Meanwhile, in Austria…

[HughF]

Snapped a photo of a new build going up in Langenfeld, thought it might prompt discussion on a few things. 
 

Are those externally insulated lintels?

 

 

[Moonshine]

it looks like there is a course of green blocks just above the lintels, could this be thermal break blocks like Marmox (though strange to have it on external skin unless its a single skin construction?)

 

 

Not sure what the pink foam sheets are under the green course.

 

Interested to know more.

 

[eandg]

49 minutes ago, Moonshine said:

it looks like there is a course of green blocks just above the lintels, could this be thermal break blocks like Marmox (though strange to have it on external skin unless its a single skin construction?)

 

 

Not sure what the pink foam sheets are under the green course.

 

Interested to know more.

 

We had Austrian trades in earlier in the build and they said they do single skin as standard - big deep walls providing thermal mass. Can't recall the name but they were of the view that everything was done much better there and took the risk of poor as built workmanship out of getting airtight and energy efficient housing. 

[HughF]

It’s single skin construction using those fired clay hollow blocks, with interlocking joints. I’m not sure if this will have ewi but I assume so.

 

it’s almost like the lintels are set back from the face of the block then the gap is filled with foam.

[Canski]

I worked in Germany for several years and saw some similar construction methods. I think that the lintels have been shuttered and insulation placed against the shutter then poured with concrete. The walls we built were between 300 mm and 365 mm Poriton blockwork. These may be faced up with EPS before render is applied.

[HughF]

1 minute ago, Canski said:

I worked in Germany for several years and saw some similar construction methods. I think that the lintels have been shuttered and insulation placed against the shutter then poured with concrete. The walls we built were between 300 mm and 365 mm Poriton blockwork. These may be faced up with EPS before render is applied.

I remember BIL (brickie) mentioning poured in situ boot lintels when he was working in Germany in the late 90’s, so that would tally up with what we might be seeing here.