The design technology for residences constructed of a steel structural fame plus AAC wall panels has reached maturity, with complete regulations and design experience being in place. By using a lightweight high strength steel structure in combination with an AAC envelope, one can easily obtain a convenient partition of a large space. Further, cost-effective energy-saving design solutions are provided for residential buildings, because this kind of structural system has smaller dimensions and hence occupies a smaller space, compared to other construction materials, which results in an increase in the size of the rooms (about 8 – 10% increase, compared to a brick-concrete structure).

The steel structure offers the advantages of high strength, great toughness, low material consumption, easy realization of industrial production, and high efficiency for production and installation. The steel structure plus AAC wall panel building system can provide a perfect composite construction system. This kind of building system is reviewed in the following paragraphs.

Construction

Construction and installation of this composite system have reached the stages of standardization and industrial production. The whole construction process is short (shorter by more than 30 – 40% compared to traditional construction solutions), fast and efficient, greatly speeding up the project capital turnover, and adequately improving the investment efficiency.

Energy efficiency

The ALC panel is a highly efficient and energy saving material with superior thermal insulation performance (λ = 0.13 w/mK). ALC wall panels can be directly used as external wall panels for the purpose of thermal insulation. The humidity inside the panel changes with the relative humidity of the surrounding air and there will be no dew point in the panel. This prevents disadvantages associated with the condensation of water vapor in the composite sandwich when the temperature is lower than the dew point and greatly enhances the thermal insulation effect. Therefore, it can be said that the thermal insulation performance of ALC panels is reliable, which can ensure a comfortable living environment under the conditions of low energy consumption.

Structural performance

ALC panels have the characteristics of high strength, good ductility, good seismic performance, and good fire resistance. The fire resistance limit of an ALC panel with 100 mm thickness is about four hours, which corresponds to the first-level fire protection standard.

Endurance

ALC panels are made from inorganic silicate materials, which are not aging, and which are impermeable and frost resistant. The service life of the panels can reach more than 50 to 100 years.

Eco-friendly characteristics

The system produces no radioactivity, does not release any harmful gases, and presents a healthy and green material.

Living comfort

The system provides good sound insulation. The average sound insulation of an ALC panel with 100 mm thickness is 40.8 dB, a panel with 150 mm thickness has a sound insulation of 45.1 dB. In addition, the ALC panel also has the function of breathing, which can automatically adjust the indoor humidity and improve indoor comfort.

Convenient maintenance

ALC panels are easy to disassemble. The functionality of the rooms can therefore easily be changed and adjusted, which is convenient for creating a space to meet various needs. ALC panels do not necessarily need any mortar plastering and are easy to maintain at a low cost. The system therefore provides comfortable living spaces with less energy consumption, lower maintenance costs and lower usage costs.

Demolition stage

The steel structure plus ALC house is convenient to demolish. It can be dismantled with minimal energy consumption, and the removed steel and ALC materials can be cleaned quickly and easily for subsequent reuse.

Processing phase

The removed steel can be returned to the furnace and refined into new steel material. The removed ALC materials can be transported back to the factory to be recycled into new ALC panels, leaving no waste or pollution to the environment. This helps to maintain the true appearance of the planet, truly achieving a balance and realizing the sustainable development of construction projects.