Cheaper, greener, faster, stronger

Apart from speed, Saker also promises that the Green Precast method will be greener, stronger and cheaper than regular block-work construction.

First of all, there is much less transportation of materials required and almost zero wastage on-site, which not only reduces costs but also the carbon footprint, he says.
 

Secondly, Green Precast has developed its own thin wall technology which uses around 1/3 less steel and concrete while maintaining strength and insulation.

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“Basically our internal 9cm thin wall is equal to a regular 30cm thick wall,” says Saker.

“Our external walls are 20cm to achieve the thermal rating that the GCC requires. We have two insulations, sandwich panel insulation and an external UV paint coating which can give us a U-value between 0.28 – 0.38 W/m²°K.

“This is significantly better than a standard wall and helps to keep the running cost of the building cheaper by 50%.”

In terms of strength, Saker says all walls are load bearing, fire-proof and earthquake- proof. The system also incorporates controlled joints, 2cm of mastic filler, between each module which acts as a shock absorber preventing up to 90% of on-going maintenance for cracks in the walls, he says.

Overall, Saker says the Green Precast system will save developers between 5%-50% on construction costs. The cost saving is mainly dependent on how quickly the developer wants to build, he says.

Jehan Green Walls
Another firm promising significant savings and quick, green construction is Jehan Green Walls.

The company began operations at its Sharjah-based factory in the UAE only two months ago but has already picked up six contracts and is getting “inquires left, right and centre”, according to head of marketing Cedric Pinto.

The factory produces 3D panels, which are composed of a fire-retardant polystyrene core and 3mm of galvanized steel mesh covering either side which is connected through the core by diagonal truss wires.