Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONSTRUCTING A SINGLE-STOREY BUILDING
Cross-Reference to Related Applications
[0001] This application claims priority from US Application No. 63/001194
filed 27 March
2020 and entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONSTRUCTING A SINGLE-STOREY
BUILDING which is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
For purposes
of the United States of America, this application claims the benefit under 35
U.S.C. 119 of
US application No. 63/001194 filed 27 March 2020 and entitled SYSTEMS AND
METHODS
FOR CONSTRUCTING A SINGLE-STOREY BUILDING.
Technical Field
[0002] The invention relates to methods of constructing a single-storey
building out of large
pre-fabricated panels.
Background
[0003] Many techniques exist for constructing buildings. For some commercial
buildings,
timber-frame construction remains an option, requiring the erection of timber
framing
followed by the completion of walls and roofing, including the installation of
insulation and
utilities. Some commercial and industrial buildings can be constructed from
steel frames
and metal siding. Pre-fabricated metal frames of steel bents or light trusses
enclosed by
metal siding are used for some single-storey commercial uses.
[0004] Reinforced concrete is a common building material for many commercial
and
industrial uses. The materials are frequently cheap and readily available.
However, large
scale construction with reinforced concrete produces substantial greenhouse
emissions,
including carbon dioxide. Additionally, cast-in place or in situ construction
with reinforced
concrete requires allowing time for the setting of the concrete. Longer
construction
schedules can lead to significantly increased building costs due to cost of
labour.
[0005] Another method is to use precast concrete in which sections of
buildings are
produced as whole concrete segments. However, the use of large volumes of
concrete
causes significant emissions of greenhouse gases. Additionally, due to the
weight of
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concrete, precast concrete segments impose additional difficulties in their
transportation
and erection at the construction site.
[0006] There remains a need for practical and cost effective ways to construct
buildings
such as single-storey residential, commercial and industrial buildings using
systems and
methods that improve on existing technologies.
[0007] The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related
thereto are intended
to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art
will become apparent
to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study
of the drawings.
Summary
[0008] The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and
illustrated in
conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary
and
illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of
the above-
described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments
are
directed to other improvements.
[0009] This invention has a number of aspects. These include, without
limitation:
= constructing a single-storey building out of tall prefabricated panels,
where individual
panels span between foundation/floor and roof panels, in which some of the
prefabricated panels comprise cross bracing embedded within an insulative core
of
the panels;
= constructing a single-storey building out of prefabricated panels with
cementitious
layers, the prefabricated panels comprising roof panels, exterior wall panels,
floor
panels and foundation panels, in which some of the different prefabricated
panels
comprise different cementitious layers;
= constructing a single-storey building out of large and light
prefabricated panels
including roof panels, exterior wall panels, floor panels and foundation
panels, the
prefabricated panels comprising thin cementitious layers on each side of an
insulative core; and
= constructing roof panels out of prefabricated panels with cementitious
layers, which
when connected together, form a roof profile having a water drainage channel.
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[0010] In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above,
further
aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and
by study
of the following detailed descriptions.
Brief Description of the Drawings
.. [0011] Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the
drawings. It is
intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be
considered illustrative
rather than restrictive.
[0012] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a single-storey building comprising a
plurality of
different prefabricated panels.
[0013] Figure 2 is an exploded view showing combinations of the different
prefabricated
panels of the Figure 1 embodiment.
[0014] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the single-storey
building of the Figure
1 embodiment.
[0015] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a floor panel according to an
example
embodiment taken along lines A-A of Fig. 3.
[0016] Figure 5A is a perspective view of an exterior panel having cross
bracing. Figures 5B
and 5D are front and side elevation views of the Figure 5A exterior panel,
respectively.
Figure 5C is a cross section view on the lines C-C of Figure 5B. Figure 5E is
an exploded
view of the Figure 5A exterior panel further comprising bottom and top layers
of
cementitious material.
[0017] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a single-storey building comprising a
plurality of
different prefabricated panels.
[0018] Figure 7 is a perspective view of an example partial roof assembly for
implementing
roof water drainage.
[0019] Figure 8 is a perspective view of a single-storey building comprising a
plurality of
different prefabricated panels.
[0020] Figure 9 is an exploded view showing combinations of the different
prefabricated
panels of the Figure 8 embodiment.
Description
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[0021] Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in
order to provide
a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well
known elements
may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily
obscuring the
disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an
illustrative,
rather than a restrictive, sense.
[0022] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an assembled single-storey building
10 using
systems and methods of constructing buildings from prefabricated panels
described herein.
Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of single-storey building 10 of the
Figure 1
embodiment. As illustrated, building 10 comprises a plurality of different
adjoined
prefabricated panels forming foundation walls 12, floor 14, exterior walls 16
and roof 18.
Single-storey building 10 may be suitable for use as a commercial building,
such as a fast
food restaurant or a retail store, a single-family home, or the like.
[0023] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the prefabricated
panels used
herein may be similar to panels described in detail in Canadian Patent No.
2,994,868 issued
on April 2,2019 entitled PREFABRICATED INSULATED BUILDING PANEL WITH CURED
CEMENTITIOUS LAYER BONDED TO INSULATION, which is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety. Prefabricated panels described in Canadian Patent
No. 2,994,868
comprise an insulative foam core covered on inner and outer surfaces with a
composite
cementitious layer. Different cementitious materials which make up the
cementitious layers
may have different performance characteristics and material properties. For
example, some
cementitious materials used may feature higher fire protection and/or sound
dampening,
while other cementitious materials may have higher structural support
characteristics.
These different properties may advantageously be used for obtaining desirable
characteristics specific to the function performed by each of foundation walls
12, floor 14,
exterior walls 16 and roof 18 or by any other prefabricated walls or panels
described herein.
