Terms used for rammed earth walls

Stabilized rammed earth (SRE)

These rammed earth walls can be anywhere from 200mm to 1000mm thick going up in 100mm increments. These walls have a high thermal mass. They are ideal for internal walling or external walling that does not require a high R-value.

Insulated stabilised earth (ISE)

Insulated rammed earth walls start at 400mm thick with a 50mm Styrofoam insert and can go up to your desired thickness in 100mm increments . These walls achieve a 2.48 R-value. They are used for achieving higher external wall R-value levels.

TECHNICAL Terms

Rammed earth compressive strength:

Building codes call for a characteristic compressive strength of not less than 2 MPa, which Olnee Constructions’ rammed earth walls exceed.

Rammed earth density:

2000 kg per metre3.

Rammed earth walls fire rating:

4 hour NBTC report No. 1839. 1 of 4 building mediums rated for High Fire Risk Zones.

Rammed earth acoustic rating:

Sound transmission class 57. NBTC report No. 1840.

Rammed earth walls accelerated erosion test:

0-0mm/min. Materials Consultants Aust Pty Ltd. Report No. 202/87.

Rammed earth fixing capability:

300mm Hilti C10 epoxy holds 2,000 kg pull. Amdel report No. M1034/87.

Rammed earth walls

Olnee Constructions rammed earth walls have a high thermal mass. Thermal mass is the capacity of a material to store energy as heat. Each day earth-built walls absorb daytime heat and release it for warming during the night.

Olnee Constructions rammed earth walls are sustainable. They need not be painted or plastered, are very low in embodied energy, there is no out-gassing and they are non-toxic and non-polluting.

Used in passive solar design, Olnee Constructions insulated and Olnee Constructions solid rammed earth walls can be used for both interior and exterior walls to help maintain a constant internal temperature without the need for additional heating or cooling.