Build a dome-home in one day.. cost about $41K..USD...(ADDED PICS)

[SoCalDem]

So many ideas from Japan. Here is a segmented prefabricated dome system where each slice is made from cement covered polystyrene weighing 80 Kg, about 170 lb. Given that it looks about 8" thick, we can see this house reduces heating bills by 90%. "The houses are 7 meters in diameter, fire proof, earthquake and typhoon resistant, and using the modular building system can be constructed in less than a day." US$ 41,000 which sounds like a deal.


http://www.i-domehouse.com/

www.treehugger.com has an extensive archive with lots of great articles/ideas..


some specs:


The Antioxidant method of healthy building construction

By kneading "antioxidant solution" into expanded polystyrene, or the building material for the Dome House,active oxygen can be suppressed, resulting in the prevention of aging and the recuperation of your health. Also,because the Dome House is a formaldehyde-free building, you don't need to worry about sick-house syndrome.
The Antioxidant method of healthy building construction

Ultra-thermal insulating
properties that enable energy savings

Because the Dome House uses expanded polystyrene as the building material, excellent thermal insulation can be obtained. Also, owing to its dome-shape, the Dome House allows the air to circulate by convection without being accumulated at the corners. For these reasons, air conditioning costs can be reduced substantially. The Dome House is an incredible ultra-energy-saving building.
The Antioxidant method of healthy building construction

Semipermanent durability

Not only is the Dome House structurally the most stable in shape, but also, unlike iron, it does not get rusted, nor, unlike wood, does not get rotten or eaten by termites. The Dome House offers a comfortable living space semi-permanently.
The Antioxidant method of healthy building construction

Gale resistant

The streamline curvature of a dome helps to dissipate wind energy.
The Antioxidant method of healthy building construction

The world's highest earthquake resistant

The Dome House is not only stable in structure but also extremely light in weight. It is because of this lightweight that the Dome House can withstand earthquakes.
The Antioxidant method of healthy building construction

Ultra-short assembly time

The Dome House can be built by assembling Dome Pieces. Each Dome Piece weighs only 80kg. Since assembly is quite simple, if performed by 3 or 4 people, it takes approximately 7 days to complete a Dome House.

Ultra-low cost

The Dome House is simple, since it is a prefabricated building with a small number of parts. Each Dome Piece is light and easy to carry, making the assembly quite easy. Because the construction of the Dome House requires only minimal manpower and a very short period of time, it is possible to reduce the substantial amount of labor costs.

Environmental measures

Since expanded polystyrene is made only from carbon and hydrogen, casting of expanded polystyrene is extremely clean. Construction of the Dome House does not produce any waste, nor does it involve any deforestation.

Your own layout of the floor

Regardless of the structure of a building itself, or as your lifestyle changes, you can freely design the layout of the floor, including the mezzanine floor.

The dome-power

The Dome House has no "corners" in the room. Not only are there no corners in the room, but also there are no borders between the walls and the ceiling. This bright open space suffused with light is filled with indescribable warmth and comfort.


Here's a beach dome after a hurricane..minimal damage
?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1939847EC77F5F8D1CE96DFD8A2B9A45AFBA40A659CEC4C8CB6

[nashville_brook]

1. the b/f is very much into monolithic domes --

it's a good alternative for Florida.

bookmarking so i can steer him here later...

[IDemo]

4. Seems like they might be quite hurricane resistant

depending on the durability of the foam material, that is.

One of my high school teachers built one of these back in the mid-seventies and loved it.

[nashville_brook]

17. the hurricanes freaked out most people in Central Florida it seems --

modern inlanders have never thought about hurricane threats -- old-timers know better.

[tuckessee]

2. One day to build.......

.....one decade and one million dollars to convince the backwards local gov't inspectors to approve it.

[pitohui]

21. one million dollars for approval was indeed the price someone i know was quoted

and this man has contacts in conventional construction, where he worked for many years, as well as credentials in alternative housing

there is basically one county where he can live and sell his structures, and needless to say, there are no jobs there, so it isn't a practical place for most of us to consider

[truedelphi]

26. Boy oh boy - isn't that sick

We are in the middle of an election cycle - where each day both Clinton and Obama are talking about the need to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.

And by conventional means, it is hard to do.

But if one of them had the wisdom to say, "In my first term, we will have a top down, Federal to County, re-structuring of building permits to allow for alternate energy, alternate sewage and waste, alternate building plans and materials, etc" what a boon that would be.

Also that might actually create jobs - you could have "building referrees" in each state that would come in and arbitrate.

The way it is now, that one million dollars all ends up in the coffers of the City or County government, and or their elite cadre of "building inspecters".(The same guys who nine times out of ten approve any and all things relating to their friends, families, and or/the super rich!)

[havocmom]

31. 'top down... restructuring of building permits to allow for ...' Yep that's exactly what we need

And it WILL create jobs while helping the environment and the people of the world.

[Matariki]

3. the video appears to be for a battery

:shrug:

got a better link?

[SoCalDem]

5. oops... try the main link..here

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/dome_was_built.php

[Matariki]

6. thanks, unfortunately the link on that page goes to the same digInfo page

Looks like it's a featured video that changes daily or something.

