Occupant safety during a catastrophic event and when a building returns to operational capacity after a catastrophe are two important factors when designing a building. In the event of a natural or manmade disaster, high-performance building materials can provide greater safety for building occupants than conventional building materials, as well as contribute to a faster return to service.
Insulated wall panels, made from two panels of prestressed concrete surrounding a layer of insulation, significantly contribute toward these goals.
Prestressed concrete is a high-performance building material that offers unmatched durability throughout its extended service life. Insulated wall panels can be used as structural load-bearing units or as cladding units, providing protection from wind, flying debris, and blasts in either application. Because of their proven ability to resist damage from natural and manmade elements, prestressed wall panels are often specified for buildings intended to serve as storm shelters.
Another essential component in building design is fire resistance. As a non-combustible material, concrete does not contribute to the fire load of a building. By enclosing the flammable insulation within concrete, prestressed wall panels limit the production of toxic gasses from burning cellular plastics. No additional fireproofing is necessary during construction to achieve fire ratings up to three hours, which contributes to significant time and cost-savings.
The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute offers valuable technical resources in their Designer’s Notebook series for designers and engineers. Refer to their publication “High Performance Precast Insulated Sandwich Wall Panels” to learn more.
County Prestress & Precast supplies insulated wall panels and other reliable concrete construction solutions to the greater Midwest and Florida. Use County Prestress & Precast’s Insulated Wall Panels for your next project by contacting our Customer Service Team at (708) 562-7700.
