EP2646632B1

EP2646632B1 - A multi-storey apartment building and method of constructing such building

Info

Publication number: EP2646632B1
Application number: EP11796769.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ronald Peter Beattie
Original assignee: Beattie Passive Group PLC
Current assignee: Beattie Passive Group PLC
Priority date: 2010-12-03
Filing date: 2011-11-18
Publication date: 2018-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 2031-11-18
Also published as: EP2646632A1; SI2646632T1; PT2646632T; LT2646632T; RS57229B1; GB201020562D0; GB2476708B; DK2646632T3; NO2646632T3; WO2012072971A1; ES2664771T3; GB2476708A; PL2646632T3; GB201104841D0

Description

The present invention relates to a multi-storey apartment building and a method of constructing an apartment building. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to multi-storey apartment buildings that consist of a number of identical or similar apartments (or units). Such buildings may be designed for use as homes (residences), schools, offices, hospitals or for other uses.
GB2192916A describes a channel section joint that can be used in the framework of an accommodation unit.
WO00/36238A describes a building system comprising prefabricated modular elements that can be stacked and arranged in rows.
US2004/0182016A describes a modular building connector having a flange with sloped upper and lower bearing surfaces.
There are numerous problems associated with conventional construction methods used for constructing apartment buildings. One problem is that with many construction methods it is very difficult to construct a building having a very high degree of thermal insulation. Often, thermal insulation is provided by inserting an insulating material into a cavity between the inner and outer leaves of a wall. This material may be incorporated during construction of the building, for example by inserting solid blocks of an insulating material into the cavity between the inner and outer walls as the walls are constructed. Alternatively, an insulating material such as expanding foam may be pumped into the cavity between the inner and outer walls, after the walls have been constructed.
These conventional insulation methods often result in gaps being left at various places around the building, for example where the ceiling and floor structures meet the wall structures. These gaps allow thermal bridging and enable air to flow into and out of the building, thereby allowing heat to escape.
Another problem with many conventional construction methods is that the construction costs are very high. For example, for conventional buildings made of brick or concrete deep trenches have to be dug and concrete foundations laid in order to support the weight of the structure. This is both time-consuming and expensive. Another problem with many conventional buildings is that they are constructed using methods that are very labour intensive, such as by laying bricks or pouring concrete. This also increases the cost of construction.
A further problem is that methods relying on the construction of solid walls make inspection of the building during construction very difficult, as many of the structural components will be hidden during the building process. This makes it difficult to confirm that the building complies with building regulations and good building practices.
In international patent application WO2010/116136 the present inventor describes a method of constructing a building comprising a plurality of walls, a roof and a floor, said method including erecting a plurality of truss elements to form a framework comprising at least two opposed wall structures, a roof structure and a floor structure, each said structure comprising a plurality of truss elements, and each truss element including at least two joists and a plurality of braces that maintain the joists in a parallel arrangement, each said truss element being arranged in said framework to provide an inner joist and an outer joist; attaching an inner covering layer and an outer covering layer to said framework, thereby forming an enclosed void between said inner and outer covering layers that extends substantially continuously through the floor structure, the roof structure and the opposed wall structures, and injecting an insulating material into said void to form an insulating layer between the inner and outer layers that extends substantially continuously through the floor structure, the roof structure and the opposed wall structures.
The method allows buildings to be constructed relatively easily and at little or no additional cost as compared to conventionally constructed buildings, but to a very high level of thermal insulation, for example to a U-value for roofs, floors and external walls of less than 0.15W/m²K and possibly as low as 0.05 W/m²K. This greatly exceeds the levels of thermal insulation that can be achieved using conventional construction methods without incurring substantial additional cost. This very high level of insulation is achieved owing to the fact that the insulation layer extends substantially continuously and seamlessly around the entire periphery of the building (including the roof structure, the walls and the floor) and seals any gaps in the structure, thus avoiding thermal bridges and preventing air leakage.