[0024] In some embodiments, prefabricated insulated panels used herein
comprise
cementitious material layers having a lower density cementitious material
containing perlite,
which provides stronger fire resistance properties. As an illustrative
example, under the
ULC-S101 fire resistance testing standard employed in Canada, prefabricated
panels used
herein may have a fire resistance rating in the range of 45 minutes to 4 or
more hours from
the inside, outside, or both.
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[0025] It is advantageous that certain ones of the prefabricated panels used
in the present
invention comprise a greater fire resistance construction than those of other
prefabricated
panels. For example, prefabricated panels used for the construction of
exterior walls 16
preferably do not comprise any combustible material or material which may melt
under
certain fire conditions. In some embodiments, prefabricated panels used for
the construction
of exterior walls 16 comprise a mineral wool insulative core. Prefabricated
panels fabricated
from non-combustible materials may be referred to herein as "fire walls". For
exterior walls
16 situated on zero-lot-lines, it may be advantageous to employ fire walls
having a higher
fire resistance rating in the range of 2 to 4 hours to ensure that fires which
may occur are
.. not spread to adjacent properties. Fire walls may be employed for other
walls (including
interior walls) in the present invention where it is important in the
circumstances to prevent
the spread of fire or to be in compliance with building regulations and codes,
such as for a
fire-proof enclosure of a boiler room.
[0026] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional elevation view of an exemplary single-
storey
building 10. Foundation walls 12 are depicted as extending into ground 11,
with a portion of
foundation walls 12 extending above the surface of ground 11. As illustrated,
foundation
walls 12 may rest on top of and be supported by a foundation 15. In some
embodiments,
foundation 15 is a spread footing foundation wherein the foundation has a
wider bottom
portion than the load-bearing foundation walls it supports, the wider portion
distributing the
weight of building 10 over a greater area. In some embodiments, foundation 15
comprises
cast in place concrete. In other embodiments, foundation 15 comprises precast
concrete
which is cured in a plant and transported to the construction site for
installation.
[0027] According to another example embodiment, building 10 has no below grade
foundation walls. Rather, shallow footing foundations (not shown) may be used
to support a
floating monolithic slab (not shown) on or slightly below grade. In such
embodiments,
foundation walls 12 are not present in building 10 and the exterior walls 16
rest on either the
floating slab or on the shallow footing or both, either of which may serve as
building 10's
foundation. In an alternative embodiment, only a floating slab is provided for
serving as the
foundation of building 10. The floating slab may additionally optionally serve
as the interior
floor of building 10. In some embodiments, the shallow footing foundation
and/or the floating
slab comprises cast in place concrete. In other embodiments, the shallow
footing foundation
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and/or the floating slab comprises precast concrete which is cured in a plant
and
transported to the construction site for installation.
[0028] Foundation walls 12 comprise a plurality of adjoined prefabricated
foundation panels
22, a number of which are shown in Figure 2. Foundation walls 12 should have
sufficient
compressive load bearing capacity to carry the weight of building 10 above as
well as to
support additional live and dead loads based on the specific application of
building 10 and
as required by relevant building codes. Foundation walls 12 should
additionally have
sufficient transverse and shear load bearing capacity, where such forces may
be imposed
from the effects of expanding soil in ground 11 and from seismic activity.
[0029] There are several possible options in configuring foundation panels 22
for imparting
the strong structural strength required by walls 12, which may be pursued
individually or in
combination with one another. In some embodiments, prefabricated panels used
for
foundation panels 22 comprise one or more metal reinforcing bars (not shown)
embedded
within the cementitious layer along the vertical length of the panel for
providing additional
structural strength. The metal reinforcing bars may be embedded in an inner
layer of
cementitious material facing the interior of building or in an outer layer of
cementitious
material or both.
[0030] The metal reinforcing bars may be disposed and spaced apart along a
horizontal
direction of panels 22 and may also be disposed and spaced apart along a
thickness of the
cementitious layer(s) and/or the insulative core. In some embodiments, cross
braces
comprising metal reinforcing bars are disposed within the cementitious
layer(s) of the
prefabricated panel forming foundation panels 22.
[0031] In some embodiments, the axial load bearing capacity of panels 22 may
be further
increased by embedding one or more structural elements along a vertical length
of the
insulative core of each of panels 22. In some embodiments, the structural
elements
comprise hollow structural section (HSS) steel frames (not shown). In some
embodiments,
corresponding vertical ends of HSS steel frames disposed at each respective
horizontal end
of a foundation panel 22 are connected to one another through horizontally
oriented steel
frames to form a rectangular-shaped frame. In some embodiments, the HSS steel
frame is
bonded to the insulative core by a cured cementitious casting. According to a
specific
embodiment, adjacent foundation panels 22 are joined together by corresponding
splines
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located on HSS steel frames disposed along the exterior vertically oriented
edges of each
panel 22. Other means for connecting adjacent foundation panels 22 are
possible, such as
through the use of fasteners, adhesives, welding processes and the like.
[0032] Foundation panels 22 may experience lateral pressures acting
perpendicularly
against the exterior-facing surfaces due to back fill tendencies resulting
from the excavated
soil. In some embodiments, foundation panels 22 comprise a thickened interior
and/or
exterior composite cementitious layer as compared to prefabricated panels used
in other
applications described herein, which helps to increase the strength of panels
22 to oppose
lateral pressures. Optionally, a greater number and/or a greater thickness of
metal
reinforcing bars are disposed within the thickened cementitious layers. The
addition and
inclusion of structural reinforcement features and enhancements described
herein may
advantageously be utilized for achieving desired structural load requirements.
