A project which could make single leaf brickwork whole house wall systems a reality for the building industry is underway – a key element of which will be Trus Joist‘s TJI joists.
The project, which is being funded by the DTI (Partners in Innovation), the Brick Development Association and the NHBC, is being led by CERAM Research Ltd.
Single leaf insulated construction was first investigated in the late 1970s and early 1980s and problems associated with, for instance, weatherproofing, thermal bridging and internal fixings were all overcome. However, the difficulty of achieving a good timber floor to wall connection on site, and the lack of stability to the single leaf construction were not resolved.
Now new European Standards for clay masonry bricks mean they can be produced in a wider and thicker format than the traditional UK design, giving the required stability.
Geoff Gudge, Trus Joist’s regional engineer, said the single leaf brickwork whole house system provides a realistic solution to the requirement to build more than four million houses by 2016. He added: “Trus Joist’s TJI joists are playing a key role in developing innovative house building methods which will help to drive up construction standards.”
