Prefabricated Domes
Domes – Prefabricated
Cost Effective
The main material costs are relatively inexpensive and sometimes even free when found on site.
Easy To Build
The techniques can be taught fairly easily to helpers. The structure goes up quickly with everyone pitching in.
Do It Yourself
You can do the work yourself with guidance from an experienced craftsman. Friends and family can pitch in to get it done quickly.
Benefits
The list of benefits of prefabricated dome homes is long as you can see by reading below. This section covers prefabricated domes being manufactured out of polystyrene, high-performance plastics, and FRP fiberglass reinforced plastic. If they were made of more sustainable materials they would be very attractive as a green living home.
Disadvantages
Petroleum products are unsustainable and harmful to the environment. They made from oil which is limited and therefore unsustainable. They emit unhealthy toxins during construction and to a lesser degree throughout their useful life. When they are discarded they end up in landfills and in the oceans, because the cost to recycle them is higher than to bury them in landfills, and this is especially true of polystyrene.
One point to be aware of is if you are using polystyrene to insulate your wood, metal or concrete structure then it may just be more efficient to build the entire structure out of polystyrene and save the environmental impact of using the other materials combined with polystyrene.
Solution May be To Build with Mycelium (Mushrooms)
A great solution would be to take advantage of the benefits of this these prefabrication techniques and use more sustainable materials like lucilium (mushrooms) for insulation, reinforce it with basalt (lava) rebar, and coat it with polymer cement. This would solve the problem of using polystyrene and still retain all the advantages of the prefabrication idea.
Polystyrene Prefabricated Dome Homes
Imaginative Alternative Building Material
The building material for the Dome House is expanded polystyrene, coined “the fourth-generation building material” after wood, iron, and concrete. The Dome House is approved by the Japanese Ministry of Land and Transport.
The Antioxidant method
The Dome House is formaldehyde-free and by kneading “antioxidant solution” into expanded polystyrene active oxygen can be suppressed, resulting in the prevention of recuperations to personal health.
High thermal insulating properties
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.
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.
Gale resistant
The streamline curvature of a dome helps to dissipate wind energy.
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.
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.
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
Factory construction of the Dome House does not produce any waste, nor does it involve any deforestation.
Changeable Floorplans
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.
Websites and Videos of Prefabricated Dome Homes
Websites
International Dome House Company in Japan
Aso Village Farm – Dome Resort in Japan
Intershelter Domes – Portable Dome shelters built of high strength plastic
Sagar FRP Industries – Fiberglass Domes in India
Videos
International Dome House – Introduction
International Dome House – Advantages
International Dome House – Models
International Dome House – Utilize