[0033] Furthermore, it is preferable that foundation walls 12 are resistant to
shear forces
stemming from seismic events, which imparts forces in direction co-planar to
the interior
and exterior-facing surfaces of foundation walls 12. In some embodiments, the
cementitious
layer of foundation panels 22 or a portion thereof may be formed from a lower
density
material. The lower density material imparts higher ductility which results in
panels 22, and
therefore foundation walls 12, to be more resistant to forces in the co-planar
direction.
[0034] Building 10 may comprise a crawl space or basement 20 by extending
foundation
walls 12 sufficiently deep into ground 11, best shown by Figure 3. Basement 20
is defined
as the space enclosed by foundation 15, foundation walls 12, and floor 14.
Basement 20
may serve as a residential dwelling and/or serve as an area where plumbing,
electrical
wiring, insulation and heating, and cooling systems for building 10 are
disposed. In some
embodiments, basement 20 serves as a commercial kitchen, a walk-in commercial
freezer,
or both.
[0035] Floors 14 comprise a plurality of adjoined prefabricated floor panels
24, a number of
which are shown in Figure 2. Floor panels 24 comprise an insulative core
covered on top
and bottom surfaces in a composite cementitious layer. Floor panels 24 are
designed such
that the span of floor panels 24 between its supports is appropriate for
bearing expected
loads experienced thereon. In some embodiments, floor panels 24 have a total
thickness in
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the range of 6 inches to 36 inches. In typical applications, floor panels 24
have a total
thickness in the range of 12 inches to 24 inches.
[0036] As an illustrative example and with reference to Figure 2, floor 14 has
an outer
perimeter that is slightly smaller than and corresponds to an inner perimeter
of foundation
walls 12. An area 12-1 is provided on the inner perimeter of foundation walls
12, illustrated
in Figure 2 as the area defined by the illustrated dotted line to the top
surface of walls 12.
An outer side edge 14-1 of floors 14 may be configured to attach to area 12-1
using any
appropriate connectors. By connecting floors 14 to foundation walls 12 in this
manner, the
top face of floors 14 may be flush with the top edge of foundation walls 12
and be adjacent
an interior bottom edge of exterior walls 16. However, this is not necessary
and floors 14
may rest on top of foundation walls 12 and subsequently support exterior walls
16 in other
embodiments of this invention.
[0037] In the illustrated example embodiment, floor panel 24-1 has a span S.
Based on the
measurement of span S, the maximum bending moment and deflection based on
expected
loads on floor panel 24-1 can be measured. Floor panel 24-1 should therefore
be designed
to support this expected load whilst considering a relevant safety factor. In
some
embodiments, span S may be 24 feet. In other embodiments, span S may be 32
feet or
more.
[0038] At larger values of span S, the vibration and deflection of floor
panels 24 becomes
an issue. Generally, weight may be added to floor panels 24 to dampen
vibration. This may
be achieved by making the cementitious layers thicker and/or by forming the
cementitious
layers from a higher density material. In some embodiments, weight is added to
panels 24
by applying an additional layer of cementitious material or soundproofing
material or both as
an overlay or underlay. However, adding excessive weight to floor panels 24
becomes a
problem for shipping panels 24 to the construction site and for adding to the
overall weight
of building 10. In some embodiments, an internal structural frame may be
embedded within
the insulative core of floor panels 24 to provide greater resistance to shear
loads. In some
embodiments, the structural frame comprises pretensioned or prestressed
joists. In other
embodiments, the structural frame comprises an HSS steel frame.
[0039] Advantageously, the composite cementitious layers help to obtain a
higher stiffness
of floor panels 24 and floor 14 compared to conventional floors. In this
manner, a larger
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span S may be accommodated while maintaining a lower weight of floor panels 24
because
of the use of thinner layers of cementitious material. According to an example
embodiment,
a floor panel 24 may have a total thickness of 28 inches (extending in the
vertical direction
of building 10), the floor panel 24 comprising an internal structural frame
having a thickness
of 20 inches embedded within an insulative core having a thickness of 26
inches and
covered on top and bottom surfaces by 1 inch of cementitious material.
Different
embodiments of floor panels 24 or any other prefabricated panels discussed
herein may
have different thicknesses for each of the constituent components depending on
the desired
application. Relevant factors which may influence this choice include, but are
not limited to,
a span/length measurement, load bearing conditions (such as a cantilevered
portion of floor
14), a desired load rating, and a desired insulation value.
[0040] In some embodiments, water pipes (40A in Fig. 4) are embedded within
the
insulative core of floor panels 24 wherein flowing water pumped through the
pipes stiffen
and dampen floor panels 24, allowing for a greater span S. A reservoir (not
shown) stored
underneath building 10 and a suitable plumbing system may circulate the water
to
equipment within building 10 in such an embodiment. Advantageously, in the
summer,
water contained in the reservoir and water pumped through building 10 is
heated by the hot
weather. This heated water may then be used in winter to provide heating
through the pipes
embedded in floor panels 24. Any means of implementing a radiant heating
system known
in the art may be appropriately implemented in buildings and prefabricated
panels of the
current invention. Water pipes may be embedded in floor panels 24 and/or floor
14 in a
number of possible configurations, such as a single/double serpentine pattern
or a spiral
pattern.
[0041] In some embodiments, water pipes installed within and running through
the
insulative core of floor panels 24 are in communication with the upper and/or
lower
cementitious layers so that heat can be transmitted to the floor surfaces
(illustrated in Figure
4). In an example open loop radiant heating system, water for supplying the
heated water
can be sourced from a geothermal heat pump (not shown). In an example closed
loop
radiant heating system, a water boiler disposed within building 10 heats the
water to be
circulated through the water pipes.