The construction method is simple to implement, requiring only basic construction skills and reducing the need for expensive plant and equipment. This leads to benefits in terms of improved safety at the construction site. The construction method is also very suitable for the rapid construction of buildings in an emergency, for example following an earthquake or other disaster, when skilled labour and expensive construction equipment may be in short supply. In such a case, the buildings may be constructed from locally available materials or from pre-fabricated kits of parts.
The structure of the building is very light and strong, owing to the direct connection between the truss elements forming the walls, the floor and the roof. The building does not therefore require very deep or continuous foundations and it is able to resist strong external forces, for example from earthquakes, hurricanes and other causes.
Furthermore, buildings constructed using this method have an open framework that can be easily inspected during construction, allowing surveyors and building inspectors to confirm that the buildings meet all relevant building standards and regulations.
The method described in the inventor's international patent application WO2010/116136 therefore provides numerous advantages over conventional building methods. Furthermore, because buildings made according to the method are very light and strong, the method could be used to make multi-storey apartment buildings. However, if one or more of the lower storeys of such a building were to be badly damaged for example by fire or explosion, it is possible that this could cause collapse of the upper storeys.
There are also a number of other problems associated with multi-storey apartment buildings of conventional construction. One major problem is poor sound insulation, with noise created by some occupants being transmitted through the walls, ceiling and floor structures into neighbouring apartments. Providing adequate sound insulation is extremely difficult in conventional apartment buildings made, for example, of reinforced concrete.
Another problem associated with apartment buildings fitted with balconies is that the balconies tend to act as a thermal bridge between the interior and exterior of the building, allowing heat to escape easily from the building. This leads to increased heating costs. Also, with most conventional multi-storey buildings the interior is not protected against the weather until the roof structure has been completed. This means that services such as electricity and telecommunications can be installed and internal finishing and decorating cannot be started until the structure of the building has been completed. In the case of a large building this may take many months, so delaying completion of the building.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a building, and a method of constructing a building, that mitigates one or more of the aforesaid disadvantages.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a multi-storey apartment building including a plurality of apartments and a reinforcing structure comprising a plurality of uprights and a plurality of ties that interconnects adjacent apartments, wherein each apartment includes a framework comprising a plurality of structures including one or more wall structures, a ceiling structure and a floor structure, each said structure comprising an inner layer, an outer layer and an enclosed void between said inner and outer layers, and an insulating material that fills the void to form an insulating layer, a plurality of said apartments being stacked vertically in said multi-storey apartment building; characterised in that the enclosed void extends substantially continuously through the framework, and the insulating layer extends substantially continuously through one or more wall structures, the ceiling structure and the floor structure, and the reinforcing structure extends through the enclosed void between said inner and outer covering layers, the reinforcing structure being encapsulated with the insulating material.
Each apartment of the building is essentially self-contained and has a very high level of insulation. This ensures that the building as a whole is thermally extremely efficient. The apartments also have a very high level of sound insulation, thus reducing the transmission of sound from one apartment to another. The building is also very light and strong, and it is relatively simple and inexpensive to construct.
The reinforcing structure that interconnects adjacent apartments ties the apartments together and ensures that the building does not collapse, even if one of the apartments is badly damaged, for example by fire or explosion.
The reinforcing structure is preferably attached to the framework. Advantageously, the reinforcing structure includes a lost-motion mechanism that allows limited movement between the reinforcing structure and the framework. This allows for slight compression of the framework during construction of the building and for differential thermal expansion of the reinforcing structure and the framework. The degree of movement provided by the lost-motion mechanism is preferably less than 3mm per storey and advantageously 1-2mm per storey.
Alternatively, the reinforcing structure and the framework may be unconnected. A small gap may be provided between the reinforcing structure and the framework, this gap being generally less than 3mm per storey and typically approximately 1-2mm per storey. If the building is damaged, the truss framework will drop onto the reinforcing structure, which will support the framework and prevent the building from collapsing.
