take place in Gauteng, with plans under way
to expand operations to the Western Cape, says Peel.
About 20
people are employed in the production and support of the systems at SanteQ’s
Gauteng facilities, which can produce between 25 000 m2 and 30
000 m2 of walling a month.
SanteQ has recently been used
at a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Benoni, which involved the complete
rebuild on existing foundations not designed to take the load.
More than 1
500 m2 of 2.7-m-high SanteQ 112-mm-thick lightweight walling
and 300 m2 of 7-m-high SanteQ 229-mm-thick lightweight walling was installed.
All the walls were skimmed and painted with a special antimicrobial paint.
SanteQ has also almost
completed a contract to supply more than 7 000 m2 of walling to
convert an office building into a 450-room hotel in the centre of Sandton, and
has secured a contract for 12 000 m2 of walling and facades to
convert an office building into student accommodation. The conversion of the
building will start early next year.
More information at https://cemteq.com/santeq-lightweight-walling/
