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