Structure
Your Flat Pack Kit Home is built either on a concrete slab supplied by yourself, or on a steel pier/stump and steel floor system with timber flooring supplied as part of your kit.
Your interior and exterior walls are made from pre-painted (Colorbond), pre-insulated structural steel skinned panels 1200mm wide and 2700mm height. Your wall panels are precision cut to length and shape (including door and window openings) and are numbered to allow simple and fast assembly.
Your kit is supplied with a steel trussed roofing system and pre-painted (Colorbond) roof sheet in a range of colours. Your kit also comes with a Gyprock® ceiling kit that includes all sheeting and cornice.
Most Flat Pack Kit Homes are engineer designed and certified to be erected in cyclone category 2 Region B Designed for your region or higher. This means that in most areas of Australia, your Flat Pack Kit Home will be stronger than required.
EPS Panel Group Member
Flat Pack Kit Homes are proud to be associated with EPS Panel Group of
AustraliaThe EPS Panel Group of Australia was established in 2004 by Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) manufacturers, EPS panel manufactures and installers to promote the many applications of the EPS and EPS Panel Systems.
EPS Properties
EPS is a lightweight cellular plastics material consisting of small spherical shaped particles containing about 98% air. This microcellular closed cell construction provides EPS with excellent insulating and shock absorbing characteristics.EPS is produced in a wide range of densities providing a varying range of physical properties. These are matched to the various applications where the material is used to optimise its performance.
EPS is widely used in many everyday situations where its light weight, strength, thermal insulation and shock absorption characteristics provide economic, high performance products.
Thermal Insulation
EPS has exceptional insulation properties, with a thermal resistance (R value) of 1.31 per 50mm of thickness for S class material, as defined by AS 1366 part 3: 1992. This makes it ideal for wall and underfloor insulation and external cladding of buildings.
Because of its cellular structure EPS is dimensionally stable, and will not settle over time. EPS used and installed correctly does not deteriorate with age and as such is able to deliver constant R values for the life of the building.
The almost exclusive use of EPS as the insulation material for coolstores and freezers is testament to its insulation ability in the most demanding of all insulation applications.
Equally, for the transport of chilled food such as fish, EPS is the ideal material for the boxes used in this application.
Shock Absorption
EPS exhibits excellent shock absorbing characteristics making it the first choice for packaging of a wide range of products including appliances, electronic products, computers and chemicals.
Its predictable characteristics enable packaging to be accurately designed to suit each product, and provide cost effective packaging.
Durability
EPS is an inert, organic material, and therefore will not rot and is highly resistant to mildew. It provides no nutritive value to plants, animals, micro organisms or rodents.
EPS will last the life of most buildings in which it is used, provided it does not suffer physical damage.
Moisture Resistance
EPS is a closed cell material and does not readily absorb water, unless subjected to prolonged saturation. Even in this situation it maintains its shape, size, structure, physical appearance and approximately 85% of its insulation value.
The ability of EPS to resist moisture is exemplified by its widespread use in fishing floats and marinas, involving exposure to water for prolonged periods of time.
Light Weight
EPS is an extremely light weight material. Typically weighing between 12 and 30 kg per cubic metre, EPS has many advantages over other materials in packaging applications.
Equally in building situations, this lightweight characteristic is a major advantage in providing structural design economies. Additionally, when shaped to provide intricate architectural features, it allows architects the freedom to create historical, innovative and economic enhancements to buildings while still meeting strength and earthquake codes.
Safety
EPS is environmentally friendly, containing no CFCs or HCFCs, it is inert and safe for contact with food products, and requires much less energy to produce than many other materials.
In applications where fire resistance is necessary or desirable, such as building products, EPS is supplied containing a flame retardant which in normal use prevents ignition of the EPS if exposed to a flame. In a fire situation EPS generates less heat and smoke than most timbers and wood based products.
Ease of Use
EPS is supplied either moulded to the exact shape required for its use, or can be easily cut and shaped when required to suit any application. Its light weight makes handling easy and safe. EPS does not irritate the skin and is non allergenic.
