Project For Building News
Designing the ventilated crawl space: Granchio and Hercules formworks
If you design buildings, you know this well: the quality of a project begins long before the elevations, load-bearing structures or finishes. It begins at the most “invisible” point of the building: ground level.
And this is where the ventilated crawl space becomes a choice that affects the healthiness, durability and structural behaviour of the entire building.
For many designers, formwork in construction is almost taken for granted, something to be included in order to manage humidity and possible radon gas.
In reality, the way you conceive and build the crawl space design can radically change the stability of the floor build-up, the continuity of the concrete casting, the construction timeline and, not least, the quality of the building over time.
Close-up of the interlocking installation of Granchio h25 permanent formworks made of recycled plastic.
Installation of Super Hercules for the foundations of a gym.
At Project For Building, we have invested in research and technical development to provide you with exactly the solution you need: our permanent formworks made of regenerated plastic, Granchio and Hercules.
Two product lines that form the basis of an exemplary construction system for creating ventilated crawl spaces.
Why the ventilated crawl space is now central in design
Rising damp and radon gas are no longer just “local issues”: they are regulated technical matters, with a direct impact on design and increasingly specific regulations in different Italian regions.
So what is a crawl space for?
A well-designed ventilated crawl space:
- protects structures from condensation and rising damp from the floor
- improves the durability of foundations
- significantly reduces the possible presence of radon gas
- creates a cavity useful for the passage of service systems and ducts
But is it mandatory?
A good question. No, a crawl space is not legally mandatory in every building.
However, in many situations it becomes necessary in order to comply with regulations on radon gas and damp, and in several Italian regions it is expressly required.
Mandatory or not, the quality of your project and your building can improve significantly if you include a ventilated crawl space in the design.
The type of permanent formwork you choose makes the difference: it defines the behaviour of the cavity, the continuity of ventilation, the permitted loads and the stability of the concrete casting.
Granchio: when technical simplicity makes the difference
Among the systems most widely used in Italy for creating ventilated crawl spaces is Granchio, the modular formwork made of recycled plastic by Project For Building.
Many choose it for a clear reason: it allows a regular, stable and quick-to-install ventilated crawl space to be achieved, without complications.
Granchio was designed for low and medium building heights.
Granchio permanent formwork made of recycled plastic
It is widely used in residential projects, renovations and in all situations where continuity of ventilation and a simple, reliable floor build-up are required.
The regular soffit makes it easier to install the welded wire mesh and provides a uniform base for subfloors. Air circulates constantly across the entire surface, limiting condensation phenomena and improving radon dispersion.
It is a reliable, practical and durable system over time, especially in contexts where installation speed and repeatability are a real advantage.
When Granchio is not enough: the role of the Hercules line
There are, however, situations in which Granchio is not sufficient, because the structural requirements change, with greater heights and significant level differences to be managed.
In these cases, our engineers recommend the Hercules line, which includes MiniHercules, Hercules and SuperHercules.
Unlike Granchio, Hercules consists of a base and a leg, allowing for safe and fast installation.
Super Hercules formwork: base and legs to provide height in ventilated crawl spaces
The more robust geometry and greater height make it possible to create structurally higher-performing ventilated crawl spaces, ideal for:
- industrial buildings and garages
- driveable areas or areas subject to concentrated loads
- large surfaces to be made uniform
- schools and public projects
- interventions on significant slabs with wide spans
The modularity of the line also allows for significant level compensation in renovation projects.
MiniHercules, Hercules, SuperHercules: the differences at a glance
The range works across different performance levels:
MiniHercules is the next step after Granchio, when greater load-bearing capacity is needed but without excessive height
Hercules is the intermediate solution for higher loads and significant heights
SuperHercules is designed for the most demanding situations, with very significant heights and loads
A range of solutions designed to respond precisely to your structural requirements.
The strengths of Granchio and Hercules
You may think of the crawl space as a standard and interchangeable element, but not all systems are the same: the engineering, the geometry of the formwork and the final performance of the floor build-up all change.
The difference can be seen in the technical details:
- no specialised labour is required thanks to the modular system
- no machinery is required for installation
- the modules are easy to manage on site, simple to handle and install
With Granchio or Hercules, the crawl space becomes a valuable structural element, not just a simple filling solution.
The Project For Building production cycle: from waste to resource
One of the features that sets our products apart is full control over the supply chain: recycled plastic arrives at our facility, is regenerated, transformed into granules and used to mould the formworks.
No external steps, no dependence on third-party suppliers, maximum quality and consistency.
The Project For Building recycling cycle
This approach allows you to design in compliance with CAM requirements and regulatory demands, because the material is traced and controlled from origin to finished product, with a certified recycled content of 95%.
With our permanent formworks, you can make sustainable choices without compromising on technical performance: more control, more reliability and a genuinely reduced environmental impact.
Granchio is an EPD-certified product (Environmental Product Declaration), useful for specification in public works connected to the NRRP.
Il valore aggiunto del nostro supporto tecnico
In Project For Building non ti consegnamo “solo casseri”. Supportiamo la progettazione, analizziamo i carichi, consigliamo la stratigrafia più coerente, verifichiamo le condizioni di ventilazione, affianchiamo la posa quando necessario.
Nel nostro settore velocità e precisione sono fondamentali, il nostro team tecnico è pronto a intervenire come parte integrante della qualità del prodotto.
Choose an integrated and sustainable approach
Granchio and Hercules meet different height requirements, but they are built on the same vision: creating systems that combine engineering, sustainability and practical efficiency on site.
With our formworks, what you obtain is not just a crawl space, but a structural element that lasts over time and protects the building where it matters most.
With us, you invest in an innovative way of designing, renovating and building.
We support you with clear technical solutions, efficient logistics and flexible production, also for targeted orders and small quantities.
For us, sustainability is concrete: it is measured in the quality of materials and in the relationship of trust we build with all our customers and partners.
