Cement crisis doubles demand for AAC
Recent cement crisis in the UAE has prompted contractors and developers to opt for new solutions for construction, experts said.
According to estimates, during the past six months alone the demand for autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) a lightweight pre-cast building material has almost doubled. Factories involved with the production of AAC concrete blocks said the orders have almost tripled over the past twelve months.
Some of the AAC producing firms Emirates Business spoke to, said they were building new factories to cater to additional demand.
A senior official of Emirates Thermostone, a subsidiary of M'Sharie LLC, which is wholly owned by Dubai Investments, said there was a time when getting an order of 10,000 cubic metres of AAC blocks was considered "a big order".
"Today most orders are for around 80,000 cubic metres. Most major developments in the UAE are going in for AAC blocks as it has proved to be much more efficient and saves on cost and time of construction," said Ajay Mathur, General Manager of the company.
Autoclaved aerated concrete that was first developed and patented in Sweden in 1924 by an architect is known to provide better thermal, fire and acoustical resistance. The lightweight, precast building material provides structure, insulation and fire resistance in a single material. AAC products include blocks, wall panels, floor and roof panels, and lintels.
"It has been refined into a high thermally insulating concrete-based material used for construction both internally and externally. Apart from its insulating capability, the other advantage of AAC in construction is its quick and easy installation," said Mathur.
Within one year after starting its operations the firm has been producing almost 300,000 cubic metres of AAC blocks annually.
"By September the company plans to expand its capacity to 400,000 cubic metres. We are expecting the market to grow during the coming few years," he said.
Cement consumption in the UAE is expected to more than double in the coming years. According to Proleads a Dubai based research agency, construction companies are expected to spend around $2billion (Dh7.34bn) on cement for high rise structures and the amount is expected to touch almost $5bn in 2009.
A senior official of Tameer Aerated Autoclaved Concrete Factory said the demand for AC cement is growing not just within the UAE but across the world.
Amjad Mahmoud, Production Supervisor, said the company's new factory in Dubai will be ready for production by November this year. "We are expecting to produce up to 1200 cubic metres per day."
Moreover, the product is known for its very low environmental impact.
"AAC's high resource efficiency gives it low environmental impact in all phases of its life cycle, from processing of raw materials to the disposal of AAC waste. AAC's light weight also saves energy in transportation."
AAC's thermal efficiency makes a major contribution to environmental protection by sharply reducing the need for space heating and cooling in buildings.
In addition, AAC's easy workability allows accurate cutting that minimises the generation of solid waste during use.