Sustainable building blocks of the Leier prove their worth in Iceland

The Leier Group also supplies Iceland with Durisol masonry products to Iceland. The company and the Icelandic construction company PAGO first held talks in the summer of 2022. The Leier portfolio made a very positive impression on the local owners, so the Icelandic partner subsequently ordered the first containers, in which Leier Durisol elements were delivered.

The panels are currently being used to build small residential buildings, but in the near future they are also being considered for airport developments and hotel planning.

Durisol is an eco building material made of mineralised wood chips, combining high quality with environmental awareness and energy saving. The wood chips used for its production are naturally renewable, recycled raw materials.

By mixing cement, water and other special raw materials in the right proportions, it becomes a building material combining all the advantages of wood and concrete: similar to brick, it is stable and load-bearing, has excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties and very good heat-retaining capacity.

If the masonry has been properly laid, the cavities of the masonry units are positioned exactly one above the other, so that the concrete core forms a mesh structure. The resulting masonry is not only structurally optimal, but is often used in earthquake-prone areas such as Iceland.

To the island nation DSs 30/12 L thermal insulation masonry unit and DMi 17/12 L soundproofing masonry block were delivered. The former is used for load-bearing walls, while the latter is used for partition walls.

Building blocks are being introduced on projects of increasing scale

Following the first successful small-scale projects, PAGO will have the opportunity to present LEIER DURISOL ecological building materials in large-scale projects.

As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, two semi-detached houses are currently under construction, with the walls and roof of the first house and the foundations of the second house already completed.

The Durisol elements for the luxury apartments with Atlantic Ocean views in Garður have already arrived on site.

A home for people with disabilities is being built in Selfoss, a municipality in the region of the Arborg region, on behalf of the Arborg Council. The blocks for the six-housing project arrived on site in February.

The expansion of Keflavík airport is also planned to be done with Durisol elements. The expansion of the airport is justified by the fact that Iceland has become an increasingly attractive tourist destination in recent years, and more buildings are needed to accommodate visiting and transit passengers. Keflavík is a popular hub for aircraft commuting between Europe and the United States.

Courses demonstrate the benefits of Durisol products and installation technology

PAGO is a company specialising in ecological building materials and a member of the Icelandic Green Building Council. The company is often invited to present Leier Durisol at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Housing, University of Iceland, University of Reykjavik and the Technical College and Industrial School. They also regularly give lectures to construction companies, architects, engineering offices and municipalities.

These courses are for those who want to learn how to build a house from Leier Durisol elements. The aim is to promote the ecological building material, which has 80 years of experience around the world, in Iceland.

The lectures will explain the most important properties of the building material (e.g. fire resistance, moisture and mould resistance, acoustic values and thermal insulation) and will also demonstrate the technology of installation. The courses will give participants the opportunity to learn about and work with the elements in practice.