[0042] The water pipes may run continuously between floor panels 24 by way of
junctions
or openings defined in floor panels 24 at any appropriate location, for
example, mid span, at
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the longitudinal ends and/or at the corners. In some embodiments, junctions
(not shown)
are defined on an upper surface of floor panels 24 through an opening in the
cementitious
layer to interface with a corresponding junction or opening in exterior wall
panels 26.
Exterior wall panels 26 may similarly comprise appropriately located junctions
or openings
.. to accommodate any appropriate configuration or pattern of water pipes. In
such
embodiments, radiant wall heating may be provided within building 10.
[0043] Figure 4 is a schematic cross section view through a floor panel 24 of
floor 14 in the
plane indicated by A-A in Figure 3 according to an example embodiment. In the
illustrated
embodiment, floor panel 24 comprises a lower cementitious layer 32A, an upper
.. cementitious layer 32B, and an insulative core 34 disposed between lower
and upper
cementitious layers 32A and 32B. Supporting joist structures 36 are disposed
along at least
a partial longitudinal length of floor panel 24 within the insulative core 34.
Preferably, joists
36 are located at or near the opposite ends of the width of floor panels 24,
although this is
not necessary. According to another example embodiment, only one joist 36 is
provided and
is disposed along a substantial length of panel 24 away from the width edges
of panel 24.
[0044] In the illustrated embodiment, joists 36 have an I-beam shaped cross
section,
although other cross sectional shapes are possible. For example, joists 36 may
comprise a
length of HSS tubing or a plurality of rebar, post-tensioned cables, and/or
pre-tensioned
cables. In the illustrated embodiment, joists 36 only span a portion of the
total thickness of
.. the insulative core 34 which advantageously avoids the creation of a
thermal bridge across
floor panel 24. In other embodiments, joists 36 span the entire thickness of
insulative core
34. In some embodiments, joists 36 are constructed from a reinforced steel
material.
According to a more specific embodiment, joists 36 are constructed from steel
comprising a
desired cross-sectional shape which is reinforced with a layer of cementitious
material. The
.. cementitious material may additionally comprise an embedded welded wire
mesh for
providing further reinforcement. Providing joists 36 advantageously permits
floor panel 24 to
better carry bending and shear loads imposed by loads on top of floors 14
within building
10.
[0045] Figure 4 additionally illustrates a hollow opening 38 along a
longitudinal length of
floor panel 24 defined within the insulative core 34. Any number of conduits
40 may be
provided and be appropriately supported within opening 38. In the illustrated
embodiment,
conduit 40A comprises a water pipe, conduit 40B comprises an electrical
conduit
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comprising a plurality of electrical wires, and conduit 40C comprises a pipe
for plumbing
applications. Water pipe 40A is shown to be in communication with upper
cementitious layer
32B so that heat can be transmitted to the floor surface of building 10
through upper layer
32B. Mechanical chases or any other appropriate exits (not shown) may be
provided on
.. exterior surfaces of floor panel 24 through upper cementitious layer 32B,
lower cementitious
layer 32A and/or outer faces of insulative core 34 for passing conduits 40
and/or the
contents thereof into the interior of building 10, into exterior walls 16, or
into basement 20.
For example, electrical wiring may be run through the insulative core 34 of
panels 24 which
connects to electrical systems within basement 20 connecting to a local power
distribution
substation. In some embodiments, opening 38 spans the entire longitudinal
length of floor
panel 24, or span S, for fulfilling this function.
[0046] Exterior walls 16 are disposed about and define an above-ground outer
perimeter of
build 10. It is preferred that exterior walls 16 are load-bearing. Therefore,
it is desirable for
the exterior panels 26 which collectively form exterior walls 16 to be formed
from
prefabricated panels which have a high capacity for bearing compressive loads.
Exterior
panels 26 and exterior walls 16 may share many of the features and design
considerations
of foundation panels 22 and foundation walls 12 described above. For example,
to better
bear compressive loads, exterior panels 26 may comprise metal reinforcing bars
disposed
within its cementitious layers and may feature a greater thickness of
cementitious material.
In some embodiments, the structural cementitious layers and/or the insulative
core
comprise pretensioned or prestressed joists. In some embodiments, supporting
joist
structures similar to joists 36 described herein in relation to floor panels
24 may be provided
in exterior panels 26.
[0047] Additionally, it is preferred that exterior panels 26 and exterior
walls 16 have strong
thermal insulation properties and are impermeable to moisture, for example
from exposure
to rain and humidity, in ensuring that building 10 is made weather-resistant.
The insulative
strength of exterior panels 26 may be augmented through the use of a thicker
insulative
core and by avoiding the creation of thermal bridges, for example. Resistance
to moisture
may be achieved by providing a cementitious layer that has a higher density.
Additionally,
.. by providing internal channels at the interface of the outer, exterior-
facing cementitious layer
and the insulative material, exterior walls 12 are able to equalize pressure
and to drain
moisture which has penetrated the outer cementitious layer.
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[0048] In some embodiments electrical wiring may be run through the insulative
core of
panels 26. In some embodiments, the electrical wiring terminates at outlet
boxes (not
shown) disposed on an interior face of exterior panels 26. Other building
components may
be disposed within the insulative core of panels 26, with appropriate
interfaces defined on
inner/outer and perimeter surfaces of panels 26, foundation panels 22, floor
panels 24,
and/or roof panels 28. Example building components include, but are not
limited to, air
ducts, electrical wires, conduits, plumbing including hot and cold-water
lines, heating pipes,
drainage pipes, sewage pipes, vents, gas lines, and teck cables.
