Domes - Tomorrow's Future

With technology fast on the move and with our earth's natural growing demands and changes, the concept of Monolithic and Geodesic Domes replacing our traditional box-like homes is becoming widely accepted.We can thank R.Buckminster Fuller - one of our world's first global thinkers and futurists - for having introduced his scientific concept on domes. (Note: Refer to Source link: "Who Is Buckminster Fuller" ).
The advantages of having a "Home-Dome" are numerous.
Monolithic Dome
This type of dome is a permanent structure. It is energy efficient - saving up to fifty percent or more on heating and cooling costs when compared to a conventional building. Monolithic domes are also disaster resistant, cost effective and attractive. They are built for strength endurance and can withstand the force of a tornado, hurricane or earthquake. The term "Monolithic" means "one piece". In other words, the completed structure is literally a "one-piece design". They are a "thin shell" concrete structure, which is basically defined as a structure that is made using single or compound curves. The variety of materials used to create the "thin-shell" method includes - but is not limited to - metal, wood, concrete, brick, et cetera.
In general, the monolithic dome is built using structural materials such as foam and concrete and then applied in such a manner where these materials act as a single component. They are constructed by inflating a large vinyl airform in the shape of a dome, and then spraying the inside with three inches of foam insulation. Once done, then steel rebar is attached to the foam and three inches of concrete is sprayed inside.

Experts Say Houston Dome

The science of engineering said that he could with a Houston mega-dome. Imagine building a huge dome, the whole city, which is higher than the skyscrapers of Houston. A solution to the almost overwhelming to environmental challenges of Houston has a huge geodesic dome. You can view the video on the Discovery Channel and explore how a giant geodesic dome, the city can be a bleak environmental future.

Houston is in danger. The fourth most populous country in the city, the heat, hurricanes and other natural disasters. Houston has always been vulnerable to hurricanes and storms. The center of the city of Houston closed for almost a week in the last year of the hurricane. The led to the city of 10 billion U.S. dollars damage. It's not just hurricanes, but the heat and humidity, the oppression of this great city. In almost 100 days a year the temperature rises above 90 degrees.

Air conditioning helps, but it comes at a very high cost. Houston is using more electricity to Los Angeles. For this reason, some scientists thought that the only way around the city, where, in other words, the construction of a huge dome of Houston. Houston dome area is over 21 million square meters and is the largest with the largest roof in the world.

Houston wide dome panels is 15 meters wide. 147,000 panels to cover the city of Houston. Glass will not work for Houston Dome. It is so difficult that they will not hold. Houston Cupula a much lighter material. This can be seen from the German city of Bremen, a factory Vector Foil companies. Vector Foiltec invented with Texlon ETFE, the climatic envelope, more than twenty years and has successfully developed and promoted the use of this innovative technology in the world. This is the light and the polymer is the future of the glass.

This material, called ETFE is the only city with a full size dome as possible, even for a city like Houston. In only one percent of glass, ETFE is described as 99 percent of something. Without ETF Houston dome never become reality. It is so easy that 99 percent lighter than glass is a big change. Since it is not possible, living in Houston for the construction of the dome and the army of airships, to the construction.

Houston will take years, the construction of the Dome and billions of dollars. The dome was to protect a city from a Category 5 hurricane. The ETFEpanels-and space-frame steel structure, which is the key. ETFE holds winds of 180 miles per hour. This speed is higher than the strongest Category 5 hurricane. Houston Cupula idea is very interesting. But I agree with an idea. Houston is the rain? If not, it is possible for an ecosystem of this size without rain?

A productive idea for Dome

Over the weekend, the Chronicle ran this story on Harris County officials by an idea to the Astrodome in a planetarium and a science education and medical facility. It is really a good idea was that the proposed months ago. Given the proximity to the dome of the Texas Medical Center, a district / med center association in turn the Dome in the first medical and science education in the world makes little sense.

In addition, funding for a project of this nature will not be easy, especially in this economic climate. Given the potential benefits of Houston to a market leader in the field of medical and scientific training, we expect that the officials of this proposal is a fair shake. Certainly makes much more sense than the alternative proposal.

Common sense aside, the whole world must know that this new proposal could be scuttled by the financial obligations that are already in the framework of the Houston earlier bad decisions of public funding. This reminds us of the risks that poor use of resources ultimately has consequences. Could be a harsh irony, when the Houston-known reference is a victim of bad decisions.