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