The reinforcing structure may include a plurality of uprights that extend substantially vertically through the voids in the wall structures, and a plurality of ties that extend substantially horizontally through the voids in the floor structures. The ties may be attached to trusses of the floor structures. The reinforcing structure is encapsulated with the insulating material. This ensures that the reinforcing structure does not act as a thermal bridge that allows heat to escape from within the building.
In one embodiment, the reinforcing structure is attached to and supports one or more external balconies. This allows the balconies to be attached in a way that does not cause them to act as thermal bridges, allowing heat to escape from the building.
Advantageously, vertically-adjacent apartments are separated from each other by a spacer element, to provide an intermediate void between the apartments. The spacer element may consist of a beam located between the wall structures of the vertically-adjacent apartments. A waterproof membrane and/or a fireproof barrier material may be provided within the intermediate void. The intermediate void increases thermal and sound insulation between the apartments. Including a waterproof membrane and/or a fireproof barrier material prevents water or fire from spreading between the apartments in an accident. The provision of a waterproof membrane also ensures that each apartment can be made essentially weatherproof, so that services and internal fitting out can be undertaken before construction of any remaining apartments has been completed. This can greatly reduce the time taken to complete construction of the building.
Advantageously, each said structure of the framework comprises a plurality of truss elements, each truss element including at least two joists and a plurality of braces that maintain the joists in a parallel arrangement, each said truss element being arranged in said framework to provide an inner joist and an outer joist.
At least some of the truss elements may be interconnected end-to-end to form a substantially continuous framework that extends through the floor structure, the roof structure and at least one of the wall structures.
The interconnected truss elements are preferably located in a common vertical plane.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of constructing a multi-storey apartment building comprising a plurality of apartments, the method including constructing a ground storey apartment and at least one upper storey apartment that is stacked vertically on top of the ground storey apartment, and erecting a reinforcing structure that interconnects adjacent apartments, said reinforcing structure comprising a plurality of uprights and a plurality of ties, wherein each apartment is constructed by erecting a framework comprising a plurality of structures including one or more wall structures, a ceiling structure and a floor structure, attaching an inner layer and an outer layer to said framework to form an enclosed void between said inner and outer layers, and injecting an insulating material into said void to form an insulating layer, wherein the enclosed void extends substantially continuously through the framework, and the insulating layer extends substantially continuously through one or more wall structures, the ceiling structure and the floor structure, and the reinforcing structure extends through the enclosed void between said inner and outer covering layers, the reinforcing structure being encapsulated with the insulating material.
The method may include attaching the reinforcing structure to the framework. Preferably, the method includes providing a lost-motion mechanism between the reinforcing structure and the framework.
Alternatively, the method may include including providing a gap between the reinforcing structure and the framework, the reinforcing structure and the framework being unconnected.
Advantageously, the method includes erecting the reinforcing structure within the void between the inner and outer layers of the framework.
The method may include attaching the reinforcing structure to trusses of the floor structures.
Advantageously, the method includes encapsulating the reinforcing structure within the insulating material.
In an embodiment, the method includes attaching one or more external balconies to the reinforcing structure.
Preferably, the inner joists of the interconnected truss elements are interconnected, and the outer joists of the interconnected truss elements are interconnected.
Advantageously, the inner and outer layers forming the void have a separation in the range 50-600mm, preferably 200-450mm. We have found that with currently available insulating materials this separation provides an optimum balance of insulation thickness against building cost.
Preferably, the framework is supported on discrete piles or foundation pads. This reduces the cost of construction by avoiding the need to excavate conventional foundations. As the structure of the building is very light but strong, simple piles or foundation pads have been found to provide adequate support.
