Consultants for rammed earth architecture.
Rammed earth. An alternative building process for a new world.
Like carvings from the earth, rammed earth buildings stand strong and beautiful against their natural settings. Built with SIREWALL rammed earth technology, rammed earth structures are healthy, durable, energy efficient, environmentally conscious and resistant to the effects of climate change.
Perfected and advanced by over 30 years of research and development, SIREWALL (Structural Insulated Rammed Earth) pays homage to an age-old process dating back to 5000 BC, when traditional compressed earth construction was first used in dry climates.
And like the rammed earth structures of old, they will exist for several lifetimes to come – only now, they are built to stand solid in all climate conditions around the world.
NK’MIP DESERT CULTURAL CENTRE
Osoyoos, Canada
Category Winner at WAF 2008
What are SIREWALLs?
SIREWALLs are engineered sandstone walls made of tightly compressed local soils surrounding a hidden core of insulation. The result is a complete, finished wall system with superior compressive strength, energy efficiency and timeless appeal – inside and out.
The SIREWALL difference
Backed by 33+ years of R&D, SIREWALL (Structural Insulated Rammed Earth) far surpasses traditional compressed earth construction. With four patents, many industry awards and a reputation for setting records in rammed earth construction, SIREWALL is the global leader.
Your rammed earth consultants
SIREWALL projects – from a Roman museum to a community centre to a structure with 100 ft (30.48 m) tall load-bearing walls – are known around the world. Our rammed earth consultants bring our proven expertise and stellar reputation to work with architects and engineers at every step.
Rammed earth architecture that stands alone
SIREWALL rammed earth enables architects to push the boundaries of what is possible in construction – not only for the building design, but also for its inhabitants. Discover its unique features and benefits.
As strong as high-strength concrete
SIREWALL goes well beyond the 145 psi (1 MPa) of traditional rammed earth construction. Our walls start at 3,000 psi (20 MPa) and go up to over 7,000 psi (50 MPa).
Solid in the face of climate change
Our rammed earth walls are non-combustible, flood-resilient (SIREWALL simply dries out), and are better able to withstand the wrath of hurricanes, tornados and seismic events.
Healthy for humans
SIREWALL is free of toxins and mold does not propagate. Rammed earth walls naturally regulate the indoor air temperature and humidity levels to deliver high air quality and comfort.
Tight energy-efficient envelope
Our Structural Insulated Rammed Earth walls combine the mass heat storage of an earthen building with a hidden core of insulation for natural ambient comfort. They are warm in winter and cool in summer.
Life-long durability
Concrete exposed to the weather lasts a long time. Under a roof, concrete lasts much longer. SIREWALLs have an integral hydrophobic admixture that provides a resistance to moisture all the way through. It is therefore reasonable to expect SIREWALLs (with the same strength as concrete), exposed or under a roof, to last longer than concrete walls.
Green concrete company
As a green concrete company, we source only local, non-toxic soils and products for our rammed earth walls to reduce travel miles, repurpose materials for our structure forms, and hire and train local tradespeople.
Proprietary rammed earth technology
SIREWALL’s world-leading earth mix design and hydrophobic admixture technology is applied to achieve the optimal rammed earth blend for strength and durability requirements. Designs once unthinkable with ordinary rammed earth are now a reality with SIREWALL.
Simple, beautiful and customizable
SIREWALL insulated rammed earth walls are made with only a few ingredients, and every structure is distinctive.They are also flexible. We can work with you to create colours, textures, and designs to match your unique vision.
PROJECTS
Questions asked about rammed earth
Rammed earth walls are made of compacted damp soil mixed with a small amount of cement. The damp soil is placed into secured, reusable forms and compacted with pneumatically powered tampers to 60% – 90% of its original height. The material is compressed in batches (lifts) to gradually build up the wall to the required height. Each lift can be a flat or natural wavy pattern with the colour and texture of natural earth.
There are three versions of rammed earth available, and they are quite different from each other:
- Version 1 (V1) is the original type of rammed earth, as used in the Great Wall of China. It uses clay as a binder and has a strength of 150 psi or 1 MPa. V1 is vulnerable to earthquakes, erosion from rain, and rising damp.
- V2 has the same components as V1, with the addition of 10% cement. V2 typically has a strength of 750 psi (5 MPa) and has reduced vulnerability to earthquakes, water damage and fluctuating temperatures.
- V3 is by far the strongest rammed earth in the world, which makes it ideal for use in challenging climates and more adventurous architectural expression. It has a minimum strength of 3,000 psi (20 MPa), achieved through careful selection of soil proportions and admixtures.
SIREWALL Structural Insulated Rammed Earth is currently the only example of V3.
The biggest differences between rammed earth and compressed earth are the scale, strength and durability.
Compressed earth is made into bricks of varying sizes that are close in scale to a clay brick. Some compressed earth uses a little cement and some not. The advantage of small masonry units is the ease of handling. An average compressed earth block has 0.10 sq ft of face whereas the average rammed earth wall has a face area of 100 sq ft (1,000x bigger).
The structural advantage of one cohesive rammed earth wall is that it eliminates all the weak mortar joints. The strength of a compressed earth brick is 145 – 725 psi (1 – 5 MPa), stabilized rammed earth (SRE) is 725 – 1,000 psi (5 – 7 MPa), and SIREWALL is 3,000 – 7,000 psi (20 – 50 MPa).
Yes. Rammed earth construction uses local labour and ~90% local materials. All rammed earth provides healthy, massive walls that can store heat and/or coolness. The strength of SIREWALL adds life cycle and low maintenance benefits. The hidden insulation in SIREWALL (R30 – R100) makes it even more eco-friendly.
A SIREWALL insulated rammed earth wall is as strong as concrete with a PSI rating between 3,000 and 7,000 (20 – 50 MPa). It is strong enough to withstand most floods, hurricanes, tornados and seismic events, and is expected to last 1,000 years.
Absolutely. Rammed earth buildings can be used in a wide range of climate conditions, from temperate, wet regions to dry deserts, to mountain areas to the tropics. SIREWALL has had success in climates of -40F to +122F (-40C to +50C), high humidity regions to deserts, high seismic zones, horizontal rain and flood-prone areas, and high wind areas.
Ready to elevate your next project?
Discover why top firms like Foster + Partners and Adjaye Associates choose SIREWALL for their innovative designs. Our Architect’s Toolkit provides the technical specs and insights you need to incorporate durable, sustainable, and beautiful rammed earth walls into your next project.
The art and science of rammed earth
Contact us for a rammed earth consultation.