Rice houses, RicecyclingWall

RicecyclingWall: Prefabricated Monolithic Wall System

Four innovative companies have joined forces in an ambitious project to develop a cutting-edge building system based on a new prefabricated panel that revolutionizes the world of sustainable construction. This panel, designed for on-site installation, is made from a unique blend of natural materials and forms a monolithic masonry that significantly reduces environmental impact through the use of rice industry by-products and minimal water consumption. The finishes applied to the wall are also designed with sustainability in mind: like the panel, they are made from materials that meet the same sustainability and durability criteria.

The main ingredients of the panel are rice husk and a natural hydraulic binder made by calcining natural clayey limestones, both chosen for their exceptional sustainability and technical properties. The reactive properties of the binder, combined with the natural fibers of the rice husk, allow for a chemical additive-free compound with a low binder-to-biomass ratio. Similarly, the plaster and finishes combine rice husk with natural hydraulic limes. Thanks to this blend, RicecyclingWall stands out for its high thermal inertia, excellent thermal and acoustic insulation, high fire resistance, and long durability. These features, combined with recyclability and low environmental impact, ensure uncompromised living comfort.

The production process involves cold-mixing the recipe’s components to create a prefabricated monolithic wall of project-defined dimensions. The prefabricated monoliths are air-dried without the need for firing or autoclaving. The particular shapes of the formwork allow grooves to be made on the inner side of the wall, which are functional for installing systems on-site. Like the materials involved, the automated process significantly reduces environmental impact thanks to minimal energy use and reliance on renewable resources.

The goal of the project was to renew the prefabricated building system with a more efficient and effective system from both a thermal and seismic standpoint. The assembly technique involves connecting the cast-in-place structure with the prefabricated element. The lateral ends of the walls feature notches and interlocks for proper connection with the pillars; the joint created between the pillar and wall ensures thermal bridge correction, a stronger bond between the two elements, and improved seismic stress absorption. The Ricecycling Wall system includes all the prefabricated elements needed to assemble the entire structure of a house, from the basement to the roof (even for multi-story buildings). Thanks to the established construction system on which it is based and its entirely natural composition, the Ricecycling Wall masonry offers considerable advantages in many respects: thermal inertia, insulation, lightness, fire resistance, total resistance to mold and pests, durability, living comfort, recyclability, and low environmental impact.

The final product is an earthquake-resistant structure made of natural materials that are minimally impactful on both the environment and human health. In short, a home that combines ethical values with advanced technology. A house made from rice by-products: walls, floors, furnishings, and finishes. Sustainability is possible, even within the walls of one’s home. A house capable of generating the energy it needs by harnessing passive solar gain and drastically reducing energy and heat loss from daily functions within. A building that promotes living well-being through the maximum performance interaction of materials and assembly technology, making the final result unique in terms of energy savings during both installation and use; winter thermal insulation and summer heat wave mitigation; improved indoor air quality and reduced volatile pollutants; and sound insulation for psychological and physical human well-being.