Concrete core activation and Airdeck® floors
... synonym of energy efficient construction
Betonkernactivering en Airdeck® vloeren
synoniem voor energie-efficiënt bouwen
Airdeck and concrete core activation:
the perfect harmony between construction efficiency
and climate control
Futuristic day-dreaming? NO!
Without doubt, concrete core activation will be the future climate system in commercial
and industrial construction. In the Netherlands and Switzerland the system is already being
frequently and successfully applied. A well thought-out integrated climate design will always
yield rewards. The high comfort linked to an average investment, an energetically good and
possible durable concept and the architectural freedom offer, in addition to the high comfort
level, too many favourable perspectives to continue labeling the system as still being in the
future. Airdeck floors offer a lot of added value and are pre-eminently the solution!
Concrete core activation: the principle
The principle or the essence of concrete core activation is
not new: by bringing the mass of a building up to a certain
temperature, one takes care of the heating or cooling in
comparison with the surrounding temperature.
With the Airdeck system the complete concrete floor
construction is cooled or heated through an integrated piping
system, which, before the concrete is casted, is evenly woven
between the es. Water is pumped through these pipes. Heat
and cold emission take place both upwards and downwards.
In this way a space is continuously heated up or cooled down.
It can be compared with floor heating. But with Airdeck with
concrete core activation the heating and the cooling of the
entire Airdeck floor also takes place during the night and the
A: Situation with lowered ceiling, lighting
and traditional cooling.
Large fluctuation in temperature.
The concrete mass barely operates as a
heat buffer.
B: Situation with concrete core activation.
Little fluctuation in temperature.
Source: SBR, Rotterdam 2007
SUMMER SITUATION/INTERIM SEASONS
WINTER SITUATION
A: Situation with lowered ceiling.
Source: SBR, Rotterdam 2007
B: Situation with concrete core activation.
Little fluctuation in temperature.
weekend, resulting in a nearly unchanged room temperature.
An example makes this clear.
When we visit a church in a warm country it always feels cool
in there, while the air temperature is usually relatively high.
This is due to the lower wind-chill factor which is an average
of the radiation and air temperature. Such a large building
never becomes really cold inside in the winter, because the
enormous mass in building materials have a damping effect
on the wind-chill factor. The church does not easily assume
the surrounding temperature, but imposes its moderate
temperature to its surroundings.
Concrete core activation: this is how the system functions
Since most modern buildings nowadays are, by definition,
well insulated, there is in any case only a limited capacity
needed for heating up and cooling down. As a result
of this and because of the large heating/cooling surface
of the ceiling and the floor, the temperature difference
between the air in the space and the surface of the floor
and the ceiling only needs to be small in order to meet
the real heating or cooling need. Through the small
temperature difference a self-regulating effect already
occurs to a great degree.
Should no water temperature regulation be applied and
the temperature of the water is fixed at 22ºC, then the
floor and/or ceiling temperature will be in between the
water and space temperature. Thus, in the winter the
floor and/or ceiling will start warming the space and in the
summer it will start cooling it.
Through the permanent water flow in the system, it is
even possible that, under these circumstances the system
will cool in one space (on the sun side) and transport the
heat to the other space (on the shaded side).
It is recommended to make use of a water temperature
regulation or thermostat. This enhances namely
additionally the effect of the system. The regulation
reacts on outside and inside temperature and can, for
example be controlled per façade. Due to the slow nature
of the system, adjusting the temperature per space makes
no sense.
In order to get a faster or more individual adjustment,
the system can be combined with a supplementary
installation, but in most cases this is even not necessary.
By making use of a water temperature regulator the return
temperature is measured and, in this way the temperature
is raised during a heating demand and lowered in the
event during a cooling demand. As a result of this the
control valve will adjust in a modulating way to the
heating or cooling demand.
Architects play the principle roles
during this process.
Interest of designing
parties.
In particular the architect
must play a coordinating
and communicative role.
Aesthetics
Comfort performance
Implementation aspects
Construction
Functionality
Permanent dialogue, a clear vision on
INTEGRAL and COMFORT-ORIENTED
DESIGNING and experience in the
matter are essential.
Flexibility
It is of the greatest importance that all
parties involved in a project are on the
same wavelength as from the design
phase, when they opt for the Airdeck
system and concrete core activation,
and want to integrate this into the
building.
