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Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

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Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#121

Post by eloff »

lloydatkinson wrote: post #88
bilsbie wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every time I’ve lived in an apartment or condo the whole building smelled like trash. They need a better solution for managing waste disposal instead of a stinky room on every floor.

I thought the universal solution was a chute for rubbish to be thrown down ultimately landing in an external bin outside the bottom of the building?

In my building people kept throwing glass down the chute, which explodes at the bottom and injured some employees working around there. It was poorly designed, and after two injuries they welded the chutes shut and put in a trash can on every floor. I still think trash chutes are a good idea, but they have to be implemented properly.

Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#122

Post by sidewndr46 »

ksec wrote: post #57
Animats wrote: post #16

There have been many variations on building houses with prefab forms, going all the way back to Edison. Works fine, but the result is a concrete box. The shell is not the big cost item in homes. If you want a small, low-cost box structure, there are companies that will sell you one. Concrete.[1] Metal.[2] Steel frame with wood siding.[3] [1] https://precastbuildings.com [2] https://www.butlermfg.com/ [3] https://www.…

I still dont understand why people keep talking about " House ". When 90% of area that needs urgent "housing" are in needs of Tower Blocks / High Rise Residential Buildings. We Need to find a way to quickly and cost effectively build a lot of mid to high quality apartments. Better heat isolation. Network Pipes ready rather than relying on WiFi. Note: Yes, I know zoning and planning etc are still the biggest hurdle.

Where I live, you can basically only build houses. There is the random lot here and there that somehow got zoned for a duplex.

So people focus on building houses because that is all you can build.

Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#123

Post by yardie »

> reinforcing elements like rebar and tension cables pre-installed inside the forms eventually.

Without these you have a weak shell not a liveable structure. Concrete doesn't have tensile strength for shear and compressive loads.

I watch a new building go up nearby. It was 4-5 days of welding rebar and pouring concrete took 4-5 hours.

Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#124

Post by sidewndr46 »

orangepanda wrote: post #116
lloydatkinson wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought the universal solution was a chute for rubbish to be thrown down ultimately landing in an external bin outside the bottom of the building?

The universal solution is also great for spreading fire. In many places the trash chute violates fire code

I never really gave this much thought as I never lived in a building that uses a chute. But it does make sense. You can build a large building, but it usually has many firestops in it. When wiring crosses a firestop, it must be sealed up to some standards. Ventilation systems are kept isolated across firestops as well. Anything that could encourage a spread is forbidden.

In contrast, a fire chute is basically a giant convection tower that should spread smoke and heat across all the higher floors of a building immediately.

Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#125

Post by refurb »

bergenty wrote: post #114
imgabe wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, replacing wood, which is a carbon sink, with concrete, which is a huge emitter of CO2, seems like a bad trade.

I prefer to live somewhere that lasts more than 30 years.

You should let the people in Boston who live in 200 year old wood houses know!

Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#126

Post by SapporoChris »

JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #74
badpun wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because Americans regard living in anything other than a detached house as a failure.

Well would you want to share a wall and roof with most Americans?

Apartments do not have to be noisy. A well built apartment with concrete floors and concrete interior walls greatly reduces noise. There are many other things that can be done to reduce noise, double pane (or triple) windows, carpeted floors, apartment noise policy.

Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#127

Post by EricDeb »

cameronh90 wrote: post #110
badpun wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because Americans regard living in anything other than a detached house as a failure.

How would I let my pets run around in the garden? Where do I put my wood fired pizza oven? How do I teach my kids how to grow potatoes and build things? Where do I put the koi pond? There is perhaps some platonic ideal of an apartment where you can live a similar quality of life to a house. But in the reality that we actually live in currently, living in a house usually has a much better quality of life so it's natur…

Europeans don't need those things

Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#128

Post by Entinel »

ksec wrote: post #57
Animats wrote: post #16

There have been many variations on building houses with prefab forms, going all the way back to Edison. Works fine, but the result is a concrete box. The shell is not the big cost item in homes. If you want a small, low-cost box structure, there are companies that will sell you one. Concrete.[1] Metal.[2] Steel frame with wood siding.[3] [1] https://precastbuildings.com [2] https://www.butlermfg.com/ [3] https://www.…

I still dont understand why people keep talking about " House ". When 90% of area that needs urgent "housing" are in needs of Tower Blocks / High Rise Residential Buildings. We Need to find a way to quickly and cost effectively build a lot of mid to high quality apartments. Better heat isolation. Network Pipes ready rather than relying on WiFi. Note: Yes, I know zoning and planning etc are still the biggest hurdle.

You say you know that zoning is the biggest hurdle but it's literally the answer to your question. Most zoning in America is for single family homes or large apartments.

Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#129

Post by muttled »

lloydatkinson wrote: post #88
bilsbie wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every time I’ve lived in an apartment or condo the whole building smelled like trash. They need a better solution for managing waste disposal instead of a stinky room on every floor.

I thought the universal solution was a chute for rubbish to be thrown down ultimately landing in an external bin outside the bottom of the building?

Garbage chutes are a luxury I've only recently acquired, but it was done well in my opinion at my building. The room is tiny but enclosed with a garbage chute with a closing chute door that has a rubber gasket to seal it. Negatively pressurized so any remaining smells aren't pushed into the hallway. Everything goes down to a compactor in a ventilated utility room. How it's processed from there, I'm not sure but smell certainly isn't an issue.

Re: Startup Builds Houses by Pumping Concrete into Inflatable Forms

#130

Post by russh »

bergenty wrote: post #111
badpun wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because Americans regard living in anything other than a detached house as a failure.

I hate apartment living. People on all sides, you have to live like a mouse, no room for any activities.

Have you thought about bunk beds? I saw a documentary awhile ago where it was discovered that switching to bunk beds creates ample room for activities.
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