Proven Experience
EPS has been used throughout the world for over 40 years in an extremely wide range of applications. Experience has proven that EPS performance can be reliably predicted wherever it is used. Manufacturers have developed and refined processes so products are consistent and of a high quality. Regulatory authorities are familiar with EPS and generally well aware of its excellent properties. EPS is widely respected throughout the world as a versatile, efficient material which plays an important part in our everyday life.
Chemical Resistance
EPS is resistant to almost all aqueous media including dilute acids and alkalis, methanol, ethanol and silicone oils.
It has limited resistance to paraffin oil, vegetable oils, diesel fuel and Vaseline.
Fire Ratings - EPS Fire Behaviour
Effect of Heat on EPS
As EPS is heated it softens, and at about 150ºC it begins to shrink. This continues until it is reduced to its original density prior to expansion. Continued heating will melt it to liquid and then a combustible gas will form above 200ºC. This gas can be ignited at temperatures between 360ºC and 380ºC, and will self ignite around 500ºC. When burning, it produces 40 - 45 MJ/Kg of heat. Temperatures of this magnitude usually occur only in well developed fires.
Flammability
As with many construction and packaging materials, EPS must be considered combustible. Its fire behaviour depends on the type of material and its application conditions. It is important to distinguish between the two commonly used grades of EPS.
All EPS used in construction products in Australia and New Zealand contains a flame retardant conforming to AS 1366, part 3 - 1992.
The flame retardant reduces the flammability and spread of flame on the surface of EPS products, to such an extent that it is classified as "flame retardant" according to the European Standard DIN 4102. If ignited with a flame the EPS extinguishes itself as soon as the ignition flame is removed.
The flammability of EPS construction products is reduced with surface coatings, such as plaster, and metal cladding as in sandwich panels. Non flame retardant EPS, typically used in packaging, will sustain combustion and the resultant fire spread at a rate of about 3cm per minute over the surface. This is comparable to other combustible solid materials. EPS does not catch fire spontaneously, and small sources of ignition will not ignite it.
Smoke and Dangerous Gas Emissions
The burning of EPS is less harmful than burning timber and many other commonly used building materials. Gases released during combustion are predominantly carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Tests carried out in accordance with European Standard DIN 53436 show that the levels of dangerous gases are considerably less than those occurring when burning timber.
Group 1 CertificateGroup 2 CertificateGroup 3 CertificateHere's the Truth About EPS Panel
- The EPS panel system offers a cost effective answer to rising construction costs.
- Interlocking panel system ensures installation is quick and easy.
- Fully bonded with rolled, coated steel, the joint details and design are critical in protecting the EPS core.
- The EPS panel system is accepted as ‘deemed-to-satisfy’ by the building code of Australia (BCA). The panel system does not start or cause fires and has not been banned anywhere in the World.
- A high proportion of fires are caused by bad house keeping.
- Installation methods and the structural support play significant role in the fire performance of all composite sandwich panel systems.
- The core material is a self extinguishing grade EPS conforming with Australian Standard AS 1366.3.
- All building materials, not just EPS are assessed according to the room fire test – AS/1SO9705. This large scale fire test was introduced to accurately assess the performance of all building materials in a real-life fire situation.
- EPS panel systems when installed correctly are capable of the best possible reaction to- fire performance, indicating a low likelihood of the material becoming involved in a growing fire.
- The EPS panel system is the economic, fit for purpose insulated panel system in Australia.
It is estimated that over the past 50 years, more than 100 million square metres of EPS panel has been installed. EPS panels have been preferred for its many benefits including:
* easy and quick to install
* excellent load and span capabilities
* significant savings in site installation costs
* panel comes in a range of aesthetically pleasing colours
* standard cover width of 1200mm
* panel thicknesses from 38mm to 300mm
* energy saving thermal insulation
* superior air tightness for controlled environments
* good reaction to fire properties
* durable, long lasting, stood the test of time in the extremes of the of the harsh Australian climate.
Temperature controlled manufacturing, storage or food processing facilities are ideal applications for the EPS panel system. The truth is that EPS panel system continue to be an accepted solution, now and into the future.
Most Dream Starter Kit Homes are engineer designed and certified to be erected in cyclone category 2 areas. This means that in most areas of Australia, your Dream Starter Kit Home will be stronger than is required in your area.