Advantageously, the method includes applying an external finishing layer to the outer covering layer of at least one of the walls and/or a roof structure. Preferably, the external finishing layer includes an insulating layer.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a multi-storey apartment building with some structural components removed;
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the apartment building;
Figure 3 is a perspective view showing part of the front and left side walls of the building with some structural components removed;
Figure 4 is a side elevation showing part of the left side wall of the building with some structural components removed, and a balcony;
Figure 5 is a perspective view from above showing part of the front and left side walls of the building with the roof and some other structural components removed;
Figure 6 is a perspective view from the inside, showing some of the structural components that form the foundations, ground floor and a side wall of the building;
Figure 7 is a perspective view from the outside, showing some of the structural components that form the foundations, ground floor and a side wall of the building;
Figure 8 is a perspective view from the inside, showing some of the structural components that form the foundations, ground floor, side wall and the front wall in an alternative form of the building;
Figure 9 is a perspective view from the inside, showing some of the structural components that form the floor, ceiling and wall structures of an upper storey apartment;
Figure 10 is a perspective view showing part of the left side wall and the underneath of the ceiling structure; and
Figure 11 is a perspective view from the inside, showing the attachment of a balcony to the front wall of the building.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a multi-storey residential apartment building 2 comprising a number of substantially identical or similar apartments 4. In this example, the building has seven storeys 6 (one ground storey 6a and six upper storeys 6b) and a flat roof 8. Some structural components have been omitted from the left side wall and the rear of the building to show an internal reinforcing structure 10. The building 2 is supported on foundation blocks 12 (for example concrete pads), which would normally be buried in the ground. In this example, the apartments 4 on the upper storeys 6b each have a balcony 14 that extends outwards from the front wall of the building.
Each apartment 4 comprises a self-contained structural unit, and the apartment building comprises a plurality of these units, which are stacked or placed side-by-side. Typically, the apartments 4 all have a substantially similar construction as shown in figures 6 and 7, comprising a primary framework consisting of interconnected wall, floor and ceiling structures 16, 18, 20. However, in a variant shown in figure 8 the apartments on the ground storey have a somewhat different construction for the floor structure 18. This is explained in more detail below.
Extending throughout the building is the secondary reinforcing structure 10, part of which has been exposed in the rear part of the building shown in figure 1. This reinforcing structure 10 helps to tie the apartment units together and provides additional support if any of the apartments is damaged.
Each upper storey apartment (and in the first form, each ground floor apartment) therefore includes a primary framework that comprises interconnected wall, floor and ceiling structures 16, 18, 20, each of those structures being formed using a number of trusses 22. The typical form of the trusses 22 is shown most clearly in figures 6 and 7.
Each truss 22 includes two parallel elongate members or joists 24, which are preferably made of timber but may alternatively be made of other materials (for example steel, concrete etc). The two joists 24 are interconnected by a series of braces 26, which may for example be made of galvanised steel and which maintain a constant separation between the joists. In figures 1-5 and 8-10 the braces 26 have been omitted for clarity.
In some trusses such as the vertical trusses shown in Fig. 7 the two joists 24 are of equal length and their ends are joined by a cross-strut 28. In other trusses such as the horizontal floor trusses one joist is slightly longer than the other and includes a portion 24' at one or both ends that extends beyond the end of the other joist. A cross-strut 28 is provided adjacent each end of the joist to support the extended portion 24'.
In the construction method, a large number of trusses 22 of various lengths are used. These trusses 22 are preferably made to a standard specification, with a constant separation between the internal faces of the joists. For example, the individual joists 24 may each have dimensions of 75 x 47mm and be set at a separation between their internal faces of 206mm, thus providing a width of 300mm between the external faces of the joists. Other dimensions are of course possible, although generally it is preferred that the width between the external faces of the joists should be in the range 50-600mm, preferably 200-450mm. The length of each truss 22 may vary according to the type of the truss and the intended location of the truss in the building. Typically the length of a truss 22 may be up to about 10 metres.
In constructing the primary framework of an apartment, the lengths and number of trusses 22 required to construct the apartment is calculated and the trusses are then fabricated and labelled. Normally, the trusses will be pre-fabricated off-site and labelled prior to delivery to the building site. Alternatively, they may be fabricated on-site. These trusses are then assembled in a predetermined order during construction of the apartment.
