<div>Apartment building in Rakovník is rising at a pace</div>

Large-format masonry using Silka Tempo is gaining traction among Czech construction firms. It helps them effectively address the shortage of labor on construction sites while simultaneously building with extraordinary precision and speed. Specifically, for the construction of the apartment building Nad Svatou Trojicí, this means that instead of three teams of bricklayers for the construction of three apartment buildings, only two bricklayers and a mini crane are needed.

The developers' project Nad Svatou Trojicí in Rakovník will offer modern housing in a pleasant environment, with ample living space and an interesting view of Rakovník. The architecturally original architecture and well-designed interior will delight contemporary-minded residents with its concept. Three sections of the apartment building will be created, each with separate entrances, totaling 63 apartments with layouts of 1+kk, 2+kk, and 3+kk. Construction began in 2019, and it is expected to be completed in this year.

In regular practice, for a construction of this scale, there are typically about three basic "teams" – each for one apartment building. The developer company Enekosystem, s.r.o., has reduced these numbers to two bricklayers and a mini crane by switching to the technology of Silka Tempo. They can complete each floor of the building within two working days after setting the foundation. Such a volume of work would take multiple times longer if done with any small-format masonry. In one step, using Silka Tempo, up to 8 times larger areas can be laid than with another type of masonry block, so the time savings are evident and switching technologies is worthwhile. Using machinery also saves the labor of workers, minimizes unevenness, and ensures a more thorough airtight building envelope (which is advantageous not only for passive houses and nearly zero-energy homes).

Combination of System Elements – Ytong and Silka Complement Each Other

The structural part of the apartment buildings consists of a combination of Silka Tempo masonry, designed for machine laying, and Ytong Univerzal and Statik masonry in small format. Silka Tempo is used here for the load-bearing outer masonry in the 1st basement, where it fully replaces monolithic reinforced concrete structures. It has also been chosen as the optimal solution for inter-apartment walls, where it forms the load-bearing part for the ceiling system and simultaneously a soundproof structure – with an acoustic attenuation of 59 dB (the norm requires 53 dB). The combination with Ytong masonry is particularly advantageous because the material has excellent thermal insulation properties and is easy to work with (cutting, anchoring, flatness). Additionally, because of the perfectly flat surface, it allows the use of plaster in smaller thicknesses. Interior partitions are also systemically designed – Ytong Klasik is used, which the executing company has known for years. The functional unit is suitably complemented by prefabricated Ytong NOP lintels, PSF, and U profiles. To enhance thermal insulation performance between garages and living space, system insulation using Multipor mineral boards has also been utilized.