[0049] Exterior panels 26 may be constructed to have a height that is
substantially longer
than its width, in order to accommodate building single-storey buildings with
a desirably high
roof. In the illustrated embodiment, exterior panels 26 have a height spanning
substantially
the height of building 10 which is above soil 11. In some embodiments,
exterior panels 26
have a height to width ratio of 2.5:1 to 3:1 or more. Such configurations
wherein the height
of panels 26 significantly exceeds its width imparts a greater need for
enduring shear
stresses imposed by wind, these forces generally being transverse to the
exterior facing
surface of walls 16.
[0050] In other embodiments, exterior panels 26 are constructed to have a
width that is
substantially greater than its height. Such embodiments may be desirable in
single-storey
buildings constructed for the purpose of providing a residential dwelling, for
example. In
such embodiments, exterior panels 26 may have a width to height ratio of 2.5:1
to 3:1 or
more. Exterior panels 26 may be constructed to any possible height to width
ratios for
achieving desired particular functional, structural, and/or aesthetic
purposes, such as height
to width ratios of 0.5:1, 2/3:1, 1:1, 1.5:1 and 2:1. It is also possible that
different ones of
exterior panels 26 in a building 10 comprise different height to width ratios.
[0051] Similar to foundation panels 22, structural elements may be embedded
along a
vertical length of the insulative core at the opposite ends of each of panels
26.
Corresponding vertical ends of the structural elements may be connected to one
another
through horizontally oriented structural framing members to form a rectangular-
shaped
frame around the perimeter of exterior panel 26. In some embodiments, cross
bracing
between the vertical structural frames is embedded within the insulative core.
Applying a
system of cross bracing to exterior panels 26 advantageously imparts high
structural shear
resilience by allowing panels 26 to support both tensile and compressive
forces imposed by
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shear loads resulting from wind and seismic activity. In other embodiments,
corner bracing
or knee bracing is employed to impart shear resilience to exterior panels 26.
[0052] Figure 5A is a perspective view of select portions of an example
exterior wall 26
comprising cross bracing. Exterior wall 26 in the Figure 5A embodiment
comprises a frame
42, which is illustrated as an HSS steel frame, disposed along the perimeter
of panel 26 and
is seated in a corresponding depression 44, which is defined by a groove or
cutout in an
insulative core 34. An internal cross brace 46 is rigidly connected to and is
supported by
each of the four corners of the frame 42 in a diagonal manner such that each
individual
support 46A, 46B, 46C and 46D of cross brace 46 meet at an equidistant point
from each of
the corners in the center of cross brace 46 to form a substantially X shape.
[0053] In some embodiments, cross brace 46 and frame 42 each have a thickness
that
results in an end of cross brace 46 and frame 42 to be substantially flush
with an
undepressed surface of insulative core 34 when brace 46 and frame 42 are
seated in
depression 44 of insulative core 34 (this is illustrated in Figure 5C with
respect to frame 42
and core 34). In other embodiments, cross brace 46 and frame 42 each have a
thickness
that results in an end of brace 46 and/or frame 42 to protrude or recede from
an
undepressed surface of insulative core 34. Either end of exterior wall 26 may
face interiorly
or exterior of building 10, that is, the surface opposite of depression 44 and
the surface
most proximate to where frame 42 and cross brace 46 are located.
[0054] In some embodiments, individual supports 46A, 46B, 46C and 46D are
integrally
constructed from a single piece of material. Cross brace 46 may be formed
integrally with
frame 42 or cross brace 46 may be attached to frame 42 in any appropriate
manner, such
as through the use of suitable fasteners, welding, etc. In some embodiments,
two separate
diagonal supports, for example, combinations of supports 46A, 46C and 46B,
46D, are
attached together by an appropriate rigid connection, for example, through
welding or
through a rigid coupling, in order to form cross brace 46. A number of
possible materials are
possible for constructing cross brace 46. Possible materials or structures
used for
constructing cross brace 46 include, but are not limited to, wooden beams,
metal reinforcing
bars, HSS steel frames, and pre-tensioned steel cables. In some embodiments,
multiple
cross braces 46 are disposed within prefabricated panels of the present
invention. For
example, two cross braces 46 may be present in a single prefabricated panel,
each cross
brace 46 occupying approximately half of the height of the panel. Other
configurations are
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possible, such as where three cross braces 46 are provided in a single
prefabricated panel,
each cross brace 46 having a different height measurement.
[0055] Figures 5B-5D show additional views of the example exterior wall 26 of
the Figure
5A embodiment. Figure 5B illustrates an example chase 48 that may be provided
to allow
ducts, pipes, wire bundles and such to pass from the interior of building 10
into the interior
of panels 26. Figure 5C is a cross-section view through exterior wall 26 in
the plane
indicated by C-C in Figure 5B. It is not necessary that depression 44 has a
uniform depth
within insulative core 34, and may be "tiered" at several depths, as
illustrated in Figures 5B
and 5C. By having a tiered depression 44 in the example Figure 5C embodiment,
cross
brace 46 is more securely seated within insulative core 34 and can accordingly
provide
greater structural resilience to exterior wall panel 26.
[0056] Figure 5E is an exploded view of exterior wall panel 26 further
comprising bottom
and top layers of cementitious material 52A and 52B, respectively. In the
illustrated
embodiment, a planar bottom layer of cementitious material 52A is coupled to a
bottom
surface of insulative core 34 when panel 26 is assembled. A top layer of
cementitious
material 52B is coupled to insulative core 34, frame 42, and/or cross brace 46
when panel
26 is assembled. The bottom and top layers 52A and 52B of exterior wall panel
26 serve as
interior and exterior facing surfaces of panel 26, respectively, or vice
versa, when
assembled in a building 10.