Referring now to figure 9, it can be seen that the wall, floor and ceiling structures 16, 18, 20 of an apartment are each constructed using a number of interconnected trusses 22. In this example, the floor structure 18 and the ceiling structure 20 each include a number of horizontal trusses 22 that extend parallel to one another in a direction perpendicular to the front wall. The front wall 16 includes a number of vertical trusses 22 that are attached to the ends of the floor and ceiling trusses. The internal wall 30 also includes a number of vertical trusses 22, which extend between opposed floor and ceiling trusses. Apertures 31 for windows or doors may be provided in the wall structure 16.
The trusses 22 forming the floor structure 18, the wall structure 16 and the ceiling structure 20 are thus interconnected to form a box-like framework that extends continuously around the apartment. The side wall structures 16 are supported by the trusses of the floor and ceiling structures 18, 20. This gives the completed framework great strength and rigidity. If required, diagonal braces 26 may be fitted in the corners of the framework as shown in figures 3 to 5 to provide additional rigidity and to increase the resistance of the building to lateral wind forces.
Once the framework has been completed, the inner and outer surfaces of the wall, floor and ceiling structures 16, 18, 20 are covered with cladding 34, 36. This increases the strength and rigidity of the structure and provides a void 40 that extends continuously around the framework through the floor, wall and ceiling structures. Subsequently, this void 40 is filled with a thermal insulating material to provide an insulating layer that extends continuously and seamlessly around all sides of the apartment.
As can be seen in figure 4, the trusses 22 forming the wall structures 16 of vertically adjacent storeys are aligned so that the weight of the upper storey apartments is transmitted vertically through the building. A horizontal spacer beam 44 is located between the ceiling structure 20 of the lower storey apartment and the floor structure 18 of the adjacent upper storey apartment to provide an additional intermediate void 46 between those structures. This intermediate void 46 may if required contain a waterproof membrane and/or a fire barrier.
It will be noted that vertically-adjacent apartments are separated from each other by three separate voids: the void in the ceiling structure 20 of the lower storey, the void in the floor structure 18 of the adjacent upper storey and the intermediate void 46 between the ceiling and floor structures that is provided by the spacer beam 44. This provides a very high degree of sound insulation between the two apartments and within the building generally.
The strength of the building is provided primarily by the framework of interconnected trusses 22. However, to provide additional strength and to minimise the risk of collapse if one or more of the apartments is damaged by fire or explosion, the building also includes a secondary reinforcing structure 10 that is typically made of steel and extends through the voids within the wall and floor structures 16, 18 of the truss framework. This secondary reinforcing structure 10 effectively ties the truss framework together and prevents the building from collapsing if the framework is damaged. It should be understood that the secondary reinforcing structure 10 does not normally support a significant load: its primary purpose is to provide additional support if the truss framework is damaged.
The reinforcing secondary structure 10 shown in figures 3 to 5 is relatively lightweight as compared for example to the framework of a steel-framed building and consists of a number of vertical uprights 48 and horizontal ties 50. The uprights 48 are typically made of 10 x 10 cm square section steel tube and extend through the void 40 in the wall structure 16 between the inner and outer layers of wall cladding 34, 36. The uprights 48 are not directly connected to the trusses 22 and once the void 40 has been filled with an insulating material 42 they are completely encapsulated by the insulating material, which prevents them from acting as a thermal bridge.
The horizontal ties 50 typically consist of simple C-section or L-section steel beams. They are attached to the vertical uprights 48 and extend horizontally through the floor structure 18 of each storey. The horizontal ties 50 are fixed with bolts or screws to the outer ends of the trusses 22 forming the floor structure 18 so as to support the trusses if the framework of adjacent apartments is damaged. As with the uprights 48, the horizontal ties 50 are encapsulated in the insulating material to prevent them forming a thermal bridge.
The reinforcing structure may also be extended to provide additional support where required. In this example the building includes a peripheral roof wall 51, which is also reinforced by horizontal ties 50.
