Basalt Fiber Rebar

Image 12 — Corrosion resistant basalt rebar is tied with plastic zip ties as opposed to wire.

The construction industry is becoming aware of the existence of reinforcing bars made from fiber-reinforced plastic. Fiberglass rebar has been on the market for some time, making inroads where steel rebar doesn’t work well. There is now a new entry into this field, rebar made from basalt continuous filaments.

Design/Build: The Better System

Design/Build (D/B) is one way of constructing a project. As such, it differs from Design/Bid/Build. In D/B, both the design and the building of a structure/s are the responsibility of one professional or one company. That professional may be a general contractor, an architect or an engineer.

More about the Monolithic Dome School

Emmett High School — Located in Idaho, Emmett High School was the first Monolithic Dome school build.  This five-dome facility has 900 students who use two 180-foot diameter domes that house classrooms and a gymnasium. The three smaller domes function as woodworking, metal and auto shops.

Monolithic Domes are proven survivors of tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires and bullets. They meet or exceed all regional building codes and requirements. They also meet or exceed FEMA’s specifications for a structure to provide near-absolute protection against tornadoes and hurricanes.

More about the Monolithic Dome Churches

First Church of Religious Science of Hemet consists of two unique domes: the larger one (100’x 33’) that houses the sanctuary with seating for 300 and the smaller dome (80′ × 27′) that functions as a social hall.

There is no such thing as a free lunch, but the Monolithic Dome comes close. Generally, over a period of twenty years, savings in energy expenses equal the full cost of a Monolithic Dome facility. So, in effect, it becomes free.

More about the Monolithic Dome Home

Bonnie and Bill McLeod built their hunting lodge in Blackwell, Texas: a Monolithic Dome with a 60-foot diameter, a 30-foot height, two stories, and 5200 square feet of living space that they named “our Dome on the Range”.

As a Monolithic Dome, your dream home can be single-story or multi-story. It could consist of one dome or two or more interconnected domes. It could sport a basement, loft or indoor swimming pool. It could be earth-bermed or totally underground. It can compliment its natural environment — whether that’s a mountain, a beach, a forest, a ranch or an urban development. And its interior and exterior can be enhanced, embellished and decorated following the same design principles that apply to traditional homes.