Posted January 29, 2020
Many builders and New Zealand home owners know that MAXRaft® is New Zealand’s only fully insulated concrete slab foundation. Not only does a MAXRaft® foundation increase thermal efficiencies and performance in their homes but it’s easier to maintain healthy room temperatures that reduce doctor and energy bills.
MAXRaft® is equally efficient in commercial building environments too. Installing the right commercial insulation is especially important when you consider the number of people that work in and visit commercial buildings. If nothing else, having consistent, healthy thermal temperatures year round will save a business a lot of money in energy bills and last staff days due to sickness caused by an unhealthy environment.
There are various ways of installing ground insulation in a home and commercial property but nothing comes close to MAXRaft® foundations. You see, not all foundations are created equal. Most ground insulation foundations only protect the edges of the concrete slab. Heat is then allowed to escape through the sides. All that does is heat the ground around the property which is a giant waste of money. That lost heat could instead be warming the property and inhabitants inside. MAXRaft® 's fully insulated foundations has you entirely covered which provides superior performance to optimise energy efficiency.
Heat retained in your foundation also reduces the ability of damp to rise at the juncture of wall and foundation. This creates an environment without that damp presence in the air. By allowing the slow release of heat from your foundation, MAXRaft® maintains a balance by ensuring you enjoy that warm, comfortable feeling.
MAXRaft® is suitable for single level and multi-storey buildings thanks to MAXSpan which delivers the benefits of MAXRaft® to the upper levels of your property. It’s suitable for use in multi-storey buildings, above basements or on incline sites. MAXSpan allows you to use a concrete floor above the foundation with added benefits including:
• Increased structural integrity;
• Improved underfloor heating efficiency;
• Reduced noise transfer between rooms;
• MAXSpan can be used in conjunction with MAXSlab, MAXRaft and retaining walls.
Additional MAXSpan benefits include:
• Suitable for multi-level buildings and incline sites;
• Can be used to bridge enclosed spaces;
• Increased thermal efficiency;
• Less time required on site;
• Site-specific engineering;
• Reliable, proven construction details;
• Achieves an R Value of ~R4.5 according to floor type.
MAXRaft and underfloor heating are a perfect combination
When everything is designed correctly, underfloor heating is not expensive. MAXRaft and underfloor heating are a perfect combination because the fully insulated MAXRaft slab will prevent heat loss at the edge of the slab where 80% of slab heat loss occurs.
All MAXRaft® fully insulated foundations are designed to ensure that the foundation matches the ground type on site, as well as taking into account all load bearing walls and point loads.
MAXRaft delivers three times the building code requirements
The Building Code requires an R-value of 1.3. R-Value is the measure of resistance to heat flow through the defined material. The higher the R-Value the less heat will transfer through the surface. MAXRaft’s performance is three times the building code ensuring you use less energy, therefore save money.
In addition to the standard MAXRaft slabs for stable ground, the MAXRaft TC2 range is engineered for properties built on less stable ground, in particular the TC2 type ground encountered in Christchurch or when moderately or highly expansive soils are encountered.
MAXRaft® works with engineers who are experienced in designing MAXRaft® foundations and can pre-empt council queries. Engineering (PS1) for consent can be arranged along with preparation and delivery of PS4 sign off for each project.
MAXRaft® has been installed in many commercial properties including hospitals. For more information about installing MAXRaft in your residential or commercial property.
