U-shaped stay-in-place EPS formwork does two jobs at once when you build a ground beam. You get accurate formwork for the concrete that also insulates the new ground beam.
The main purpose of stay-in-place formwork is to insulate the ground beam not only from the sides but also from below, and to shorten the build. There is no need to insulate the ground beam separately after the formwork comes off. The work goes much faster: no formwork to hire or put up, and nothing to clean, sort and return at the end of the job.
The base panel of our EPS formwork system has special grooves that hold the side panels, so the ground beam comes out with very accurate dimensions. If you have any questions, get in touch.
An insulated slab foundation is a single load-bearing slab cast into special factory-made L-shaped EPS forms. They resist compression and absorb very little water.
The main purpose of this foundation is to keep the reinforced concrete slab out of direct contact with the ground. It avoids thermal bridges, which is why it is a common choice for passive houses.
The first insulation layer uses special L-shaped elements along the perimeter and EPS 150 or EPS 200 boards cut exactly to the dimensions given by the building designer. The next layer uses EPS 100, EPS 150 or EPS 200.
An insulated slab foundation takes much less time to build than a conventional strip or pile foundation: it can be done in 4–5 days. Because the building rests on the whole slab, this type of foundation also works where pile foundations are hard to build because of poor ground.