Inflatable Concrete Forms – Faster and Cheaper Homes
Inflatable concrete-formed homes are quick to and inexpensive to build and, when used with suitable concrete, very environmentally sound. One company has taken the idea to market, building inflatable concrete homes.
Using complex structural inflatable forms, Automatic Homes in New York builds concrete houses faster and cheaper than other methods, including 3D-printed concrete. The company rapidly deploys its inflatable forms, then fills the inside with concrete to make walls, window and door openings and even roofs. When the concrete is set, the form can be left as part of the concrete shell, which serves as an energy-saving, waterproof, and airtight barrier. Then, extras like doors, windows, drywall, and siding are added.
The process is simple and quick. After site selection, permitting and preparation, the formwork is delivered in large rolls. These are unrolled, placed into position, and a high-volume air pump inflates them. The concrete is then pumped into the forms while the air pump and rigid structural elements continue to maintain the shape until the concrete is set. The forms include any 3D elements, such as windows and doorways.
The concrete can be any type; standard ready-mix to lower the cost, aircrete for better insulative properties or hempcrete for carbon capture. Unlike a 3D-printed concrete home with no forming, the inflatable forms stay in place when finished, creating a water and vapour barrier. Finally, the windows, doors and finishes are applied, and the house is completed. When finished, the house looks no different than any other.
The houses take shape very quickly. During testing, 100-square-foot and 200-square-foot prototypes took just seven to 10 minutes to inflate with air, then 90 minutes to fill with concrete. Including labour, the prototypes cost just $20 per square foot.
Automatic Homes’ website also shows an offering of Accessory Dwelling Units ADUs) that allow homeowners to add useful space to their homes for home offices, studios or guest houses. Currently, the company only sells houses to clients in the Hudson Valley area of New York.
