SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

[rev_slider Sustainable]

When humans were much smaller in population, with far less understanding of science and industry, our shelters were taken from—and were part of—the natural world. There was a harmony at work in those early ages, as what we took from nature, we always gave back, and we were too small and too ineffective to disrupt that seemingly all powerful balance.

In the modern world, it is an entirely different story. There are billions of people across the planet, all hungry for resources and for decades we’ve had both the science and the technology to provide those resources. But our massive drain on the world came at great cost, and it is only now, in the 21st century, that we begin to understand the enormous impact we’ve had on our world, and how much of it is far from beneficial for either the environment, or the other species we share this world with.

Terraform Structures is part of a new way of thinking about us, our place in the world, and the places we make in this world. We have a new goal in this new century, and it is the dream of Sustainable Building.

The Green Dream

Screen shot 2016-02-11 at 8.25.10 PM

Sustainable Building, “Green Building” as it is sometimes called, is a refocus of our thinking. It is a commitment to finding ways to create new spaces that are both useful to people that need them, while taking care to not needlessly waste natural resources, or impact the environment itself through the construction or maintenance of a building.

Sustainable Building is, in other words, an acknowledgement of the great power to affect the world that humans now possess, especially in an industrial sense. And this acknowledgment comes with a commitment to use that power responsibly. It is about planning a building around the environment it will be built in, ensuring that the construction process does not destroy the surrounding area, and using energy efficient materials and techniques to make sure the final result does not needlessly draw on further resources.

Terraform Structures is a part of this exciting, challenging way of thinking about construction, and although many feel that this means construction projects will take longer to complete, be more expensive, and require far more effort, we argue that the exact opposite is true. Sustainable Building can be cost effective, save time, and actually make things easier, and our proof is our own Wallpanel System.

It Starts With The Material

Photo Jul 16, 11 42 46 AM

Wood has been one of the most popular construction materials for centuries. Trees are abundant, grow in many parts of the world, and thanks to millions of years of evolution, are incredibly hardy, durable and provide for many different uses. Whether it is as a fuel for fire, a piece of construction, or the paper that we write on, wood has proven its usefulness.

But to build a typical 2500 foot residence, a small forest—more accurately, an average of 40 trees—are required in order to complete a family residential project. Multiply that by the growing need for homes in every inhabited country on the planet and the casualty rate for trees shoots up dramatically.
Recycled cars on the other hand, are abundant, and nobody wants them. Our method of constructing the components of our Wallpanel system requires only four recycled cars to manufacture enough Wallpanel material to build that same 2500 foot family home. We use less energy to do this, we produce more material for construction, and, most importantly, our “natural resource” are cars nobody wants, without touching a single tree in the process.

It Moves Onto Construction

The next stage in our Sustainable Building system is how the Wallpanel speeds up construction. Our Wallpanels are modular units that can be custom built for specific needs, including curved walls, if required. They are built to act as walls, floors and even as a roof if need be. The panels come complete with insulation built in, and even have “chasers” built in ahead of time. That is, the channels required for electrical wiring can be built into the Wallpanel, so that electricians can quickly install wiring without needing to drill through walls in order to get their job done.

Because the Wallpanels already come with energy efficient insulation built in, there is also no need for an insulation contractor to do work onsite, this factor was already addressed at the manufacturing stage when the order of the Wallpanel was fulfilled.

And finally, the Wallpanel system is just much faster to use. Despite the fact that these are complete, strong, durable, modular wall units, they are also light, and do not require a crane in order to move. A 3200 square foot structure can be assembled in one day. A smaller residence of 1200 square feet can be erected in less than six hours. At every step of the way, unnecessary processes and expenses are being eliminated to make even construction a more efficient process.

Minimal Environmental Impact

Global Warming

Once a structure is complete, the most important goal of Sustainable Building begins. Our Wallpanel system requires less maintenance than wood, and has R30 energy efficient insulation. That means smaller, more efficient HVAC systems can be used in the home for even more savings on utilities.

The Wallpanels also naturally reduce sound for more privacy. Because they are not made of wood, they are not attractive to termites, do not spread fire, and are even resistant to mold, addressing most of the common pest, health and safety concerns homeowners have today. A home built with the Wallpanel system using other environmentally compliant practices even appreciates in value more than a home that doesn’t, for a much smarter property investment.

For people that thought Sustainable Building meant spending too much time, money and effort for too little return, things have changed. Sustainable Building is not just the right thing to do, it’s a sound financial decision, and Terraform Structures and our Wallpanel System are part of it. Find out what we can do for you today.