Hanson Building Products - Aircrete Block Product Selector

Aircrete Blocks - Sustainable Bricks - Ecostock Range - Product Selector

Hanson Bricks – The Sustainable Choice

Bricks are an inherently sustainable building material.

They have a lifespan in excess of 150 years, require little to no maintenance, and can be recycled at the end of their use. They also contribute to thermal mass, resulting in buildings which need less energy for heating and cooling.

Hanson is the first brick manufacturer to achieve BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing of Materials (RSM) certification for all products from its UK brick production sites. This means that whatever brick you choose from Hanson, it is BES 6001 certified.

Hanson also offers the Ecostock® brick range. This range is manufactured at our state-of-the-art brick factory and combines locally sourced raw materials with low energy and low waste processes to make stock bricks with the lowest embodied CO2 available.

Brick Sustainability

• Lifespan in excess of 150 years
• Little or no maintenance required in use
• Contributes to thermal mass
• Provides heat and noise insulation
• Excellent fire resistance
• Allows the flexibility for buildings to be easily altered for re-use
• Recyclable
• A natural and traditional building material with pleasing aesthetic qualities
• A+ rating in the BRE Green Guide
• Can be used to build homes to the highest levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes

Hanson Brick Sustainability

• All bricks are certified as ‘very good’ under BES 6001 - Responsible Sourcing of Materials
• All bricks are manufactured in accordance with ISO 14001 - Environmental Management System
• A significant number of Hanson bricks contain recycled content
• Locally sourced raw materials
• Strict waste minimisation scheme

Hanson Ecostock® Range

Produced at our Measham plant, the Ecostock® range reflects the future demands of manufacturing and the environment. Hanson utilises the very latest groundbreaking technology in sustainability and production efficiency, offering advanced colour consistency, dimensional accuracy and quality.

Sustainability

The Measham plant is designed to a BREEAM ‘very good’ standard and incorporates a range of environmental features. The kiln is designed for maximum efficiency, with heat being automatically recycled for use in other areas of the plant. Water used in the manufacturing process is recycled, and raw material wastage is less than 1%.

Hi-tech Manufacture

The latest computerised technology, along with a fully automated production process, allows for a highly efficient plant to meet future brick manufacturing requirements.

Exceptional Quality

Precise batching, blending and mixing techniques coupled with greater temperature control ensure consistent colour, dimensional accuracy and high product quality.

The Greener Fleet

The latest Hanson fleet uses environmentally friendly Euro 5 engines that meet and exceed stringent emissions standards and, with improved fuel efficiency, the lorries minimise environmental impact.

Aircrete Blocks

Hanson’s Thermalite aircrete blocks are stocked in a large network of builders merchants across the UK, ensuring easy availability. The extensive product range means that a variety of tried and tested, cost-effective solutions can be offered for wall, floor and below-ground constructions. Thermalite blocks are ideal to help achieve all levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes. Their inherent properties of good thermal mass, excellent air permeability (when constructed in accordance with Building Regulations) and high sound insulation help gain points towards various Code levels. In addition, Thermalite’s thermal insulating properties help achieve lower U-values and reduce heat loss at the junctions of building elements.

Thermalite Benefits

• High insulation
• Fire resistant
• Strong and durable
• Easily fixed to
• Moisture resistant
• Frost resistant
• One hand lift
• Easily worked / Easy to finish

Achieving U-values for New Builds & Extensions

New Build U-values

There are many ways of achieving the required improvement in CO2 emissions specified in the Code for Sustainable Homes because there is a multitude of options in terms of materials and renewables available, as well as site-specific aspects such as orientation of the building. However, the work carried out by the Energy Saving Trust acts as a starting point and gives design U-values as follows:

Thermalite blocks can offer a cost-effective solution to meet all levels of the Code.

Extension U-values

The Code does not apply to extensions. Standards for new thermal elements are specified in Approved Document L1B ‘Conservation of fuel and power in existing dwellings’.

The U-value requirement for new walls in extensions is 0.28W/m²

K although the Building Control Body may specify lower limits, depending on the situation. Thermalite blocks easily meet the U-values required.