Rapidly increasing
world populations, conflicts, changing urban and regional demographic patterns
and natural disasters amplify the need for adequate housing. Increasing
pressure on finite resources argue for inventive building products, materials
and methods durable and sustainable enough not to increasingly pressure already
fragile ecosystems. Consumerism associated with new construction is still a
major factor in the generation of waste. Industrialized building systems have
the potential to cut waste and generate a more responsible building culture. Complementing
intelligent building systems with materials that use waste or by-products in
their fabrication process further reduces raw material harvesting.
Exploration in
low-embodied energy materials is not new. First patented in the late 1920s, Papercrete suggested a recycled paper
fibre mixed with cement, clay and water to produce a mouldable mixture for casting
walls or blocks. This type of engineered building product is the basis for a
flat pack emergency dwelling proposed by the American USDA’s (United States
Department of Agriculture) Forests Product Laboratory. The fibreboard is a type
of stressed-skin wall panel that can be composed of wood fibres, recycled paper
or agricultural waste. The bio-composite is the central component of a simple,
deployable and compact building system assembled with extruded aluminum clips; the
easily assembled kit is not only easy to assemble or disassemble but also fully
biodegradable. The aluminum fasteners are simple friction clip connectors,
which would undoubtedly require some type of pin connection to increase
solidity and durability especially in extreme conditions.
The sheet material is made to compete with any other sheathing product
and with a high strength to weight ratio. Insulated or non insulated the
stressed skin structure could be strong enough to eliminate wall framing
reducing the building system to two intelligible parts (panels and clips). Akin
to flat packed furniture, the lightweight system could be waterproofed and
sealed, delivered to any building site and adapted to any foundation. The
aluminum clips also add little weight to the overall building system. The flat
pack is not a new concept in building culture. The stacks of panels reduce the
transport energy associated with shipping volumetric construction building
systems.
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| Image of flat pack dwelling from USDA report - see https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/products/publications/specific_pub.php?posting_id=17089&header_id=p |
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