It's too bad, I'm very interested in the topic. Wish the treehuger page gave more info or other links or something.

[SoCalDem]

9. Treehugger.com has archives of every week.. I've been looking

but havent found that one yet.. I saw it on CNBC this last weekend...

[InkAddict]

7. Buckminster Fuller was way ahead of the curve.

http://www.bfi.org/our_programs/who_is_buckminster_fuller/fuller_today/help_preserve_the_fuller_dome_home_in_carbondale_il

http://www.retrothing.com/2005/09/dome_homes_revi.html


Couldn't get the video or the link for some reason...

[LulaMay]

18. He was brilliant. I still remember the House of the Future at Disneyland. So great.

[Ganja Ninja]

8. Here's a link to the monolithic dome institute.

http://www.monolithic.com/

We did a project about 2 years ago for a church that was a monolithic dome. The problem I see is the outward appearance. They look nice when they're new but give them a couple of years and the dome gets dirty. They turn green or a sooty black on top. Keeping the looks up will require a lot of effort.

[SoCalDem]

10. Here's a link to the Japan homes. many cool pics

http://www.i-domehouse.com/

[havocmom]

14. Panel system with shot-crete coating (inside, outside and roof)

makes any style possible. If aesthetics are a concern, there are ways around the dome ;)

[truedelphi]

24. Sounds like someone needs to figure out a material that would be a suitable

"Blanket" for the top portion of the dome - one that could, for instance, be hosed down.

[Ganja Ninja]

28. They already have that.

But power washing a dome of that size is quite a task. You're fine on the top and the lower sides but how do you keep from slipping off on the parts you can't stand on or next to?

Building one in the southwest that is an earthen color will work fine but in wet humid climates thing tend to grow on them.

[truedelphi]

32. I know City sculptures in Chicago were built out of a type of copper

That deepened into a fine patina over the years - very different coloring than the previous copper
that was used in sculptures.

So I think if an articstic challenge was made to architectural schools across the US - something might eveolve (As copper might well be too expensive, and also the fact that the heat would be amped up in hot places like Arizona and New mexico, not a desirable feature for housing in the summer.)

[NNN0LHI]

11. Wonder if any banks will loan the money to build one though?

If the bank has to foreclose on one of these homes they will be required to find someone interested in purchasing a non-traditional type home. Which may be easier said than done. Same problem with log cabin homes, etc.

Don

[SoCalDem]

12. With the cost as low as it seems to be, they are not much more

than a car, these days :)

[havocmom]

13. many methods of construction using sprayed concrete being used now

We need to use the method more. Works on so many levels. Good solid structures, safer, good insulation, quick to build, not a lot of skilled labor needed, can be done in styles to fit any community standard, doesn't have to be dome (though I think domes are cool)

http://www.cement.org/homes/ch_bs_shotcrete.asp

http://tridipanel.org/questions/index.htm

http://www.solarcrete.com/

http://www.impac-international.com/therml.htm

http://www.mdue.it/home_eng.asp

Jimmy Carter knows it's a good thing


Concrete homes stood up to hurricane Andrew. Damage limited to wooden structures added on


Here's the rest of THAT neighborhood after Andrew:



bit of some of the concrete methods:
This:


To this:


Contemporary (mimicking old)


To more traditional



The panels or air crete blocks, sprayed with lightweight concrete has been used to put up new buildings in centuries old-European villages without offending the local architecture.

Amazing possibilities.

Lots of commercial buildings and arenas built with sprayed concrete. Lots of tunnels... and wind cellars:D

this site shows some amazing possibilities

http://www.concreteexchange.com/gallery_homes.jsp

The methods with concrete can create very humble to very lavish. With lots of personalized and whimsy in between. I have seen some that slip into a hillside and look like Hobbits dwell within. I have seen some that fit in perfectly with a bunch of old Victorians. Saw one like a small medieval castle and saw sites where unskilled couple were building their own in a traditional Pueblo style.

So versatile and much safer than stick built homes.

Lots of options for everyone. So if ya don't want a dome on the range, you can still find a way to use the technology for good, energy efficient homes that are pleasing to any taste.

[Matariki]

15. These are very cool. Thanks for posting the pics.

I was looking into building a house based on a yurt design a little while ago: http://yurtworks.com

I like the flexibility and efficiency of these dome houses. Very cool.

[krispos42]

16. I had to do this for Thermodynamics class

Had to design a building to minimize cooling requirements in a hot area with given amount of heat entering per square meter of surface area. I was the only one in my class that a) thought of a dome, and b) had a recirculation system in the air-conditioning system. Everybody else was cooling off air then venting it to the outside. I based my calculations on recirculating the air with enough fresh air entering the building to change the air twice a day.

I also did the math and figured out that the heat-transfer rate he gave in the problem was equivalent to having a quarter-inch of plywood between the inside and outside environments! I made sure to mention that MORE INSULTATION would help enormously!


