Sensible people have long realized that to build a house, and even more so on an individual project - is expensive and troublesome. And every year, counting the labor savings, bitterly aware that the construction be postponed indefinitely. Today the wooden house of medium size (six by six feet) would cost about $ 5000, and brick - and also more expensive. And this option - austere, with no tricky layout and even without finishing! Meanwhile, the house can be built not only of bricks, logs or lumber. There is a material that lowers the cost of construction of approximately one and a half to two times and has many other advantages. He called foam concrete. In the west of it long ago built. And we, as usual, think cheshem in the back and doubt. You should! It foamed concrete could give many of us have a roof over their head in the literal sense of the word. About what is not in the dictionaries Alas, in the encyclopaedia about this story made no mention. How? As a precaution, revered by all that was said just about "concrete". It turns out that this is "one of the most important building materials, which are a result of compaction hardening of binder, water, aggregates and in some cases - supplements. Depending on the volume of mass concrete is divided into very heavy, heavy, light and very light. By type binder concrete are cement, silicate, gypsum, asphalt concrete, polymer concrete and others. About penobeton word. Maybe it's some kind of special concrete additives with special foam? Just what kind of foam, how it affects the reduction of the cost of construction and what gives the material properties? While it is not clear. A few hours wandering around the exhibition stands, too, had not made clear. So one thing is clear: here you can find anything you want - tile, granite, brick, tiles ... Foam is not offered. When I asked one of the sellers nothing concrete and plausible answer could not ... Then had to go to the Central Scientific Design Office (TSNKB). There appear to have been a few years working to create facilities for manufacturing of foam concrete. They somehow just know everything about him. A bit of history. Ironically, foam concrete - not the achievement of modern supertehnology. This material appeared in Russia for almost seventy years ago. During the 30 years of Soviet scientist, builder of an experimental abdomen (his name, alas, lost in the annals of history) added to the cement soap root - a plant that lives in Central Asia and forms the foam. As a result, the light of a new building material - foam concrete. And! Even later, experts have begun to actively mix cement with chemical additives - foam-or gas-forming substances (aluminum powder, kleekanifolnym solution, etc.). Based on these developments in Russia began to manufacture building materials from the foam - blocks, partitions, wall panels, which by their thermal insulation properties exceed the brick and heavy concrete by 3-5 times. Pumice or chocolate? And here he is - foam concrete (on the left - with the addition of sand to the right - with the addition of polystyrene) They knew everything. And they said that the foam concrete - it is an ordinary cement mortar, which is mixed with a small amount of additives-blowing agent. They are also called surface-active agents (surfactants) and, incidentally, is widely used in the manufacture of washing powders and shampoos. So foam concrete and all sorts of detergents in a sense, relatives, although distant. In view penobeton was pretty ugly gray material resembles pumice, and "internally" - a porous chocolate. The fact is that as a result of the foaming mass of concrete filled with air bubbles and acquires a cellular structure. And this, in turn, makes the material easy: do not accidentally include specialists penobeton to light cellular concrete. That same quality makes the material more sound and heat insulation properties. So, despite its homeliness, foam concrete - is a remarkable thing. But we - as always! Despite the obvious advantages of the new material, foam concrete in Russia did not "stick. There are several reasons: there was no quality foams, good machines for the manufacture of foam and other equipment. Therefore, our builders continued to use traditional "Russia" materials - brick and wooden beams. On the cellular lightweight concrete simply forgotten. I hardly remember, though it would not have formed one factor, and - the national scale. Second birth Options styling foam: 1 - roof or ceiling; 2 - laying a concrete panel (outside - brickwork, inside - gypsum board or fiberboard, foam concrete is poured between them); 3 - laying in a removable formwork It was several years ago. Russia's experts, following the decision of Ministry of Construction of Russia, conducted studies on teplosberezheniyu in residential homes. It was necessary to see if you can somehow save fuel and energy resources? And to everyone's surprise, found that the traditional building materials (the same as an ordinary brick or concrete) have a very low level of heat protection. Therefore, the State, and for us, its citizens have to spend a lot of money on heating - a conservative estimate of two to three times higher than in developed countries. As usual, first put forward the slogan: "Save energy - priority", and builders gave the "wise" order "to increase the thickness of the enclosing structures made of traditional materials." But, as usual, only make matters worse - the construction was more expensive in more than two times. Later came another interesting document - the Presidential Decree "On the development of federal target program" My house ". And this program included the development of new types of building materials, which were, in turn, reduce the cost of construction. That's where the experts and remember our "native" foam concrete. "Above" was followed by another stern directive - increase the production of building materials (primarily of cellular concrete) and to create technological systems for their manufacture. In general, improve the "new" invention 70 years ago.