About the project
Built to Answer One Question.
New Mexico's desert climate is unforgiving: daytime temperatures can swing more than 20°C in a single day, UV radiation is intense year-round, and the demand for housing that stays comfortable without running air conditioning constantly is growing. Framecrete set out to answer whether AAC could meet that demand with a real building.
The Haus NM prototype was designed and built using Framecrete AAC blocks exclusively for all exterior and interior walls. No wood framing, no conventional block — just the white AAC system, tested in the field under real desert conditions.
Design approach
Simple Form. Extreme Conditions.
The home's program was kept straightforward: a compact single-family layout that prioritized wall-to-interior-volume ratio, maximizing the thermal mass advantage of the AAC system. Every design decision served the validation goal — no distractions from the performance data.
Framecrete AAC's high thermal mass means it absorbs heat during the day and releases it slowly at night, naturally moderating the interior temperature without mechanical systems. The prototype was designed to measure that effect under peak New Mexico summer conditions.
Thermal mass walls on all elevations — no thermal bridging at wall junctions
Compact form factor to maximize AAC wall coverage relative to floor area
South-facing glazing sized to balance winter solar gain and summer shading
Minimal mechanical systems to isolate AAC's passive thermal contribution
Program
What Was Built.
A compact single-family prototype, fully habitable — designed to function as a real home while generating measurable performance data.
- Primary bedroom
- Two additional bedrooms
- Open-plan kitchen and dining
- Living area
- Full bathroom
- Utility / laundry
- Covered entry porch
- Exterior terrace
- All-AAC exterior walls
- All-AAC interior partitions
- Framecrete AAC flat roof system
- Framecrete Roofing finish layer
The system
Why AAC for the Desert.
Framecrete AAC is an autoclaved aerated concrete panel — inorganic, non-combustible, and manufactured to precise thermal and structural specs. In New Mexico, those properties translate directly to lower energy bills, less maintenance, and a structure that performs for decades without the rot, pest, or fire risk of wood framing.
The New Mexico prototype was the first full Framecrete build in the continental U.S. — establishing the construction methodology, supply chain, and performance baseline for future U.S. projects.
15°C
Cooler inside
Interior vs. exterior temperature at peak summer heat — measured without mechanical cooling.
AAC
All walls
Every wall — exterior and interior — built in Framecrete AAC. No wood framing, no conventional block.
Fast
Build speed
AAC panels lay faster than poured concrete or CMU block, with no cure time and less on-site waste.
U.S.
Market proof
A tangible case study for builders and developers across the Southwest and Sun Belt states.
Photography
Documented during and after construction.
All images are from the completed Framecrete Haus NM prototype in New Mexico, USA.