Ecoshell I Third Edition with Addendum - November 15, 2013 David B South Edited by Freda Parker, Melinda South Illustrated by Merrisa Ramirez 177 Dome Park Place Italy, TX 76651 www.monolithic.com [email protected] (972) 483-7423 - 2013 EcoShell I – Simple Low Cost Permanent Housing Introduction The EcoShell is a simple, low cost concrete dome. If 100 Domes are built from 1 kit the forming costs It is ideal for low cost housing around the world as drop to less than $50 per 20 foot diameter dome. a replacement for the junk that is presently in place. In addition to the kit you will need 1 roll of Basalt It can be built primarily by hand and requires mini- Rope for the EcoShell and enough rebar for the floor. mum costs and equipment. (The floor can be reinforced by steel rebar or basalt rebar - budget ). Consider rebar at 15 to 18 inches The EcoShells can be built of many sizes. Each on center both ways in the floor. It can be 10mm or size requires an Airform of that size. A small 10ft even 8 mm steel rebar (3/8 inch diameter) or 6 mm diameter by 8 feet high is ideal for a storage. But it basalt rebar. can be lived in as well. It is small at 78 square feet (7 plus square meters). In addition you will need the hand tools to mix the concrete, apply the concrete, the hooks to hold the Our favorite for low cost housing is 20 feet diam- rope to the floor and a few miscellaneous supplies. eter (6 m) with a height of 10.5 feet (3.2 m). It has You will also need about 100 stainless steel hooks a floor area of 314 SF (29 SM). The UN recom- for the reinforcing at about $65 per dome. mendation for a family of 8 is 28 SM. The floor will take about 4 cubic yards (3.5 CM) of They can also be built 30 ft (9.14 m) for 707 SF concrete plus some extra for the perimeter depend- (65 SM) for a larger home or a classroom or small ing on how deep it is wanted. In many places it is clinic. And we like the 40 ft (12 M) diameter for negligible. The shell will take 4 to 5 cubic yards (3.5 a medical clinic, school and more. Virtually any to 4.5 CM). The thickness is variable due to applica- modest size will work. tion and desires. (The calculations are for 2 plus inch thickness. Practice will make it possible to use 1.5 The following is an example to build an EcoShell inch thickness). The floor should be a 6 bag mix and 20 ft in diameter of 314 SF (29 SM) To build the the shell an 8 bag mix. EcoShell an Airform with tie downs is needed and an inflator fan. We call them a kit. In some places Obviously you will need the kit for many domes. a generator will also be needed to run the fan. At And you will need the supplies for each dome built. least 100 EcoShells can be built with the single kit The concrete can be applied by hand or it can be ap- if it is properly taken care of. Currently (November plied by equipment. The equipment can be a simple 2013), a 20 ft kit is worth about $4300 FOB. Italy as hand tools or a simple hand help spray gun or a Tx shotcrete pump. All of this equipment is shown on our website. Ecoshell 1 David B South Edited by Freda Parker, Melinda South David B. South is president of Monolithic, Inc. and chairman of the Domes For The World Foundation (DFTW). Monolithic, Inc. is a family of companies with a mutual goal: to improve the lives of people worldwide through the introduction and construction of Monolithic Domes and Monolithic EcoShells, for personal and public use. DFTW is the newest member of that family. Established in 2006, DFTW has been registered as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with federal tax status. Domes For The World Mission Statement: DFTW will initiate and coordinate efforts to alleviate housing shortages in struggling cultures and impoverished lands. We will seek grants and donations to fund important projects worldwide. We will train local crews in our construction methods and technology. © 2000, 2007, 2013 by Monolithic Dome Institute All rights reserved. First edition 2000. Second edition 2007. Third edition 2013. Printed in the USA The UniShell is an EcoShell I with a diameter of 20 feet and a living area of 314 square feet, suitable for family habitation in developing nations. EcoshellDavid B South 1 Many countries beyond the United States The EcoShell’s construction method has (Cost does not include labor, windows, doors, can benefit from the construction and use of also been used to build bridges over small exterior coating, interior finishing.) EcoShells. rivers and streams. We here at Monolithic think that its applications are virtually In countries such as the Union of South