Abstract :
This paper describes an ongoing project to
demonstrate an affordable, safe, and energy-efficient housing
technology based on expanded polystyrene (EPS) panels
with a cementitious coating. The concepts being described
are (1) EPS panels embedded with galvanized steel trusses,
steel mesh welded or clipped to the protruding points of the
trusses and finished with a coating of cement plaster; (2)
fiber-reinforced cement board panels and a core of EPS,
glued together with high-strength adhesive, dried under high
pressure, and connected with cellulose fiber cement board
splines; and (3) EPS panels coated with a fiber-reinforced
composite. The scope of this project is to model energy
flows, analyze costs, simulate seismic forces, test against
environmental conditions, and build pilot houses initially in
California, Texas and Afghanistan. Results from air quality
and energy flow analyses, preliminary cost modeling,
structural calculations, and fire testing are reported. The
performance goals address seismic safety; energy efficiency
in extreme temperatures to reduce fuel use and indoor air
quality hazards; affordability and simplicity of construction,
as well as ease of expansion for future development; local
employment opportunities and small-scale capital investments;
and finally, cultural acceptance through education
and adaptation to traditional architecture
