Waterproof and hurricane safe glasshouse

A waterproof, hurricane safe and fire resistant house made from re-circulated glass and not in need of either heating or cooling is gaining grounds, the CLEANTECH BusinessJournal writes.

The inventor Ake Mard has constructed the "Koljern" building system where "foamglas" is used instead of wood, concrete or other types of building materials. Foamglas is a mix of coal and used and re-circulated glass, and it has outstanding features. The material is very durable and cannot be damaged by water or moist. It can resist strong and hurricanes. It is resistant to solvents, acids, gasoline, diesel and other oil products, and it is also fireproof. A foamglas house stands longer than a conventional constructed house - and even floating houses can be built!

- We have constructed 20 houses in Scandinavia so far and have complete faith in the technology, it delivers what it promises, and we are now ready to launch the technology internationally, Ake Mard says.

Houses like all others

The re-circulated glass and coal material insulates in a unique way against both cold and hot weather making central heating unnecessary in the northern part of Europe and cooling systems redundant in for example Africa and South America.

- You choose a temperature level, and the system will take care of it and deliver the selected temperature without expensive cooling or heating support from outside sources. This reduces the electricity bill dramatically, Ake Mard says.

The foamglas material is designed as panels that are put together side by side when the house is built. The panels serve both as structural elements and as insulating material. Foamglas houses look as ordinary houses, since panels made of wood, concrete, brick or other materials are applied on top of the foamglas. The system makes it possible to create the climatic barrier of the whole house (basement slab, warm suspended foundation, external wall, tie beams) without moist problems, a solution that will hold and work for generations and avoid deteriorating houses.

Glass powder for life

The unique insulation properties arise because the foamglas material is strewn by air bubbles. During the manufacturing process, the glass is cooled down and crushed into a fine powder. The powdered glass is poured into molds and heated in a process that causes the particles to adhere to one another. In the next step, a small amount of finely ground carbon black is added, and the material is heated in a process where the carbon reacts with oxygen, creating carbon-dioxide, which creates the insulating bubbles.
 
Foamglas is the only insulation material that lasts a whole life. It does not deteriorate over time, and its physical properties are preserved during the life time of the construction. Since foamglas solely consists of glass and coal, it is ecological and stable in all constructions. It is easy to work with, because the structure is thin glass cells. With simple tools as a hacksaw and a panel saw, foamglas may be formed as desired. The "Koljern" company is looking for partners for international expansion.

Read more about the glass house at www.koljern.se. Send an e-mail to cleantech@usa.com, if you would like to contact CLEANTECH BusinessJournal for distributing your company's cleantech press releases or articles.