Monolithic created this step-by-step manu- unlimited and that, in the future, more ideas Africa, India, Pakistan, Korea, Mexico, Ghana, al and illustrated it with cartoon-like drawings for this construction procedure will be gen- Philippines, Honduras and others, the need for so that all workers -- regardless of what their erated and implemented. low-cost housing is staggering. Housing short- native language may be -- can learn and use ages range from 500,00 to 1,000,000 in each. these instructions to complete an EcoShell I. Monolithic EcoShells Solve World Hous- ing Problems So the need for structures is obvious, and An EcoShell’s construction process is a the solution is the UniShell. Unfortunately, modern adaptation of the building of the Pan- The United Nations has determined that there is a missing part to that equation: money. theon and thousands of other domes, erected an average family habitation in developing over the centuries. The ancients built them by areas needs to be about 28 square meters or For that reason, in 2006 we established piling mounds of earth or by creating large, 302 square feet. Domes For The World (DFTW), a nonprofit false works of timber in the shape of a dome. organization determined to promote practi- They then covered these forms with brick, One EcoShell design, the UniShell, fits cal, affordable and safe housing in developing stone or a monolithic layer of concrete. Once that bill perfectly. The UniShell has a diam- nations. To that end, DFTW actively seeks the covering settled or set, they removed the eter of 20 feet and a living area of approxi- grants, contributions and funding. forms. mately 314 square feet. Monolithic’s Promise Monolithic has substituted an inflatable Its construction, including the floor and Airform for the earth work or false work. To dome shell, requires less than eight yards of We want to support you in your construc- construct an EcoShell, concrete and rebar are reinforced concrete -- or 64 sacks of cement tion goals. Our website www.monolithic.com placed on the outside of the Airform. (This for a cost of about $320. The price of the is a carefully maintained source of informa- differs from the construction of a Monolithic aggregate will vary from place to place, tion, that can answer many questions about the Dome; it calls for rebar and concrete on the but assuming that it’s about $10 per yard, nature and construction of Monolithic Domes, inside of the Airform.) that adds another $80. The 1,250 pounds Monolithic Crenospheres and Monolithic of rebar will cost about $375. So the total EcoShells. EcoShells built for habitation in develop- cost of the materials for a UniShell home, ing areas with desert-like or tropical climates that will last for generations, is about $800 But you are also welcome to contact us with are not insulated; nor do they usually need to (2002 Prices) your questions and concerns. be. But they may need roof coatings. Never- theless, EcoShells make super-strong dwell- The Monolithic Dome Institute ings, impervious to fire, tornadoes, hurricanes, Phone: (972) 483-7423 earthquakes, and termites. They can be built Fax: (972) 483-6662 by native labor for a fraction of the cost of Email: [email protected] any comparable structure. We estimated that a single Airform can be used to build more than a hundred buildings, thus making the cost of forming negligible. Because the EcoShell is a thin shell, its actual volume of concrete is very small -- far less than that used in conventional buildings (see table). The EcoShell is perfect for any type of building that doesn’t require insulation. (Note: In climates requiring insulation, the uninsu- lated EcoShell can be insulated. Conventional buildings require 200% to 300% more concrete, 300% to 400% more rein- forcing bar and double the labor of comparably sized EcoShells. Ironically, EcoShells are far stronger and better able to withstand natural disasters. Clear all obstructions, debris and organic material, such as trees, bushes and grass, off the ground on which the EcoShell will be built. Then level the ground. Ecoshell I 3 3 3 The ground should have approximately the same firmness completely across it. This can be done using a hand tamp or The ground smhoeuclhda nhiacvael eaqpupirpomxeimnta.tely the same firmness completely across it. This can be done using a hand tamp or Tamp the ground with am handecha ntampical e orqu imechanicalpment. equipment until it has an even, all-over firmness. 4 4 Drive the center stake in the center of the structure, then the perimeter can be marked using the center stake.