Wall-Anatomy ...
Wall-structure is the skeleton, and the interior and exterior finishes are the skin of the wall.
The skeleton supports all the loads imposed on the walls. The exterior skin protects the exterior wall surface from the elements. The interior skin protects the
interior wall surface from the environmental impact inside the building.
No no ... don't worry! I am not going to bore you with details regarding the structural makeup of the walls, load calculations and stress analysis -- this was just to present to you pictorially what is going on behind the scenes.
Walls of Your energy efficient Home /
Building Should
- be structurally sound
- be cost-effective
- provide good insulation
- provide healthy conditions
- allow minimum air-infiltration
- be resistant to natural hazards
- ...
There are a number of walls / wall-systems out there today that will meet the preceding requirements. Let us look at a brief summary of the various materials, configurations and characteristics of such walls.
Major Materials |
Typical Configurations |
Key Characteristics |
Concrete |
In-Situ Concrete |
Field Built |
Wood |
Precast Concrete |
Shop Built |
Steel |
Wood Stud (Stick) |
Combo: Shop & Field |
Plastics |
Steel Stud (Stick) |
Panelized |
Straw Bale |
Wood Frame / Truss |
Tilt-Up |
Adobe |
Steel Frame / Truss |
Laminate Construction |
Autoclaved Concrete |
Light Gage Steel |
Structurally Adhesed |
Grancrete |
ICF (Insulating Concrete Form) |
Pressed |
Timbersil |
SIP (Structural Insulated Panel) |
Engineered Lumber |
... |
... |
Stressed Skin Construction |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
It behoves all of us to use energy wisely. And with the enormous increase in energy prices, it also makes economic sense. More energy efficient wall systems such as
- ICF ... Insulating Concrete Form
- SIP ... Structural Insulated Panels
which have a number of variants with unique characteristics and features are gaining in popularity over the traditional stick-wall, and block-masonry construction.
beginning of Wall-Anatomy
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For further information or help with your energy efficient dream home / building project, or its parts, such as ...
- Energy Efficient Wall Structure
- Exterior Wall Finish
- Interior Wall Finish
- Energy Efficiency of Walls
- Structural Strength of Walls
- Cost of Different Walls Systems
- ....
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