[0057] In some embodiments, cross brace 46 and frame 42 are bonded to a
cementitious
casting once the cementitious casting has cured. The cementitious casting
simultaneously
bonds to insulative core 34 to thereby form the layer of cementitious material
52B over top
of both insulative core 34, cross brace 46, and frame 42. This example
embodiment
advantageously provides a method of assembling prefrabricated panels 26 having
increased resilience to lateral forces to better withstand forces due to winds
and
earthquakes. In other embodiments, top layer 52B comprises a layer of
structural board
such as sheet metal, plywood, magnesium oxide board, or oriented strand board.
Top layer
52B may be applied over top of and be coupled to insulative core 34, cross
brace 46, and/or
frame 42 through any appropriate means, such as through the use of adhesives,
fasteners,
or the like.
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[0058] Although the present example describes the use of cross bracing in
relation to
exterior walls 26, it will be understood by one skilled in the art that the
cross bracing
techniques described above may advantageously be employed to impart increased
lateral
force resistance to other prefabricated panels described herein and to
prefabricated panels
constructed from composite materials in general.
[0059] Figure 6 shows a building 100 comprising a plurality of openings
according to an
example embodiment of the invention. Exterior panels 26 may comprise openings
which
define various features such as windows or doors (illustrated in exterior
panels 26A and
26B, respectively). In some embodiments, window openings are cast into the
cementitious
layer of panels 26 with an appropriate mold to form drip edges and sloped
window sills. To
avoid introducing any thermal bridges, which may diminish the insulative
capabilities of
exterior walls 16, it is preferred that inner and outer cementitious layers of
exterior panels
26 do not come in contact with one another.
[0060] The use of certain materials for the insulative core of prefabricated
panels described
herein can advantageously provide a thermal break to better provide the
insulative
capabilities of building 10. Examples of such materials include but are not
limited to rigid
mineral wool, expanded polystyrene, fiberglass, and neoprene. Additionally or
alternatively,
the cementitious layer may also serve to provide a degree of thermal breaking.
This can be
achieved, for example, by employing low-density cementitious materials having
high air
content and/or by the inclusion of additives such as ceramic bead or perlite.
[0061] In a typical scenario, individual exterior panels 26 are placed on top
of and are
connected to a corresponding panel 22 of foundation walls 12. In this manner,
any loads
borne by exterior walls 16, including the weight of exterior walls 16
themselves, are
supported by and transferred to foundation walls 12 which are in turn
transferred to
foundation 15. However, some embodiments of the present invention provide for
exterior
panels 26C which are supported by other exterior panels 26. In the illustrated
Figure 6
embodiment, exterior panel 26C is attached at opposite ends of its horizontal
longitudinal
length to opposed side edges of exterior panels 26D and 26E. The edges of
panels 26C,
26D, 26E, 22A and 22B collectively define an opening 35. As illustrated,
exterior panel 26C
features a length which is greater in the horizontal direction than that of
the vertical
direction, although this is not necessary. Example applications for which
opening 35 may be
used include doorways, window walls, garage doors, and entry ways.
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[0062] Roof 18 comprises a plurality of adjoined prefabricated roof panels 28,
a number of
which are shown in Figure 2. In some embodiments, mechanical chases are
defined in roof
panels 28 which allow ducts, pipes, wire bundles and such to pass from the
interior of
building 10 into the interior of roof panels 28. For example, electrical
wiring may be run
through the insulative core of panels 28 which connects to a ceiling lighting
box for
illuminating the interior of building 10. In some embodiments, supporting
joist structures
similar to joists 36 described herein in relation to floor panels 24 may be
provided in roof
panels 28. This advantageously permits roof panels 28 to better carry bending
and shear
loads.
[0063] It is preferable that roof panels 28 and roof 18 feature strong thermal
insulation
properties and are impermeable to moisture resulting from precipitation. As
previously
discussed herein, strong thermal insulation properties may be achieved by the
use of a
thicker insulative core and by avoiding the creation of thermal bridges. As
previously
discussed herein, impermeability to moisture may be provided by providing
cementitious
layers in roof panels 28 that have a higher density and by providing internal
channels at the
interface of the outer cementitious layer and the insulative core to allow
drainage.
[0064] Water buildup due to rainfall or "ponding", can be detrimental to roof
assemblies,
causing degradation of the roofing materials, and accordingly should be
avoided. A
drainage channel defined by a surface profile of roof 18 can advantageously
collect water
present on the roof 18 and divert the water to another location in order to
mitigate water
leakage through roof 18 and into building 10. Different ones of roof panels 28
may comprise
a variety of shapes and profiles and features that, when attached together to
form roof 18,
define a means for diverting water off roof 18. In some embodiments, roof 18
comprises a
pitched roof having a sufficient downward slope to adequately drain water
present on roof
18. In other embodiments, roof 18 comprises a substantially flat roof
comprising a drainage
channel. It is also possible that roof 18 comprises one or more pitched
portions and one or
more flat portions comprising drainage channels. The addition of roof features
such as inner
drains connecting to pipes for draining water are also possible, which may be
used alone or
in combination with other water diversion methods described herein.
[0065] Figure 7 is a perspective view of an example partial roof assembly 50
for
implementing water drainage for roof 18. Partial roof assembly 50 comprises
two adjacent
prefabricated roof panels 28A and 28B. In the illustrated embodiment, roof
panels 28A and
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28B taper downwards toward the right and then further downwards away from the
junction
of panels 28A and 28B. In this manner, a saddle point 55 is created wherein
water present
on partial roof assembly 50 generally runs downwards (to the right in the
Figure 7 example)
toward saddle point 55 and again downwards off partial roof assembly 50 at
points 57A and
57B.