The secondary reinforcing structure 10 may also include a number of other components, including floor sockets 52 that receive the lower ends of the uprights 48, connector plates 54 for connecting the uprights 48 to the horizontal ties 50 and connector pieces 56 for connecting the uprights 48 end to end (figure 9).
The reinforcing structure preferably includes a lost-motion mechanism that allows limited movement (or play) between the reinforcing structure and the framework, in order to allow for the slight compression of the framework that will occur during construction of the building as the weight supported by the lower storey frameworks increases. The lost-motion mechanism also allows for differential thermal expansion between the reinforcing structure and the framework.
The degree of movement between the reinforcing structure and the framework will be very small: it will generally be less than 3mm per storey and typically approximately 1-2mm per storey. This degree of lost motion can be easily accommodated, for example by providing slotted fastening plates that allow sliding movement of the screws or bolts that attach the reinforcing structure to the framework, or by providing slip collars within the reinforcing structure.
Alternatively, the reinforcing structure 10 can be left unattached to the truss framework. As described previously, the reinforcing secondary structure 10 consists of vertical uprights 48 that extend through the void 40 in the wall structure 16, and horizontal ties 50 that extend horizontally through the floor structure 18. In this alternative construction, the horizontal ties 50 are not fixed to the trusses 22 forming the floor structure 18 and are preferably spaced slightly from the trusses to allow limited movement between the reinforcing structure and the framework. A small gap is provided between the reinforcing structure and the framework, this gap being generally less than 3mm per storey and typically approximately 1-2mm per storey. If the building is damaged, the truss framework will drop onto the reinforcing structure 10, which will support the framework and prevent the building from collapsing.
Details of the foundations are shown in figures 6 and 7. The trusses forming the floor structure 18 are supported on the concrete base beams 58, which are in turn supported by the concrete pads or piles 12. The trusses 22 of the wall structure 16 are connected to the ends of the floor trusses. The ground below the floor trusses is covered with a 75mm layer of sand/cement screed 60 over a 100mm layer of compacted hardcore. A damp proof membrane 62 is laid over the screed layer and extends outwards between the side walls and the ground beams. The outer surface of the wall structure 16 is covered with panelling 36, for example an 18mm layer of oriented strand board (OSB) followed by a 60mm layer of EPS insulating board, and is finished with a layer of a chosen rendered cladding. The inner surface of the wall structure is also covered with panelling 34, for example an 18mm layer of OSB.
In the alternative ground storey construction shown in Fig. 8, the trusses of the floor structure 18 are replaced by concrete floor beams 64 with wooden or similar slats 66 attached to the upper edges of the beams. This provides a very strong and damp-proof floor structure. It should be noted that the insulating material 42 is still able to flow through the gaps between and below the floor beams to form a continuous layer. This construction is usually used only for the ground floor: in the upper storeys of the building the floor structure is constructed from trusses as shown in Figures 6 & 7.
A method of constructing an apartment building will now be described. In this example the apartment building is a residential apartment block. It should be understood however that the method may also be applied to the construction of other types of apartment building, including offices, schools and shops etc.
In the first stage of construction the top soil is removed from the building site, leaving a shallow excavation covering the floor area of the building. A series of foundation holes are excavated and concrete is poured into these holes to form a set of concrete foundation pads 12. These preliminary steps of the construction method are conventional and so will not be described further.
Concrete base beams 58 are laid across the foundation pads 12 to form the base structure of the building. The area between the beams is filled with hardcore and covered with concrete/sand screed 60. A damp-proof membrane (DPM) 62 is laid across the beams and the screed. Alternatively, if sub-floor ventilation is required, the screed may be omitted: the damp-proof membrane is then simply laid across the beams.
In order to construct the floor structure 18, a number of previously assembled trusses 22 are laid across the base beams 58 so that they extend at right angles to the beams across the width of the building. The trusses 22 are arranged edgewise with respect to the beams so that in each truss one of the joists 24 is located vertically above the other joist. The upper joist forms an upper part of the floor structure 18, while the lower joist forms a lower part of the floor structure. The trusses 22 are arranged so that they lie parallel to one another, typically with a centre-to-centre separation of 600mm (although the separation may for example be in the range 100-800mm).
