I have learned a lot about them from this and other articles like the ones i found at Industrial Machinery News (http://www.industrial-machinery-news.com) It’s cool to watch how they form them using roll formers.

Thanks,

I have learned a lot about them from this and other articles like the ones i found at Industrial Machinery News (http://www.industrial-machinery-news.com) It’s cool to watch how they form them using roll formers.

Thanks,

I would have to see studies of fire performance before I made a determination on that subject.

Adobe works great. You think native Americans might have known a thing or two about sustainable living?

I would have to see studies of fire performance before I made a determination on that subject.

Adobe works great. You think native Americans might have known a thing or two about sustainable living?

A concrete house can more easily be made air tight.

The wires in the floor appear to be electrical radiant heating although poorly installed. Either radiant heating or ‘temp wire’ for spreading/equalizing the heat during cooling in the concrete should be spaced up off the steel concrete deck. Not to be confused with rebar – it is not for strength but only for equalizing the temperatures. Definitely not tubing for a hydronic heat system as they would be at least 12mm diameter.

The concrete (actually probably a sand/cement mixture) layer will not be much of a mass when they are pumping it over the lightweight flooring/decking. It is definitely a pumped sand/cement mix. You can see in the photos it is a thin layer.

The steel they are using is thing cold formed shapes – this structure will be somewhat flexible in nature. It has nothing to do with what you see in a traditional commercial steel building.

The steel, being light gauge, is easily cut with a steel cutting blade in a circular saw.

The floor will need serious insulation under it – steel makes a rather good thermal bridge.

The framing being made from 70% recycled material is a good laugh. Virtually all construction grade steel is made by melting scrap. I have seen this claim to green other places as well but it is a fact of the steel industry. In melting scrap many pollutants are released – zinc, cadmium etc – anything attached to the old steel.

They say nothing about insulation – how much. R or U values, types which would be most applicable.

Construction time is the one advantage this type of unit has over a concrete home – this is a fast relatively simple building.

No mention of the ceiling, roof support. type of roof, many details on their site.

The 250 USD per square foot cost (1000 ft2 = 250,000 USD) is a bit fantastic – maybe they plan on building a couple then retiring? When companies come in with a realistic cost then it will be more interesting.

A concrete house can more easily be made air tight.

The wires in the floor appear to be electrical radiant heating although poorly installed. Either radiant heating or ‘temp wire’ for spreading/equalizing the heat during cooling in the concrete should be spaced up off the steel concrete deck. Not to be confused with rebar – it is not for strength but only for equalizing the temperatures. Definitely not tubing for a hydronic heat system as they would be at least 12mm diameter.

The concrete (actually probably a sand/cement mixture) layer will not be much of a mass when they are pumping it over the lightweight flooring/decking. It is definitely a pumped sand/cement mix. You can see in the photos it is a thin layer.

The steel they are using is thing cold formed shapes – this structure will be somewhat flexible in nature. It has nothing to do with what you see in a traditional commercial steel building.

The steel, being light gauge, is easily cut with a steel cutting blade in a circular saw.

The floor will need serious insulation under it – steel makes a rather good thermal bridge.

The framing being made from 70% recycled material is a good laugh. Virtually all construction grade steel is made by melting scrap. I have seen this claim to green other places as well but it is a fact of the steel industry. In melting scrap many pollutants are released – zinc, cadmium etc – anything attached to the old steel.

They say nothing about insulation – how much. R or U values, types which would be most applicable.

Construction time is the one advantage this type of unit has over a concrete home – this is a fast relatively simple building.

No mention of the ceiling, roof support. type of roof, many details on their site.

The 250 USD per square foot cost (1000 ft2 = 250,000 USD) is a bit fantastic – maybe they plan on building a couple then retiring? When companies come in with a realistic cost then it will be more interesting.

Hence my comment about separate thermal storage– I’m thinking about ganging up a bunch of old water heater tanks, or maybe something bigger if you’ve got the space. One set of tanks would hold solar-heated water to use during the night, the other set would use night-sky cooled water to use during the day. For that kind of system, you’d probably want a bit of a ‘lighter’ thermal mass/hydronic floor so that there’s a good turnaround in temperature.

article on night-sky radiant cooling:
http://www.buildings.com/ArticleDetails/tabid/3321/ArticleID/6089/Default.aspx

Concrete vs. Steel:
I tend to agree with Susan– high embodied energy is actually the least of my worries in terms of Life Cycle Indicators, and steel is technically very reusable and eminently recyclable.
Concrete is more impactful in terms of CO2 emissions, but I say that as long as the concrete is being used as a part of a good thermal mass system, then that’s ok. How much is actually used in such systems intentionally? Too small to count– and that’s the problem statement in my opinion.

Hence my comment about separate thermal storage– I’m thinking about ganging up a bunch of old water heater tanks, or maybe something bigger if you’ve got the space. One set of tanks would hold solar-heated water to use during the night, the other set would use night-sky cooled water to use during the day. For that kind of system, you’d probably want a bit of a ‘lighter’ thermal mass/hydronic floor so that there’s a good turnaround in temperature.

article on night-sky radiant cooling:
http://www.buildings.com/ArticleDetails/tabid/3321/ArticleID/6089/Default.aspx

Concrete vs. Steel:
I tend to agree with Susan– high embodied energy is actually the least of my worries in terms of Life Cycle Indicators, and steel is technically very reusable and eminently recyclable.
Concrete is more impactful in terms of CO2 emissions, but I say that as long as the concrete is being used as a part of a good thermal mass system, then that’s ok. How much is actually used in such systems intentionally? Too small to count– and that’s the problem statement in my opinion.