[0066] As illustrated in Figure 7, the thickness of insulative cores 54A and
54B of roof
panels 28A and 28B are appropriately tapered to provide the desired sloping
profile of
partial roof assembly 50. In other embodiments, the thickness of the
cementitious layers
62A and 62B are tapered. In other embodiments, a separate roof membrane having
a
desired sloping profile may be applied over top of panels 28A and 28B. It will
be
appreciated that partial roof assembly 50 illustrates only one portion of a
complete building
roof and that a corresponding roof assembly mirroring that of assembly 50 may
be provided
adjacent the rightmost surface of assembly 50. In some embodiments, roof 18 of
the
present invention comprises a hyperbolic paraboloid saddle profile. Any
possible means for
implementing appropriate drainage means for roof 18 are possible. Further, the
methods
described herein for providing a drainage channel may be adapted to buildings
having any
variety of different roof and building configurations.
[0067] Using the prefabricated panels described herein various architectural
features can
be achieved when constructing building 10. As an illustrative example and with
reference to
Figure 2, an area 16-1 is provided on the inner perimeter of exterior walls
16, illustrated in
Figure 2 as the area between the dotted lines near a top end of walls 16. An
outer side
edge 18-1 of roof 18 may be configured to attach to area 16-1 using any
appropriate
connectors. By connecting roof 18 to exterior walls 16 in this manner, a top
portion or
parapet 16-2 of walls 16 extends upwardly from the envelope defined by
building 10 (see
Figure 1). As an example, parapet 16-2 may be designed and/or appropriately
coated to
serve an aesthetic function, to shield roof 18 from high winds, or to provide
a safety barrier
for individuals on top of roof 18, amongst other possible uses.
[0068] Also with reference to Figures 1 and 2, an overhung portion or eave 18-
2 of roof 18
is provided. Eave 18-2 is defined as the portion of roof 18 which extends past
the horizontal
envelope of building 10 (i.e. past exterior walls 16). As an example, eave 18-
2 may be
designed and/or appropriately coated to serve an aesthetic function, to
prevent rain from
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contacting the surface of exterior walls 16, or prevent the ingress of water
at the junction of
walls 16 and roof 18, amongst other possible uses.
[0069] In the illustrated examples, both a parapet 16-2 and an eave 18-2 are
provided in
building 10. Other example configurations are possible, such as where the
entire upper
surface of exterior walls 16 forms a parapet 16-2, or alternatively where the
entire outer
perimeter of roof 18 forms a soffit 18-2. In other embodiments, roof 18 has a
perimeter
substantially conforming to an outer perimeter of walls 16 such that their
respective outer
surfaces are flush with one another.
[0070] Although not illustrated, single-storey buildings described herein may
comprise any
number of desired interior walls, that is, walls disposed within the enclosed
space defined
by floors 14, walls 16 and roof 18. Different ones of the interior walls may
have different
properties depending on their desired application. For example, interior walls
may include,
but are not limited to, the following types of walls:
= fire walls for enclosing a space that requires heightened fire
protection;
= demising walls for separating adjacent rooms or units which require a degree
of
acoustic insulation; and
= corridor walls for defining corridors, hallways, and the like.
It is generally not necessary that these interior walls be made load bearing
as structural
walls such as foundation walls 12 and exterior walls 16 can typically
adequately accomplish
this task. However, in some embodiments of the invention, interior walls are
constructed to
be load bearing.
[0071] In some embodiments, interior walls are used to separate different
rooms of a
private dwelling. In another example embodiment, interior walls define at
least a portion of a
walk-in commercial freezer adjacent a commercial kitchen. In such an example,
the interior
walls are preferably made from prefabricated panels having a high R-value for
thermal
resistance and comprise appropriate cladding or other sealing for sealing the
freezer from
the external kitchen environment.
[0072] Figure 8 is a perspective view of an assembled single-storey building
200 comprising
foundation walls 12, floor 14, exterior walls 16 and roof 18. Building 200 is
similar to building
10 of the Figure 1 embodiment with the difference that building 200 comprises
an irregular
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non-rectangular shape as opposed to building 10 which comprises a uniform
rectangular
cross-section. As illustrated in Figure 9, building 200 may comprise a
plurality of exterior
panels 26F which connect at both an interior facing surface and an exterior
facing surface to
other ones of exterior panels 26 in order to facilitate different building
shapes. By applying a
similar principle to roof panels 28 in conjunction with exterior panels 26
having differing
heights, single-storey buildings with a varying vertical profile may be
achieved.
[0073] Any interior facing or exterior facing surfaces of panels 22, 24, 26
and 28 may be
coated with a cladding, siding or finish to protect the building materials
and/or to achieve a
desired aesthetic effect. For example, any of panels 22, 24, 26 and 28 may be
coated with a
waterproof membrane or have mechanically attached cladding to interior and/or
exterior
faces with materials such as formed metal panels, glass, or granite sheet.
[0074] All of the required prefabricated panels described herein suitable for
constructing a
single-storey building may be manufactured and pre-finished in a plant. The
panels may be
transported to a jobsite efficiently in dense stacks and then connected by any
appropriate
means for creating the desired single-storey building. Systems and methods
described
herein provide for the cost effective and environmentally friendly
construction of a
structurally sound, weather-resistant and insulated building envelope which
may have fully
or partially finished interior and exterior walls.
[0075] Using the systems and methods described herein, single-storey buildings
which are
highly energy efficient and thereby reduce energy consumption can be produced.
The
building envelope of single-storey buildings described herein can be highly
insulative due to
the use of composite insulative building materials. For example, the requisite
R-value for
achieving the 'passive house' energy efficiency standard may be provided in
single-storey
buildings described herein. According to an example embodiment, a single-
storey building
is provided using exterior wall panels 26 having an R-50 insulation value and
using roof
panels 28 having an R-100 insulation value, all of the panels lacking thermal
bridges.