Adaptibility of technical installation
Integrated design:
the main condition for application of concrete core activation
Client
Architect
Stability engineer
Installation advisor
Constructional adviser
Contractor
Source: SBR Rotterdam
Free energy from the environment: soil, water and air
Low-energy Low Temperature heating systems, such as heat pumps are pre-eminently
suitable to be used in combination with concrete core activation. The return of a heat pump
is additionally high with relatively low temperatures. Conversely, the cooling also provides a
great energy saving in comparison with traditional systems. In combination with cold-gaining
through a ground-water pump the cooling doesn’t even need more energy than necessary
for the pumping.
This is how a heat pump works
The functioning of a heat pump can be compared with
that of a refrigerator. In the refrigerator it becomes cold
because it has an evaporator through which an icecold cooling agent is pumped. The food you put in the
refrigerator gives off their heat to the evaporator, as heat
automatically rises to a higher level. According to the
same principle, the heat pump gets free heat from the
surroundings. In winter as in summertime large amounts
of heat are stored in the ground, water and air through
sun heat. It is this warmth recuperated thanks to the heat
pump that heats houses and buildings. On average, a heat
pump has a 4-fould return or even more. This means that
you only need to acquire a quarter of the necessary heat
(electricity, gas or oil), in order to get three-quarters in
return for free.
Let’s give an example. Independent of the time of the
year, the moment of the day and the number of sun
hours, the temperature in the ground fluctuates between
approximately +4ºC and 17ºC throughout the year. An
economical heating and preparation of hot tap water
is thereby guaranteed. Depending on the desired room
climate it is possible to separate the heat supply from the
ground, ground water or open air. This can be done by
means of a vertical ground heat exchanger or by a ground
heat collector installation.
Vertical ground heat exchangers are installed in the
ground at a depth of 100 metres. A process medium flows
through the piping that absorbs the stored sun heat from
the ground and then supplies it to the heat pump.
Ground heat collector installation
Here a system of horizontal flexible pipes is installed below
the frost line at ±1.5 metres depth. A process medium
flows through the flexible piping transferring the absorbed
heat or cold to the heat pump.
Vertical ground heat
exchanger
The advantages of concrete core activation
Energy advantages
Comfort assets
•
•
•
•
•
Economicaluseofpreciousconventionalenergy:
free energy from the environment (ground, water
and air)
Lowenergyinvoice(payback)andnolonger
dependent on rising oil and gas prices
Environmentally-friendly:lesswasteofconventional
energy types and lower CO² emissions
Concretecoreactivationworkswithwateratlow
temperature, ideal for systems functioning on
renewable energy such as solar panels and heat
pumps
A: Traditional heating source
B: Thermal comfort through
all-round radiation heat
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Greatlyincreasedlevelofcomfortthrough
minor temperature differences and all-round
radiation heat
Pleasantwindchillfactorinallseasons
Concretecoreactivationpreventsdust
circulation and dry air during heating up.
Hygiene:nospreadingofbacteriaduringthe
cooling
Lesselectrosmogthankstolesselectricalpiping
Almostmaintenancefree
Invisibleinstallation:aestheticallymorebeautiful
and no radiators or other appliances taking up
space
Noiseless:noknockingheatingelementsor
humming air-conditioning
Conclusion:
Source: SBR Rotterdam
a lot more comfort at
a lower energy cost
Airdeck, the principle
The Airdeck floor is a reinforced floor slab fitted
with concrete-saving plastic boxes, called airboxes,.
This floor slab has a standard width of 3,00 m and a
minimum thickness of 60 mm. In locations where such
is constructively justified, the material-saving airboxes
are robot-placed in a raster of 300x300 mm onto the
elements, and are then vibrated to the exact height.
The airboxes installed in this way ensure an important
saving in the quantity of cast-in-place concrete needed
on the construction site. The total structural floor heights
varies from 280 to 450 mm. With this, spans up to
respectively 7,5m to 12m can be achieved, in normal use
and load (large spans are possible through poststressing).
Weight saving has been an important motive behind
this new development. On the floor by itself a saving
of concrete and steel up to 25 to 30% is achievable. In
addition, a weight saving on the entire construction is
possible. Less weight means less material and that is, by
definition, environmentally-friendly.
After all it affects the entire creation process of the gaining
of raw materials, transport, production, processing and, one
day, recycling. Larger elements also mean a faster assembly
and therefore a saving on the deployment of manpower
and materials.
More
Internal
height
Equal
Internal
height
1. Lowered ceiling is made redundant
2. The need of heightened floorheight
Saving on the construction height by the lack of necessary column
heads, beams, heightened floors and lowered ceilings
Source SBR, Rotterdam 2007
Airdeck - nothing but assets!