I got a good grade. :-)

[ileus]

19. Where do you attach the garage?

[pitohui]

20. $41K for a dome? sounds like a rip off to me

i know a guy who has built and sold several alternative structures, and lives in one himself also, and suffice it to say, the entire story is not being told here

the average person seeking alternative or emergency housing can't afford this

you would be surprised how few counties you are going to find where you can even get permitted to build an alternative structure

one of his methods, which is needless to say WAY more affordable than this nonsense, he was already told that it would cost $1 million to gain approval under the uniform housing code

most hurricane prone areas now are required to conform to code, hence, why people can't build alternative structures, their choice is to comply with the code OR live in a trailer, that's it, that's the choice if they want to comply with the law -- and nobody can afford to spend $41K on something that's going to get condemned and knocked down, ya know?

people in florida aren't living in trailers for the fun of it or because they don't know the wind blows, there is a reason that a lot of the excitement over alternative housing roused in the 1970s just went nowhere -- and most of it is because many alternatives are more expensive and/or aren't allowed under modern code

oh, and the modules weighing 170 pounds, such that 3-4 people have to work on the project and you have the risk of injury, lawsuits, etc -- NO -- there's some work going on in light weight materials or smaller modules, because the reality today is that if you get 4 hippies throwing around 170 pound blocks and somebody gets hurt, you're screwed for the rest of your life by the time you finish paying for the mess

i don't even like it when this guy or my husband is throwing around 90 pounds of concrete, back health is also part of human health, and whilst pursuing alternatives i've told both of them, keep in mind, if you hurt your back, the whole show is over! -- there's real motivation there to make bricks, blocks, units, whatever you want to call them, that can be easily handled by 1-2 persons, not 3-4

[kineneb]

30. "modular"/manufactured houses can be almost as cheap

We live in one. Tied down to a concrete foundation, they are as good as woodframe in an earthquake (this is Cal., not too many hurricanes), they now use concrete-based siding (for fires) and while boxy, they still look like "traditional" houses, especially inside. Ours has standard sheetrock walls.

Mfg. housing can be ordered in almost any square footage. Ours is almost 1300 sq. ft. but there are "single-wide" models that are under 1000 sq. ft. and triples that are absolutely huge. We are fortunate to live in an area that does not require the construction of a garage, so we saved quite a bit there.

When we had to sell our first house (job loss), we left for a more rural area. In 2003, total cost of land (1/4 acre), house, utility installation, etc.: about $125K.- in California!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

36. My parents had a lovely double wide in upstate NY in a park for seniors. They paid $300 month

to lease the property and the home cost about $20,000 brand new (1990), fully furnished. Two bedrooms which included a large master bedroom with an attached bathroom that had a large whirlpool tub and separate shower. It also had a beautiful kitchen and spacious living room. I might eventually go that route. :)

[Lasher]

22. What if you have to make one of your kids stand in the corner?

What about that, huh huh?

[ProfessorGAC]

25. That Works!

The time-out will be the confusion period where they're looking for a corner. By the time they get frustrated, the time-out is over!
The Professor

[Lasher]

34. Cool! Then you could vieo them running around all confused.

Then save the viedo and after they get bigger you could show it to their dates that they bring to the house. That would show 'em.

[Broken_Hero]

27. .........

:spray: :D

[Ichingcarpenter]

23. Very Cool

However polystryene does have its issues

http://cla.calpoly.edu/~SMARX/Publications/Moebius/essay%20clare%20johnson.htm

[rockymountaindem]

29. That would be great for a lot of places in Colorado

due to the frequent and high winds we experience. The only problem I'd worry about is hail damage. I'd have to see how the dome would stand up to serious hail. Other than that, if I owned a piece of land way out somewhere, I'd strongly consider putting one of those on it.

[Blue_In_AK]

33. Dome houses are so cool.

Back in the early '70s I lived in the guest house of some folks who had built a dome in Bolinas, California. I loved their house.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

35. These are very cool. The $41,000 will add up to lots more though. Windows, doors,

heating, plumbing, electric, finishing walls, flooring, kitchen, bathroom, sewage, building permits, escavation, the price of land of course. I'm sure I've left lots out.

In a few years I will be moving and thinking of all sorts of possible housing solutions. I love the idea of domes but to "build" one can get costly. I've thought of used ones as well as pre-built modular homes (trailers..my parents had a lovely one). We'll see......

[fascisthunter]

37. Why Not..... It's Practical, Safe and Environmentally Friendly!

Hell, I'd definitely live in one!!!!

[eppur_se_muova]

38. The "anti-oxidant method" of construction ? *snicker*

Clever marketing, with more than a whiff of BS.

Most of the advantages could be found in any of Buckminster Fuller's dome designs, and probably more cheaply.

[CK_John]

39. Just try getting a building permit in anywhere other than rural area without zoning codes. n/t

[Heywood J]

40. Probably works great if you're Japanese and 5'2".

Not so great when you're over six feet tall. Try getting two floors for such a person into twelve vertical feet (in the center). The loft is more like an attic for storage, which you would need because there's none in the rest of the dome.

Not such a bad idea, they just need to be a lot larger if they're going to be sold over here.