[0076] The scope of the present invention includes a variety of possible
supplementary
designs to single-storey buildings and/or other aspects of single-storey
buildings. Where
suitable, these variations may be applied to any of the single-storey building
embodiments
described herein and include, without limitation, the following:
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= the use of prefabricated panels for creating one of more of the
foundation walls, the
floor, the exterior walls, and the roof in conjunction with the use of
traditional
concrete construction techniques for one or more of the foundation walls, the
floor,
the exterior walls, and the roof. For example, the foundation walls may be
cast in
place concrete walls supporting a cast in place concrete slab serving as the
floor of
the building. Prefabricated panels may be used for the construction of
exterior walls
and the roof, the walls and roof supported by the concrete foundation walls
and/or
the slab;
= piping and other tubes running through insulative cores of prefabricated
panels
described here may be encased in plastic or metal conduit bodies;
= cross bracing between structural elements (e.g. HSS steel frames)
embedded
around the perimeter of an insulative core of foundation panels 22 may be
provided
in a manner similar to cross brace 46 described in relation to exterior panels
26 to
advantageously impart shear resilience to foundational panels 22;
= a single prefabricated panel may serve as both a foundation panel 22 and as
an
exterior wall panel 26. For example, a unitary prefabricated panel may
comprise a
portion located below grade and comprise a portion located above grade when
installed in single-storey buildings of the present invention;
= prefabricated exterior wall panels 26 located above grade when installed
in single-
storey buildings of the present invention may comprise a lower portion serving
as a
foundation for the building. The lower portion of panels 26 in such
embodiments
should have sufficient compressive, transverse, and shear load bearing
capacity;
and
= prefabricated panels of the present invention may comprise a non-uniform
composition and cross-section along either a length of the prefabricated
panel, a
width of the prefabricated panel, or both. In the above example embodiments
comprising a single panel having increased structural requirements in a lower
portion
of the panel, a thickened composite cementitious layer may be provided in the
lower
portion, optionally with a greater number and/or thickness of metal
reinforcing bars
disposed therein. In such embodiments, the lower portion of the panel may
comprise
a greater overall thickness than the upper portion of the panel. In some
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embodiments, the lower portion of prefabricated panels having greater
structural
requirements comprises a different coating than the upper portion of the
panel.
Interpretation of Terms
[0077] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the
description and the
claims:
= "comprise", "comprising", and the like are to be construed in an
inclusive sense, as
opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of
"including, but not limited to";
= "connected", "coupled", or any variant thereof, means any connection or
coupling,
either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling or
connection
between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof;
= "herein", "above", "below", and words of similar import, when used to
describe this
specification, shall refer to this specification as a whole, and not to any
particular
portions of this specification;
= "or", in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of the
following
interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in
the list, and
any combination of the items in the list;
= the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" also include the meaning of any
appropriate
plural forms.
[0078] This description employs a number of simplifying directional
conventions. Directions
are described in relation to a building having an existing vertical building
wall and an
existing horizontal roof. Directions may be referred to as: "external",
"exterior", "outward" or
the like if they tend away from the building; "internal", "interior", "inward"
or the like if they
tend toward the building; "upward" or the like if they tend toward the top of
the building;
"downward" or the like if they tend toward the bottom of the building;
"vertical" or the like if
they tend upwardly, or downwardly, or both upwardly and downwardly;
"horizontal",
"sideways" or the like if they tend in a direction orthogonal to the vertical
direction. Those
skilled in the art will appreciate that these directional conventions are used
for the purpose
of facilitating the description and should not be interpreted in the literal
sense. In particular,
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the invention may be adapted for buildings which have walls that are not
strictly vertically
oriented and/or roofing structures that are inclined.
[0079] For example, while processes or blocks are presented in a given order,
alternative
examples may perform routines having steps, or employ systems having blocks,
in a
.. different order, and some processes or blocks may be deleted, moved, added,
subdivided,
combined, and/or modified to provide alternative or subcombinations. Each of
these
processes or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways. Also,
while
processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these
processes or
blocks may instead be performed in parallel, or may be performed at different
times.
[0080] In addition, while elements are at times shown as being performed
sequentially, they
may instead be performed simultaneously or in different sequences. It is
therefore intended
that the following claims are interpreted to include all such variations as
are within their
intended scope.
[0081] Specific examples of systems, methods and apparatus have been described
herein
for purposes of illustration. These are only examples. The technology provided
herein can
be applied to systems other than the example systems described above. Many
alterations,
modifications, additions, omissions, and permutations are possible within the
practice of this
invention. This invention includes variations on described embodiments that
would be
apparent to the skilled addressee, including variations obtained by: replacing
features,
elements and/or acts with equivalent features, elements and/or acts; mixing
and matching
of features, elements and/or acts from different embodiments; combining
features, elements
and/or acts from embodiments as described herein with features, elements
and/or acts of
other technology; and/or omitting combining features, elements and/or acts
from described
embodiments.
[0082] Various features are described herein as being present in "some
embodiments".
Such features are not mandatory and may not be present in all embodiments.
Embodiments
of the invention may include zero, any one or any combination of two or more
of such
features. This is limited only to the extent that certain ones of such
features are
incompatible with other ones of such features in the sense that it would be
impossible for a
person of ordinary skill in the art to construct a practical embodiment that
combines such
incompatible features. Consequently, the description that "some embodiments"
possess
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feature A and "some embodiments" possess feature B should be interpreted as an
express
indication that the inventors also contemplate embodiments which combine
features A and
B (unless the description states otherwise or features A and B are
fundamentally
incompatible).
[0083] It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims
hereafter
introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations,
additions,
omissions, and sub-combinations as may reasonably be inferred. The scope of
the claims
should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples,
but should be
given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
23
