JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 31

During the manufacture of OPC, CO2
is driven out of carbonate rock in large
quantities as it is calcined.
One range of PFRP components is the
StartlinkTM system and in January 2009,
a TSB-funded project was launched to
build a 2 to 3 storey house entirely out
of PFRP without using steel, concrete
or nuts and bolts. The successful outcome resulted in a house that needed
no heating system during the severe
2012/2013 winter and confirms the
principles set out in the 2009 paper.

The Startlink house
The prototype Startlink house opened
in November 2012. It is constructed on
PFRP pile foundations, which are quicker to install and resist both floods and
termites. In comparison with concrete
below ground, this innovation alone
saves 5 tonnes of carbon. Being very
lightweight, the building lacks thermal
mass to control internal temperature,
so a radical alternative has been used
to great effect. Instead of plasterboard
internal linings, magnesium oxide
board was used, providing superior fire
resistance as well as vapour permeability. This property enables hydrophilic
natural fibres placed as cavity insulation
to absorb and release moisture, thereby
using the latent heat of water to balance

Intelligent construction

Fig. 1: Startlink all-PFRP house prototype

Architects are already using computers
to generate both design drawings and
detail drawings. Drawings are now issued in digital form as PDF attachments
or JPGs rather than as paper copies. At
the planning stage, computer-generated
three-dimensional images are usually
produced and circulated to support
potentially controversial applications for
development consent.
If building construction were to move
from its present site-based activities,
which are more redolent of early twentieth-century practice than anything

Fig. 2: Startlink PFRP foundations

that pertains to the current production
of vehicles or electronic goods, building components could be generated as
design elements, dimensioned to fit both
the building and the site, integrated with
services and their associated service
routes, and manipulated to produce
appealing aesthetic elevations solely by
computer. The digitized information
could then be fed to a factory to make
the components with computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment on
exactly the same "just-in-time" basis that
now applies in the manufacture of motor
cars.
Ordering, invoicing and record keeping
could be managed electronically, as is
the case with other areas of manufacturing. All information necessary to obtain
consent under the relevant parts of the
building regulations would be stored in
the computer memory. The programmes
would manipulate the information so
that a building regulations consent
application could be swiftly compiled
and issued for any proposed development. Structural performance of the
components would be retained in the
programme. The calculations needed
to demonstrate a building's structural
performance and long-term stability
could be done in a few seconds and sent
out to all concerned parties as an email
attachment.
Computer programmes could be written
to create RFID tags that could then be
fastened on any particular component
to identify that component, its location

No85 November - December 2013 /

Feature Construction

internal temperature and humidity.
Another innovation is the use of a naturally-sourced core material in the outer
panels, which increases stiffness and
reduces thermal conductivity: the value
for λ was as low as 0.11W/mK when
tested. The outer panels are bonded to
studs to make a structural entity and
achieve unprecedented air-tightness.
The thermal properties of PFRP resist
thermal bridging so that the building
meets Passivhaus standards of energy
efficiency in a new and simpler way.
At the opening, the rigidity of the PFRP
floors was described by the builders
as "better than concrete beam and
block". The solidity of the structure
was impressive, vindicating the use of
PFRP without steel. There is scope for
improvement and in order to enter EU
markets, steps can be taken to conform
to national aspirations. The deliberately
radical appearance of the prototype is
to accentuate a decisive departure from
conventional construction, though a
Startlink house can also look comfortably traditional. Refinement of the
prototype to further reduce weight and
improve "buildability" is the next step.
The application of automation will also
reduce costs to enable Startlink to compete strongly with more conventional
construction methods and improve on
them in terms of speed, energy-efficiency, water saving, waste reduction and
flood resistance. PFRP now has a proven
place in building construction.

jec composites magazine 31



JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013

Cover
Edito
Point of view: bespoke equipment
Contents
Agenda of Events
COMPANY & BUSINESS In Brief
APPLICATIONS
Large parts
Skateboard
Second life
Truck
Pipe
MARKET Process
FEATURE CONSTRUCTION
Roofing
PFRP house
Sandwich panels
GFRP grid
Gelcoat
Windows
Bridge
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Cure monitoring
Design
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATIONS
NDC
Simulation
CBeam
Index
In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Cover
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Edito
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Point of view: bespoke equipment
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 5
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Contents
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 7
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Agenda of Events
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 9
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - COMPANY & BUSINESS In Brief
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 11
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Large parts
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 13
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Skateboard
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 15
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Second life
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 17
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Truck
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 19
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Pipe
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 21
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 22
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - MARKET Process
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 24
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 25
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 26
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 27
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Roofing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 29
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 30
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - PFRP house
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 32
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Sandwich panels
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 34
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 35
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - GFRP grid
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 37
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Gelcoat
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 39
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Windows
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 41
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Bridge
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 43
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 44
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Cure monitoring
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 46
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 47
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Design
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 49
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 50
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 51
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - NDC
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 53
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Simulation
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 55
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - CBeam
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - Index
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - In the world
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 59
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #85 - November/December 2013 - 60
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