| In this age of increasing concern for the | | | | the materials required for an entire building |
| health of the planet it is more important | | | | can be transported in a single medium-sized |
| than ever to look at ways of minimising the | | | | van thereby minimising the effect of |
| long term impact of buildings upon the | | | | transporting raw materials upon the |
| environment and to investigate new methods of | | | | environment. |
| sustainable construction. | | | | |
| | | | Thanks to initiatives such as the TexyloopTM |
| A new kind of building technology is emerging | | | | service pioneered by Ferrari Textiles, the |
| as an environmentally friendly alternative to | | | | scrap material produced during the |
| conventional building methods. This | | | | manufacture of inflatable buildings can be |
| technology produces structures which are | | | | collected, recycled and made into new |
| highly efficient in terms of the amount of | | | | composite textiles. |
| material used in their construction, require | | | | |
| no permanent foundations, can be relocated | | | | The inflatable buildings produced by |
| easily, and can recycled. | | | | Tectoniks Ltd. have a long life expectancy |
| | | | but when they do eventually reach the end of |
| The buildings in question are in fact a new | | | | their service they can also be recycled using |
| generation of inflatable buildings. These are | | | | services such as Texyloop. |
| no ordinary inflatables however. They are | | | | |
| designed using the latest CAD technology and | | | | Another environmental benefit of inflatable |
| structural analysis software and are | | | | buildings is that they do not require |
| constructed from modern, fire retardant, | | | | permanent foundations. Conventional buildings |
| composite textiles which are cut and joined | | | | usually require concrete foundations which |
| using techniques developed form aerospace | | | | are permanent and cannot be moved. An |
| manufacturing. This enables the buildings to | | | | inflatable building would typically be |
| operate at higher pressures than conventional | | | | anchored using spiral anchors which are |
| inflatable structures producing much stiffer, | | | | literally screwed into the ground. If a |
| stronger structures. | | | | building needs to be relocated, the anchors |
| | | | are unscrewed and used again. The flooring |
| It's important at this point to make a | | | | used in the buildings is modular and can be |
| distinction between air-supported buildings | | | | laid on top of the ground. It can also be |
| and inflatable buildings. A traditional | | | | re-used if the building is moved. |
| air-supported building is one which is | | | | |
| comprised of a single layer membrane attached | | | | Once an inflatable building has been moved, |
| to the ground around its perimeter. Air is | | | | there is no lasting impact upon the site |
| blown under the membrane to lift it off the | | | | where it used to be. |
| ground and form the shape of the building. | | | | |
| | | | Another important consideration when |
| An inflatable building on the other hand, | | | | assessing the environmental impact of a |
| uses two layers of membrane connected | | | | building is the energy used throughout its |
| together typically using spars made from the | | | | life. Because Tectoniks structures are of a |
| same material. The cavity formed between the | | | | welded construction (as opposed to stitched), |
| layers is pressurised with air producing a | | | | they are virtually air tight. Conventional |
| rigid structural element which allows large | | | | stitched inflatables require high power |
| span structures to be achieved. | | | | electric blowers which run constantly. |
| | | | Tectoniks structures require much smaller |
| The structures, pioneered by Tectoniks | | | | blowers which are connected to a control |
| Limited in the UK, are extremely weight | | | | system which only activates them when the |
| efficient and are highly portable yet they | | | | pressure in the structure falls below a |
| have the strength of metal-framed portable | | | | certain level. The blowers then run for a few |
| buildings and can be made into virtually any | | | | seconds to top up the pressure. |
| shape. | | | | |
| | | | The low power requirement for these |
| So what makes them so environmentally | | | | structures means that it is entirely possible |
| friendly? Well, firstly, the majority of a | | | | to use solar power to provide the electricity |
| finished inflatable building is made from | | | | required for their operation. |
| fresh air. Analysis of a finished structure | | | | |
| shows that the amount of textile used | | | | Inflatable buildings also have a natural |
| represents only 0.5% of the volume of the | | | | level of insulation provided by the air |
| structure. For example, one square metre of a | | | | contained within the walls. Tectoniks have |
| 500mm thick inflatable wall has a volume of | | | | also pioneered methods for adding additional |
| 0.5 cubic metres but the quantity of fabric | | | | insulation within the inflatable walls. The |
| used in its construction is only 0.0025 cubic | | | | insulation material is flexible and is packed |
| metres. An inflatable building must surely be | | | | up with the building when deflated. |
| the most efficient of all building types in | | | | |
| terms of the amount of raw materials used | | | | If the environmental impact of a new building |
| compared to the volume of the finished | | | | is a major concern, then the benefits of |
| structure. | | | | using Tectoniks inflatable structures are |
| | | | well worth consideration. |
| Since the textiles are supplied in roll form, | | | | |