In the wake of natural disasters and school shooting incidents, education professionals across the country are looking for innovative ways to better protect children while they learn. A new building approach from Salt Lake City, Utah-based Leland A. Gray Architects is designed to contribute to that goal.
The firm is adapting the concrete thinshell structural approach for K-12 schools in Utah, according to a report by KSL.
The domed building, which the architect calls "virtually indestructible," uses an air-formed thin-shell concrete dome, along with a concrete stem wall. The system was created for assembly buildings such as schools, churches, and arenas, but some school disctricts are finding that it works well for K-12 school buildings, as well.
To build one of these structures, the roofing membrane is formed into a dome shape with a 31-ounce PVC material. A concrete ring on the stem wall is attached to an air form, and the membrane is inflated by air pressure to the size of the dome. Then, the underside of the membrane is sprayed with a urethane insulation to a depth of 3 inches over the entire surface of the membrane.
Steel reinforcing bars are then placed in an interlocking pattern across the dome's underside. Finally, according to Leland Gray's website: "The reinforcing steel is built up to 4 feet high around the base of the dome and sprayed with shot-crete. This process continues in 4-foot-wide bands from the base to the top of the dome. The concrete will be 8 to 10 inches thick at the base, tapering to 3 to 4 inches thick at the top."
Schools like this have already been built in Utah and in other places across the country, in part, because they are relatively inexpensive to build and they can save school districts money in utilities.
According to KSL, which did a story on dome schools in Locust Grove, Utah, "both the elementary and the high school in Locust Grove cost $94 a square foot to build. That's a deal, considering the price for school construction in the U.S. ranges from $150-$250 a square foot." In addition, the superintendent of the district told reporters that these buildings cut utility costs by 40%.
Read the full KSL story here.
Check out the video below to see what goes into a concrete thinshell dome, and what one looks like from the inside.
Related Stories
| Nov 15, 2010
Gilbane to acquire W.G. Mills, Inc.
Rhode Island-based Gilbane Building Company announced plans to acquire W.G. Mills, Inc., a construction management firm with operations based in Florida. The acquisition will dramatically strengthen Gilbane’s position in Florida’s growing market and complement its already established presence in the southeast.
| Nov 11, 2010
Saint-Gobain to make $80 million investment in SAGE Electrochromics
Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest glass and construction material manufacturers, is making a strategic equity investment in SAGE Electrochromics to make electronically tintable “dynamic glass” an affordable, mass-market product, ushering in a new era of energy-saving buildings.
| Nov 11, 2010
Saint-Gobain to make $80 million investment in SAGE Electrochromics
Saint-Gobain, one of the world’s largest glass and construction material manufacturers, is making a strategic equity investment in SAGE Electrochromics to make electronically tintable “dynamic glass” an affordable, mass-market product, ushering in a new era of energy-saving buildings.
| Nov 11, 2010
USGBC certifies more than 1 billion square feet of commercial space
This month, the total footprint of commercial projects certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building Rating System surpassed one billion square feet. Another six billion square feet of projects are registered and currently working toward LEED certification around the world. Since 2000, more than 36,000 commercial projects and 38,000 single-family homes have participated in LEED.
| Nov 10, 2010
$700 million plan to restore the National Mall
The National Mall—known as America’s front yard—is being targeted for a massive rehab and restoration that could cost as much as $700 million (it’s estimated that the Mall has $400 million in deferred maintenance alone). A few of the proposed projects: refurbishing the Grant Memorial, replacing the Capitol Reflecting Pool with a smaller pool or fountain, reconstructing the Constitution Gardens lake and constructing a multipurpose visitor center, and replacing the Sylvan Theater near the Washington Monument with a new multipurpose facility.
| Nov 9, 2010
Just how green is that college campus?
The College Sustainability Report Card 2011 evaluated colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada with the 300 largest endowments—plus 22 others that asked to be included in the GreenReportCard.org study—on nine categories, including climate change, energy use, green building, and investment priorities. More than half (56%) earned a B or better, but 6% got a D. Can you guess which is the greenest of these: UC San Diego, Dickinson College, University of Calgary, and Dartmouth? Hint: The Red Devil has turned green.
| Nov 9, 2010
12 incredible objects being made with 3D printers today
BD+C has reported on how 3D printers are attracting the attention of AEC firms. Now you can see how other creative types are utilizing this fascinating printing technology. Among the printed items: King Tut’s remains, designer shoes, and the world’s smallest Rubik’s Cube.
| Nov 9, 2010
U.S. Army steps up requirements for greening building
Cool roofs, solar water heating, and advanced metering are among energy-efficiency elements that will have to be used in new permanent Army buildings in the U.S. and abroad starting in FY 2013. Designs for new construction and major renovations will incorporate sustainable design and development principles contained in ASHRAE 189.1.
