Concrete

AAC blocks are eco-friendly and sustainable

Published

3 years ago

October 19, 2023

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Narayan Saboo, Chairman, Bigbloc Construction, discusses the qualities of AAC blocks and its environmentally friendly properties.

What is the composition of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks?
AAC is a lightweight, precast, cellular concrete. It is a green building material composed of fly ash, gypsum, lime, portland cement, water and aluminum powder. AAC blocks are made in rectangular prism shape only.

What is the core functionality of the blocks?
AAC blocks are widely used in the construction of apartments and other types of residential properties, industrial and commercial buildings. Owing to their excellent heat insulation capacity and thermal resistance, AAC blocks find application in interior and exterior construction.

What brings strength and durability to these blocks?
These materials include cement, lime, fly ash, gypsum, aluminum powder and some other additives. The precise combination and proportion of these materials contribute to their overall strength.

How do you ensure quality standards?
We make AAC blocks as per BIS code IS 2185 Part 3, guidelines in IS code to ensure quality standards.

What are the key advantages of using these blocks as building materials?
AAC blocks are eco-friendly and sustainable. They are lightweight, thermally insulated, energy efficient and fire resistant. Their other qualities include acoustics performance, easy workability, design flexibility and faster construction. AAC Blocks are one-third in weight as compared to red bricks thereby reducing the dead load on the building and resulting in huge saving of structural costs. Also, as the size is equivalent to almost nine red bricks, construction is much faster; the labour required is less; joints in the wall are also less thereby resulting in mortar savings, too.

How does it impact the environment?
AAC blocks are eco-friendly and sustainable. They are green lightweight building materials, with less transport cost. This material warms the room during the winter and cools it during the summer, reducing air-conditioning system usage by at least 25 per cent. Non-toxic and pest repellent, they prevent soil erosion and consume less water. Use of red bricks results in an upper layer of soil erosion, which makes the land barren or infertile in the long run.

What innovations can we expect from you?
We are starting with the manufacturing of ALC panels, which is further advancement of technology as ALC panels are a new age building material that is a further advancement of AAC Blocks.
Panels are reinforced with steel and they will make construction much faster, too. Also, we are looking to get many other new age building materials in our partnership with SCG.

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Channel checks show cement demand remained healthy with volume growth estimated at six to seven per cent in July and August 2026. Trade prices were broadly stable while non-trade prices were volatile in the East, and attempted hikes were rolled back amid higher competition. Average fuel costs rose in August by five to nine per cent, lifting spot petcoke and coal prices.

All-India trade price remained flat month on month in August as increased rake supplies and competition offset early increases. Monsoon related demand softness limited sustained hikes and dealers indicated further attempts would depend on demand trends. Combined July and August volumes were estimated at six to seven per cent, supported by infrastructure spending while retail housing remained weather sensitive.

In the South, a Rs20 a bag hike in August did not hold and prices stayed flat month on month, while dealers planned Rs25 to Rs30 a bag from fifth September 2026 but with uncertain sustainability. In the East, trade prices were unchanged and non-trade prices corrected by Rs15 to Rs20 a bag amid weak construction in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.

The West remained most resilient on pricing and demand despite attempted hikes of Rs10 to Rs15 a bag, and Gujarat saw relatively better volumes in August. North and Central markets kept prices range bound as players focused on ramping up utilisation of new capacity, with schemes of up to Rs2 to Rs3 a bag used to meet month-end targets. Overall construction activity improved as the monsoon eased, aiding a pickup in several states.

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