Quad-Lock recently received preliminary scientific research results from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) that exceeded all expectations.
In 2008, Quad-Lock commissioned BCIT’s “Centre for Architectural Ecology” to monitor a test structure (called REM-10) for a 2 year period. REM-10 was built with Quad-Lock walls, a Quad-Deck roof, and topped with a green roof layer (see photos below).
This was compared side-by-side to a conventionally framed, but otherwise identical, wood building – the “control structure”. Sophisticated instrumentation was placed throughout both structures monitoring things like inside temperature, heat flow through the building envelope, and rates of storm-water runoff.
Heat flow through the Quad-Lock building components remained at extremely low levels compared to the wood structure. The following graphs show an example of comparative heat flows:
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| Quad-Lock Heatflow | Wood-Frame Heatflow |
Heat flow above the zero line indicates heat entering the building. Heat flow below the zero line indicates heat leaving the building. The Quad-Lock structure in this example has almost zero heat flow throughout this 24-hour period, while the wood framed control structure both gained and lost a lot of heat, mirroring the outside weather conditions. The Quad-Lock structure is clearly proven to have far superior heat flow properties.
Other data in this preliminary report show the REM-10 indoor temperatures remaining far more constant than the conventional wood structure. The green roof layer also retained nearly 30 percent of the rain it received in a 24 hr period. These are essential characteristics that owners and designers of today’s buildings are seeking in their quest for sustainable solutions and LEED certification.
All modern buildings should have a clear Energy Management Strategy. These research findings from an independent technical institution prove the remarkable abilities of the Quad-Lock system to address a majority of requirements in energy management and occupants’ comfort.
Whether in a home, office, hotel, church, or school, both heat gain and heat loss through a traditional framed building shell places a greater load on the HVAC system, which in turn uses far more energy to maintain the constant temperatures inside the building that we humans demand.
This is why around 56% of a typical home’s total energy consumption in North America is spent on heating & cooling the air inside. With 40-80% reductions in energy use for heating & cooling, Quad-Lock’s Insulated Concrete Forms can provide one of the highest reductions in total carbon footprint.
A final report on this research project is due at the end of 2010 and Quad-Lock will share more of the key findings then.
Douglas Bennion
Manager, Training and Technical Services Department
For more information on BCIT’s REM Study please visit BCIT Green Roof Research.