After laying the trusses 22 forming the floor structure 18, floor decking 68 of 18mm OSB is laid to provide an accessible working surface. The next step is to erect a set of trusses to form a side wall structure 16. Again, the trusses of the wall structure 16 are normally preassembled and coded ready for erection. Each wall truss is connected to an end of one of the floor trusses, so ensuring correct spacing of the wall trusses. The wall trusses are arranged vertically, with one joist 24 on the inner side of the wall and the other joist on the outer side of the wall. This process is repeated to erect the trusses of the other side wall.
The next stage is to construct the ceiling structure 20 using more preassembled trusses. The trusses are arranged horizontally and attached to the upper ends of the vertical trusses of the opposed side wall structures. The correct spacing of the ceiling trusses is ensured by attaching them to the previously erected side wall trusses.
The trusses forming the rear wall structure are then attached to the trusses of the floor structure, the ceiling structure and the side wall structures. The trusses forming the front wall structure are assembled in a similar manner.
At this stage, the secondary reinforcing structure 10 is assembled. The vertical uprights 58 are lowered through the voids 40 in the wall structures 16 and the lower ends of the uprights 48 are inserted into sockets 52 that have previously been bolted to the concrete base beams 58. Horizontal ties 50 are inserted horizontally through the floor structure 18 of the ground storey and bolted to the lower ends of the uprights 48. The ties 50 are also fixed to the ends of the trusses 22 forming the floor structure 18 of the ground storey apartment.
External cladding 36 is then applied to the wall structures 16 and the ceiling structure 20. This makes the structure stronger and more rigid. Internal classing is not applied at this stage, in order to allow access to the voids 40 in the wall and ceiling structures 16, 20. This completes the construction of the main framework of the ground storey apartment.
Next, a spacer beam 44 is attached to the top edge of the wall structures 16 and, if required, fire-resistant materials and a waterproof membrane are laid on top of the ground storey ceiling structure 20 within the area bounded by the spacer beam.
Once this point has been reached, the structure of the ground storey apartment is substantially weatherproof, allowing services such as electricity, telecommunications and plumbing to be installed. A conduit 70 for these services is shown for example in Fig. 7. The structure of the framework can be easily inspected at this stage, since the internal cladding has not yet been applied. Once inspection has been completed, the internal cladding 34 is fitted. Any suitable materials may be used for the internal cladding 34, for example plasterboard or fireboard for the wall and ceiling structures 16, 20, and OSB, chipboard or floorboards for the floor structure 18. Doors and windows are also inserted.
The insulating material 42 can then be injected into the void 40 between the inner and outer cladding layers 34, 36 (alternatively, injection of the insulating material can be left until later). The void 40 is filled by pumping the insulating material under pressure into the void. Any suitable insulating material may be used including, for example, expanding foam or EPS pellets. The insulating material completely fills the void and provides a substantially continuous insulating layer that extends through the wall, floor and ceiling structures 16, 18, 20. The insulating material also fills any gaps in the cladding and encapsulates the reinforcing structure 10, preventing it from acting as a thermal bridge. Once the main structure of the ground storey apartment has been completed, the truss framework of the first upper storey apartment is assembled on top of the ground storey apartment. The floor structure 18 of the first upper storey apartment is similar to the floor structure of the ground storey apartment, except that the floor trusses are supported by the spacer beam 44 instead of the base beams 58. The wall and ceiling structures 16, 20 are assembled in a similar manner.
The reinforcing structure is then extended upwards into the framework of the upper storey apartment. The vertical uprights 48 are lowered through the voids in the wall structures 16 and the lower ends of the uprights are connected to the upper ends of the ground storey uprights using connecting pieces 56. Horizontal ties 50 are inserted horizontally through the floor structure 18 of the upper storey and bolted to the uprights. The ties 50 are also fixed to the ends of the trusses 22 forming the floor structure 18 of the upper storey apartment 4. The upper storey apartment is completed by attaching external and internal cladding 36, 34, installing services and injecting an insulating material in the same way as with the ground floor apartment.
