Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House

Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House incorporating H+H Celcon Elements AAC Wall Panel

The collaboration between Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House and H+H has resulted in a system combining the quality, speed and safety of offsite manufacture with the performance attributes of aircrete. The system’s aim is to achieve a watertight shell of a Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House standard house design completed on site in one week. The defining characteristic of Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House is the use of Celcon Elements from H+H. These are storey-high aircrete panels used to form the inner leaf of external walls, separating walls and internal partitions as appropriate.

Celcon Elements are manufactured in 600mm width and 100mm thickness: as aircrete can be cut on site, it is easy to accommodate window and door openings while providing infill sections as appropriate. This also gives the flexibility needed to adjust elements to cope with site tolerances and onsite modifications – reducing waste.

Using the Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House system, brickwork is taken off the critical path with the Celcon Elements craned into place. They are installed using H+H element mortar – a fast-setting and very strong mortar that forms a 2mm airtight joint.

The next stage of the Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House system build is provided by timber Posi or i-joist floor cassettes, prefabricated offsite by Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House , which are lowered into place allowing the second storey of Celcon Elements to be installed immediately: the build is completed with a roof either of standard truss construction or the ‘Saint-Gobain I-Roof’ – panelised roof system. The Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House system also includes all lintels and can include insulation – fixed to the exterior of the Celcon Element panels and in between separating walls.

The Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House  system allows for rapid site construction with minimal site labour and meets the current market demand for volume with a declining workforce of skilled labour. In addition, the factory-controlled quality and precise joints provide for an extremely accurate build with excellent airtightness – air leakage being one of the principle reasons for energy efficient designs failing to perform as expected.

The combination of Celcon Elements with pre-fabricated floor and roof cassettes provide for maximum efficiency and site safety at the build stage as a single crane is used for each stage of the process. Manual handling is reduced to a minimum, sites are clean, tidy and safe as all structural elements are craned into position in a carefully planned programme.

Design variations and detailing can be accommodated and, if required, Celcon Elements can be used in combination with thin-joint blockwork. However, it is anticipated that the most significant speed advantage will be gained during the construction in volume of standard house designs.

Limits of Scope:

• With timber floors
• Can be used for up to 2 storeys, plus room in roof
• Can be used as separating walls
• Can be used within the limits of Approved Document A of the Building Regulations
• Not currently suitable for separating floors
• All installations must be carried out by Saint-Gobain Roofspace Solutions i-House