With eco-friendly attitude now gaining prominence, there is more awareness on going green and adapting eco-friendly measures in all fields of life. And construction practises too are concentrating on lessening their carbon footprint. Among building materials, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) is an emerging lightweight material that is a replacement for red bricks. Those manufacturing them position AAC blocks as being strong with added features such as thermal and sound insulation, fire insulation and being easy on earth.
According to Vijay Bhaskar Suryadevara, Managing Director, Eco-Care Building Products which manufacture Prime AAC Blocks, these blocks have low-thermal conductivity thus making them good thermal insulators. “These blocks keep interiors comparatively cooler in summer and warm during winter, which saves energy otherwise used by air-conditioners and heaters,” he says. The aerated structure of AAC blocks has the blocks offering good acoustic insulation. The manufacturers also present the blocks as non-combustible. Their melting point being over 2,900F, they withstand a standard fire test up to six hours for a wall which is 6” thick. “Also, they do not emit any toxic or obnoxious fumes when exposed to fire,” he says.
