SIREWALL Structural Insulated Rammed Earth Wall System
What is SIREWALL?
SIREWALL stands for Structural Insulated Rammed Earth wall. It is a complete wall system used in modern rammed earth buildings that are energy efficient, sustainable and as strong as concrete – not to mention, distinctively beautiful. Rammed earth architecture and design projects that use the SIREWALL system have received many awards and are recognized around the world.
Complete rammed earth walls – inside and out
The SIREWALL system starts with secured, reusable forms that frame each rammed earth wall. A mixture of locally sourced, non-toxic, damp soils and a small amount of cement is placed into the forms and compacted with pneumatically powered tampers. The earth mixture 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 color and texture of natural sedimentary earth.
A typical insulated rammed earth SIREWALL is 18 in – 24 in (450 – 600 mm) thick, stabilized with rebar (for additional strength in seismic regions), with 4 in (10 cm) of rigid insulation hidden in the centre of the wall. The materials are non-toxic and do not require chemical sealants or treatments.
When the forms are removed, the result is a complete, finished rammed earth wall system with no sealants, drywall or siding required – inside or out. SIREWALL high-performance walls produce thermal mass and efficiency beyond any other rammed earth wall system for ultimate comfort in any season.
This combination, along with the SIREWALL system for quality control and soil blending, builds walls that exceed current standards for energy efficiency and compressive strength. No other green building approach delivers this combination of ecological and health benefits.
And SIREWALL’s unmistakable beauty will last for decades with little to no maintenance.
Leading the way in insulated rammed earth technology
SIREWALL has been providing rammed earth consulting since we invented the technique of adding an insulative core to a regular rammed earth wall in 1992. We were granted four patents in 2005 and were the sole practitioners of this method for the first 13 years.
Over three decades, the SIREWALL system has been refined to ensure superior strength and functionality, and work seamlessly with unique designs and modern finishes. In 2008, we achieved our goal of being the first in the world to consistently create rammed earth with the high compressive strengths required to be used as a structural building material. SIREWALL continues to be the best in the world at achieving such results.
Our proprietary soil blending technology (the result of thousands of compressive tests) ensures the optimal blend for the project’s strength, texture and durability requirements. SIREWALL Base Admixture (SBA) is a proprietary additive incorporated throughout the wall to limit efflorescence and for its hydrophobic (water repellant) properties.
With our patented technology, many awards and a reputation for setting almost all the records in the rammed earth industry, SIREWALL leads the way. Designs once unthinkable with ordinary rammed earth – such as curved walls, insulated walls, very long lintels, and tall load-bearing rammed earth walls – are now a reality with SIREWALL.
Questions about rammed earth building
If walls fail, that impacts the roof, wiring, plumbing, glazing, and doors; it can be said that if the walls fail, the building fails. When building non-disposable rammed earth buildings, it is important to get the insulation and health impacts right. SIREWALL takes care of both those issues with ease. The life cycle carbon footprint of rammed earth walls made with SIREWALL technology is unmatched. As to durability, consider SIREWALLs are as strong as concrete with a water repellent attached. An engineer has predicted a lifespan over 1,000 years for rammed earth buildings made with SIREWALL technology.
The SIREWALL standard is R-33 (the recommended minimum R-value for exterior walls in Canadian building codes is R-22). SIREWALL has also achieved R-100 with a Passive House, which makes efficient use of the sun, internal heat sources and heat recovery. In metric units that is RSI 5.8 standard SIREWALL insulation and RSI 17.6 for Passive House. In U-values that is 0.172 for standard SIREWALL insulation and 0.057 for Passive House.
Not all rammed earth walls are. SIREWALL (Structural Insulated Rammed Earth) walls definitely are. In fact, the more challenging the project or location, the more critical it is to select SIREWALL. A 33 ft (10 m) high wall is immensely challenging for most rammed earth companies, but SIREWALL has a 100 ft (30 m) high load-bearing rammed earth wall on record. SIREWALL’s largest commercial project so far has been 650,000 sq ft (60,000 sqm). We have also done the walls for a 73,000 sq ft (6,500 sqm) residential rammed earth building, which is larger than most, if not all, competitors’ commercial rammed earth projects.
Learn more about SIREWALL insulated rammed earth walls.
The art and science of rammed earth
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