DETON Insulating Concrete
Material solution with excellent thermal insulation properties as monolithic exposed concrete
31 January 2019

Many architects love exposed concrete. However, they are faced with a particular challenge in residential buildings intended for the permanent residence of human beings: monolithic facades made of normal concrete and lightweight concrete usually do not meet the high requirements for thermal insulation without thermal insulation. If a thermal barrier coating is installed on the façade, the concrete disappears behind it: no exposed concrete. Another disadvantage of such two-layer façade systems is the time-consuming separation of the materials at the end of the life of a building. Concrete can be recycled extremely well, but only if it is free of all non-mineral components. DETON is a material innovation, which offers a monolithic solution with its excellent thermal insulation properties and its high load-bearing capacity.
Passive house standard is achieved at a wall thickness of 50 centimeters
DETON is a multifunctional solution to combine load bearing capacity, sustainability, good thermal insulation values and an attractive exposed concrete look. Normal concrete consists of a dense aggregate such as gravel and sand, which is “glued” with the cement paste. The air content is accordingly low. At DETON, foam glass ensures a high proportion of air. Up to 85% of the finest air pores contain these aggregates of foam glass. The compared to a standard lightweight concrete further reduced bulk density u. a. achieved by replacing the fine aggregate of sand with expanded glass. Expanded glass is made from recycled glass by foaming and has small, gas-filled air pores. Due to the good insulation properties, the passive house standard is achieved at a wall thickness of around 50 centimeters. No further insulation is necessary.
In addition, vegetable fibers are incorporated into the cementitious stone which provide heat-ability. These vegetable fibers also provide higher tensile and compressive strength and prevent cracking in the cement matrix. An alkaline aggregate reaction is thus excluded in DETON and makes it much more durable. The bulk density of a densely packed lightweight concrete in accordance with is between 800 and 2000 kg/m³. DETON offers excellent thermal insulation properties due to a density of less than 800 kg/m³. For a 50 centimeter thick wall, DETON Insulating has a thermal conductivity of λ < 0.185 W/m•K.
As a mineral and organic building material DETON can be dismantled and completely reused. Another advantage: The homogeneous volume creates additional storage mass, which counteracts overheating of the building in summer and a night cooling in winter. Due to the closed-pore surface a permanent moisture protection is already available, which prevents the intake of water. All DETON products are mold-resistant, fire- and bulletproof.
image: DETON is a sustainable building material that contains cement, plant fibers and recycled fillers (source: Deton, Berlin)
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