About AIRIUM
What is AIRIUM?
AIRIUM is a new, fully mineral, thermal insulation technology which can be used for many applications:
- Floors
- Wall filling and blocks
- Attics
- Rooves and terraces
AIRIUM, insulation redefined
AIRIUM is an innovative, safe, green, durable and affordable insulation alternative to traditional insulation, answering the needs of all.
Discover below why it is a game changer for all stakeholders:
A revolution in construction and insulation
The fire resistance of AIRIUM
Blocks with AIRIUM: How does it work?
Living with AIRIUM
For home-owners, choosing AIRIUM is about peace of mind, comfort and healthiness. AIRIUM provides:
AIRIUM is highly insulating in its lowest density version, reaching a top-tier insulation performance level. In addition, home comfort during heat peaks is widely improved compared to traditional insulation. In terms of acoustics, AIRIUM is among the best insulating materials. And as it is a fully mineral solution, an AIRIUM based insulation is not at all appealing for insects and rodents and is not favorable to their multiplication.
As it is entirely mineral, AIRIUM has the best fire protection class: A1 according to EU standards.
No chemicals are added and there is no impact whatsoever on the air quality as AIRIUM is inert. Also, the breathability of AIRIUM and its PH level strongly diminish the risk of mold compared to traditional insulation.
AIRIUM is the future of insulation. It has a lower CO2 footprint over its life cycle compared to other insulation methods as a result of several factors: its high air content, its higher durability (more than 100 years !) , its carbonatation property (CO2 is absorbed over time), and its full recyclability. Its high durability also means less worries and less renovation cost over time.
Insulating with AIRIUM cost as much or less than traditional alternatives for end-users, while bringing so many additional advantages! Its price will of course vary with geographies and applications. In all cases, in a controled environment or on site, the implementation cost of insulation is lowered, as transportation, storage, handling (e.g. cutting) of insulation are no longer necessary. The materials cost of AIRIUM also makes it interesting.
Building with AIRIUM
For home-builders, AIRIUM is hassle-free, easy to use and adjustable. AIRIUM brings you a lot of benefits:
- You can build and insulate at the same time
- It is hassle-free
- It is easy-to use
- It is an adaptable technology
- For rooves and terraces, the sub-screed layer poured with AIRIUM replaces in a single layer traditional two layered systems (often composed of a concrete slope and an insulation layer).
- For wall elements such as concrete blocks filled with AIRIUM, you can to skip or at least put less additional wall insulation layers on site. It means a substantial speed and cost advantage on most applications for home-builders.
AIRIUM is foamed on site or previously integrated in precast elements. For you, it means less hassle in terms of transportation, storage and handling on site. It is also fully and easily recyclable.
AIRIUM can fill any shape, cavity or corner. It is either poured in precast elements beforehand or pumped on site with a simple specific machine that can also be used for traditional screeds or slabs.
The density of AIRIUM can be adjusted to your needs and requirements to give you the best compromise between insulating performance and structural resistance.
Designing with AIRIUM
As an architect, reaching ambitious energy efficiency targets in a sustainable way is key in the buildings you design. AIRIUM provides you with:
AIRIUM has a lower CO2 footprint over its life cycle compared to other insulation methods. It is also a fully recyclable material !
AIRIUM is highly insulating in its lowest density version (with a Lambda value below 40 mW/m.K.). In addition, home comfort during heat peaks is widely improved compared to traditional insulation as the thermal phase shift of AIRIUM is in average twice as good as with other insulating materials.
AIRIUM behaves like concrete over time and lasts more than 100 years. Compared to traditional insulation that lasts 50 years or even less (e.g. settling), it makes a real difference.
As it is entirely mineral, AIRIUM has a fire protection class of A1 according to EU standards.
With AIRIUM, no added chemicals against fire are needed and there is no impact whatsoever on the air quality as AIRIUM is inert. Also, the breathability of AIRIUM and its PH level strongly diminish the risk of mold compared to traditional insulation.