For the architect/client:
great architectural freedom
free clear span possible up to 12 x 12 metres
(and more through poststressing)
perfect flat underside with small, tight and
covering V-seam
more floors within the maximum height through
- the lack of column heads and beams
- the lack of lowered ceilings and heightened
floors by using thermally active concrete cores
For the building contractor:
quick assembly through standard width of
3,00 metres
easy application of additional reinforcement and
upper reinforcement
large saving on cast-in-place concrete
concrete saving airboxes are well and safely walkable
For the constructor:
load bearing in two directions
point or line shape supported
structural floor thickness of 280, 340, 390
and 450 mm
production of less heavy bearing constructions
and foundations
For the installer:
possibility of concrete core activation
space between the airboxes is well accessible
for the fitting of piping
concrete saving airboxes are well and safely
walkable
L I G H T W E I G H T
F L O O R S
Airdeck
Molenweg 41
B-3530 HOUTHALEN - BELGIUM
Tel: +32 (0)11 26 96 00
Fax: +32 (0)11 26 96 01
e-mail: [email protected]
www.airdeck.be
There are 4 available floor types
Floor type
Standard floor thickness
Airbox height
Span*
Amount of cast-in-place concrete m3/
m2**
A280
11,2 inch / 280 mm
7,2 inch / 180 mm
25 ft / 7,5 m
0.522 cb.ft./sq.ft. - 0,159 m³/m²
A340
13,6 inch / 340 mm
9,6 inch / 240 mm
30 ft / 9 m
0.639 cb.ft./sq.ft. - 0,195 m³/m²
A390
15,6 inch / 390 mm
11,6 inch / 290 mm
35 ft / 10,5 m
0.741 cb.ft./sq.ft. - 0,226 m³/m²
A450
18 inch / 450 mm
14 inch / 350 mm
40 ft / 12 m
0.866 cb.ft./sq.ft. - 0,264 m³/m²
Shape, dimensions, weight
Concrete floor slab: standard thickness 60 mm, length up to 9 m, width up to 4 m
- thickness: 24 kg per 10 mm
- width: in function of transport usually up to 3 m
- form: random
Airbox:
- placed in a lattice truss of 300 mm by 300 mm
- presence is individually free to choose (for cutouts or built-in technical installations)
- point-concentrated load up to 180 kg (walkable on the construction site)
- material: recycled polypropylene
Observation, view
- concrete colour or tin layer plastering
- ceiling: flat without beams and column heads
- floor: polished (without screed)
Mechanical performance - identical to a full floor (euro code 4)
Performances in the event of fire
Fire resistant
Rf 90
Rf 120
at a floor slab thickness of 60 mm
at a floor slab thickness of 70 mm
Acoustic performance
Sound damping index
dB
Rw
280
59
340
61
390
62
450
63
INSIDE SOUND
58
59
60
61
Contact sound pressure level
db
280
81
240
81
390
80
450
78
OUTSIDE SOUND
55
56
56
56
Suitability for use of piping
Installing of piping:
on the construction site
in the factory
in the under-shell
n/a
heating/cooling
pipes for electricity and electro-box data
transmission
on the under-shell and between the airboxes
heating/cooling
water supply
ventilation
sewerage
heating/cooling
floor boxes and electricity and data
transmission
on the under-shell + on the lattice girders
heating/cooling
heating/cooling
floor boxes and electricity and data
transmission
beneath the upper reinforcement
heating/cooling
/
on the upper reinforcement on the airboxes
heating/cooling
/
Users requirements
openings, built-in components, insulation can be fitted upon request of the client
Preconditions
Crane on construction site
Necessary support with strut distance of 1.8 m up to 2 m.
Implementation of additional reinforcement and top grid to be carried on the construction site
according to the drawing
Compacting concrete with vibrating cylinder
Prices: to be determined per project
When requesting price, please state requirements of sagging, fixed and variable load and Rf-class
Delivery term: 4 weeks after approval of the drawing
For more information and issues deviating from the standard, please contact our study service
REMARK: The application of concrete core activation in buildings with Airdeck was examined by the recognized German engineer’s agency specialized in energy
analysis and energy management of buildings.
We are happy to further explain the findings of their study about heat emission and cooling capacity, when you have an actual project in which concrete core activation
can be applied. Airdeck with concrete core activation achieves easily a cooling capacity of 50W/m2 and heating capacity of 35W/m2.
* in normal use
and normal load
- a larger span is
possible provided
that poststressing
is applied
** ±30% less than
in solid floor