The processes set out above are repeated for the remaining upper storey apartments and a roof structure 8 is then constructed on top of the building. Finally, the external walls and the roof can be covered in insulation boarding and external finishes can be applied, for example render or brick, cladding, roof tiling and so on.
If balconies 14 are to be provided, they can be bolted to the horizontal ties 50 of the reinforcing structure 10, as shown in figure 11. Since the reinforcing structure 10 is encased within the insulating material 42, this prevents the balcony 14 from forming a thermal bridge through which heat can escape from the building.

Claims

A multi-storey apartment building (2) including a plurality of apartments (4) and a reinforcing structure (10) comprising a plurality of uprights (48) and a plurality of ties (50) that interconnects adjacent apartments,
wherein each apartment (4) includes a framework comprising a plurality of structures including one or more wall structures (16), a ceiling structure (20) and a floor structure (18), each said structure comprising an inner layer (34), an outer layer (36) and an enclosed void (40) between said inner and outer layers, and an insulating material (42) that fills the void to form an insulating layer,
a plurality of said apartments (4) being stacked vertically in said multi-storey apartment building (2);
characterised in that the enclosed void (40) extends substantially continuously through the framework, and the insulating layer extends substantially continuously through said one or more wall structures (16), the ceiling structure (20) and the floor structure (18), and
the reinforcing structure (10) extends through the enclosed void (40) between said inner and outer covering layers (34,36), the reinforcing structure being encapsulated with the insulating material (42).
An apartment building according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing structure (10) is attached to the framework.
An apartment building according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing structure (10) and the framework are unconnected.
An apartment building according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing structure (10) includes a plurality of uprights (48) that extend substantially vertically through the voids (40) in the wall structures (16).
An apartment building according any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing structure (10) includes a plurality of ties (50) that extend substantially horizontally through the voids (40) in the floor structures (18).
An apartment building according to claim 5 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the ties (50) are attached to trusses (22) of the floor structures (18).
An apartment building according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the reinforcing structure (10) is attached to and supports one or more external balconies (14).
An apartment building according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein vertically-adjacent apartments (4) are separated from each other by a spacer element (44), providing an intermediate void (46) between the apartments (4).
An apartment building according to claim 8, wherein the spacer element (44) comprises a beam located between the wall structures (16) of the vertically-adjacent apartments (4).
An apartment building according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said structure (16, 18, 20) comprises a plurality of truss elements (22), each truss element including at least two joists (24) and a plurality of braces (26) that maintain the joists in a parallel arrangement, each said truss element (22) being arranged in said framework to provide an inner joist and an outer joist.
A method of constructing a multi-storey apartment building (2) comprising a plurality of apartments (4), said method including:
constructing a ground storey apartment and at least one upper storey apartment that is stacked vertically on top of the ground storey apartment, and

erecting a reinforcing structure (10) that interconnects adjacent apartments (4), said reinforcing structure (10) comprising a plurality of uprights (48) and a plurality of ties (50),

wherein each apartment (4) is constructed by erecting a framework comprising a plurality of structures including one or more wall structures (16), a ceiling structure (20) and a floor structure (18), attaching an inner layer (34) and an outer layer (36) to said framework to form an enclosed void (40) between said inner and outer layers, and injecting an insulating material (42) into said void to form an insulating layer; characterised in that the enclosed void (40) extends substantially continuously through the framework, and the insulating layer extends substantially continuously through said one or more wall structures (16), the ceiling structure (20) and the floor structure (18), and

the reinforcing structure extends through the enclosed void (40) between said inner and outer covering layers (34,36), the reinforcing structure being encapsulated with the insulating material (42).
A method according to claim 11, including attaching the reinforcing structure (10) to the framework.
A method according to claim 12, including providing a gap between the reinforcing structure (10) and the framework, the reinforcing structure and the framework being unconnected.