AIRIUM Inside
The AIRIUM technology was launched in 2016 in three countries on two different applications:
- Insulating concrete blocks in France
- Insulating concrete blocks in Austria
- Insulating Roof terraces in Morocco
In Austria, we designed the first AIRIUM foaming truck, delivered late 2016 to the Lafarge Austria team. The concept is simple: The truck integrates onboard all required elements to produce AIRIUM in its multiple forms and can easily go from one customer to another (for concrete Blocks) or from one jobsite to another (for other applications).
The first AIRIUM application in Austria is the filling of concrete blocks. 50 centimeter thick concrete blocks filled with AIRIUM are hence already available, for example with our first customer and partner Aichinger. AIRIUM's healthiness (no mold, fire-resistant), durability and minerality are a great plus for people in the Austrian market.
In 2016, a dozen of houses were already using AIRIUM inside their walls.
For more information on the AIRIUM experience and the approach in Austria, please visit the Austrian AIRIUM webpage at http://www.airium.at
Lafarge France believes AIRIUM makes a lot of sense locally in Individual and Collective Housing segments, especially for walls, for sub-floors and for attics.
A few years ago, Lafarge France founded with major concrete blocks manufacturers an economic interest group to foster innovation in order to meet rising trends, end-user needs and changing regulations. Co-developing construction solutions in favor of improved energy efficiency and home comfort is a major priority. In Q4 2016, the first concrete blocks manufacturing plant of a leading and innovative precast player in France, Alkern, is equipped with a fully automatic AIRIUM foaming equipment.
For more information on the French experience, please go on www.airium.fr
A new thermal regulation was launched in Morocco in November 2015. It fixes thermal requirements for walls, floors and rooves for six different geographical areas of the country. The need for roof insulation is exploding; the total square meters of insulated rooves in 2020 should be multiplied by six compared to 2015.
In this context, LafargeHolcim Morocco launched AIRIUM for the roof terrace application. Traditionnally, flat rooves have a concrete slope, then an insulating layer of polystyrene or cork, then a waterproofing and a finishing layer. With AIRIUM, applicators can pour the slope and insulate at the same time ! And the final result is more homogeneous, a lot more durable and environmentally friendlier.
The solution includes a dedicated equipment and a placing and finishing service through trained applicators.
For more information on the AIRIUM experience and approach in Morocco, just contact us: airium@lafargeholcim.com
AIRIUM on site
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AIRIUM is flowable and can fill any type of cavityPhoto credits:Florian Winkler / Adriel Pfister -
A close look at an AIRIUM Block-filling injection device. The AIRIUM team at the LafargeHolcim R&D center has co-developed specific equipment to support our customers in their industrial set-up to use AIRIUM.Photo credits:Florian Winkler / Adriel Pfister -
Getting ready to pour a mid-density AIRIUM for a roof terrace applicationPhoto credits:Florian Winkler / Adriel Pfister -
Concrete Blocks filled with AIRIUM in FrancePhoto credits:Florian Winkler / Adriel Pfister -
A house in Austria being erected with "LiaGrün", highly insulating, 100% mineral, concrete Blocks from Aichinger, with AIRIUM insidePhoto credits:Lafarge Central Europe East -
A roof terrace jobsite in Casablanca, Morocco, with the use of AIRIUM to create an insulating slope on top of the BuildingPhoto credits:Lafarge Morocco -
Ongoing demo for attics insulation. In attics, AIRIUM is the perfect choice for a durable, rodent free and homogeneous insulation.Photo credits:Florian Winkler / Adriel Pfister -
AIRIUM comes in multiple versions to fit different needs and various applications. Depending on its density, it can be either very light, very insulating but non load bearing or it can be a bit less insulating but simultaneously load bearing.Photo credits:Florian Winkler / Adriel Pfister
