Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Technology and how it Reduces Construction Costs
When constructing a home in Kenya, one common alternative method is the EPS building technology, which calls for expanded polystyrene (EPS) panels to be assembled between a steel wire mesh and then plastered on both sides with concrete.
EPS panels (a white foam plastic material created from solid polystyrene beads) are mass-produced in a factory and then shipped to the construction site to save money and reduce material waste.
Approximately 70 panels, each weighing 15 kilograms, are needed to cover the 100 square meters needed for a normal two-bedroom house, so the entire structure can be transported in a single lorry load.
Construction Timeline
Archistru Techs Ltd. has utilized EPS technology to build homes in Rongai, and claims that the company's expenses have been reduced by 25%. In comparison, the construction time has been reduced by 50% thanks to the usage of EPS building technology.
It saves money and time on labor thanks to this technology. Due to its small weight, the building needs less reinforcement. In an interview, Mr. Miako stated that you also save money on the base.
Building components such as walls, floors, roofs, and boundary walls can all be erected easily using lightweight panels.
Only when constructing a structure's base do you use bricks. The EPS panels then serve as the primary wall and floor material. He elaborated, "This produces superior structures and is amenable to high-quality finishing.
Multi-story buildings
Modular homes, despite their lightweight, can endure natural disasters better than traditional homes.
Up to twenty stories can be built using EPS technology.
"The weight of the building causes it to collapse. The weight savings from using EPS is considerable. According to an interview with engineering specialist Mike Juma of the National Housing Corporation (NHC), "it has a greater strength-to-weight ratio than conventional construction blocks."
By adding a 35ml concrete coating to EPS panels and 15ml plaster finishes on both sides, the resulting wall is as thick as a 9x9 construction block.
In contrast to the 11–20 stories achieved in a double wall panel project, Juma says that a column-free building can only be four stories tall.
With a frame system, however, "the height can be endless" since "EPS panels will be pouring in as filler materials," he said.
The National Housing Corporation (NHC) opened a plant in Mavoko, Machakos County, in 2011 to produce EPS panels. Apartment buildings all around the country have been constructed utilizing EPS technology, which the company has been using for some time.
To further spread the technology, "we have also cooperated with other private investors across the country," he said.
Building expenses for using EPS technology
Juma, an expert on the cost of EPS panels for use in Kenyan construction, explained that these panels come in various sizes, shapes, and configurations for both walls and floors, each with its own price tag.
It costs roughly Sh600,000 to create a studio apartment and about Sh1.5 million to build a conventional two-bedroom house. "For example, a builder can construct a wall using EPS panels for Sh1,800 per square metre and a slab for Sh2,350 per square metre," he said.
While EPS panels are a newer building technology in Kenya, they have been widely employed in the developed world for decades due to their durability, lightweight, ease of installation, and cost-saving features.
The technology also has a strong resistance to fire and other shocks and provides thermal insulation, which keeps a house cool regardless of temperature changes.
Since EPS has no nutritional value, it does not attract termites, rats, or any other pests, making homes constructed with it bulletproof and sound.
Tags : EPS Technology
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