Building Amazing Dome Homes with Aircrete - A Beginner Friendly & Cost Effective Material
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 มิ.ย. 2024
- Aircrete is a pretty neat alternative building material that mixes dish soap foam and cement to create lightweight bricks. These bricks can be used to build dome homes, traditional houses, and lots of other structures, and it's very DIY and beginner-friendly. Joel from Domegaia sat down to tell us all about the aircrete recipe, how it works, what it costs, what kind of insulation value it has, and where it can be used in the world. He also dives into some of the challenges of building with aircrete, including mixture collapse issues, building permits, and more.
Domegaia has a ton of resources on their website and TH-cam channel, and they also run workshops all around the world. You can follow and find out more about Domegaia on their website, newsletter, and TH-cam channel here:
domegaia.com/
/ @domegaia
Some of the domes featured in this video include:
Domes at Brave Earth Costa Rica
www.braveearth.com/gaiadomes
Dome at Hanuman Maui
www.hanumanmaui.org/
Steve Areen's Dome Home in Thailand
steveareen.com/domehome/
Thanks for watching!
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Website: www.exploringalternatives.ca
Facebook: / exploringalternativesblog
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COMMENTS
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We want our channel and comments section to be an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome to watch and contribute. For this reason, inappropriate or hateful comments will be reported and/or deleted.
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CREDITS
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Music Credit: Exploring Alternatives
Editing Credit: Exploring Alternatives
Filming Credit: Joel and Ella from Domegaia
domegaia.com/
Photo Credit: selected photos provided by Steve Areen
steveareen.com/
#aircrete #domehouse #domegaia - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Thanks for watching! You can follow and find out more about Domegaia here:
domegaia.com/
www.youtube.com/@domegaia
Some of the domes featured in this video include:
Domes at Brave Earth Costa Rica
www.braveearth.com/gaiadomes
Dome at Hanuman Maui
www.hanumanmaui.org/
Steve Areen's Dome Home in Thailand
steveareen.com/domehome/
A beginners guide to RAAC
well presented, even id the guy is a bit scary, and blissfully free of bgmusic .
Thanks so much @ExploringAlternatives, and Dome Gaia. Please share widely, that the use of Magnesium and Silica to replace Portland cement or phosphate based alternatives is the more environmentally friendly/sustainable and probably stronger option.
I wonder if you could hybridize with hemecrete?
They should find a way to use volcanic ash and seawater type water to set it like roman concrete. How does aircrete weather in floods? An aircrete that was based on Roman concrete may be something amazing?
Aircrete (foamed concrete) was used in a lot of schools and public buildings in the UK in the 1960's. They are now discovering a lot of structural issues, leading to the closures of many public schools. It is quite a problem, requiring expensive remediation or replacement.
Edit: thank you for mentioning this issue in your post and highlighting how this video's method is different.
This material is ideal for small structures like these pod homes, but not so great for big square buildings like schools
Would they do well submersed permanently in water, for like a wall decoration?
@@dpr4820 They would have to be fastened somehow. I expect aircrete to float like pumice rock does.
Just wanted to share a bit of info because some people are asking about the story about how some Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) roofs are failing in the UK. We're definitely not experts but we looked it up and it sounds like RAAC is a different way of using aerated concrete that involves steel reinforcement. This Guardian article has more information:
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/04/raac-crisis-who-knew-what-when-crumbling-concrete-england
"With an estimated 30-year lifespan, failures among Raac roof panels in 1950s buildings were inevitable. Engineers also discovered some panels were too thin for the distance they were used to span, some lacked enough steel to anchor them to vertical structures, and leaky roofs triggered a “rapid worsening” of steel corrosion."
The aircrete method featured in this video does not use any metal in the structure so it seems to be quite different than the RAAC method, but just like with any new or alternative building project, it's always a good idea to consult with experts like structural engineers, architects, etc.
Thanks so much for watching :)
It's good you are addressing this here, however a deeper discussion with a materials expert and a cements expert about aircrete, would be appropriate. The statements your guy in the video are making are often vague and troubling, given that a) all materials have limitations, and b) this video can be used or misconstrued by homeowners. Finally, given the claims made in this video, information on global warming potential and structural strength would be useful.
@@acchaladka "...vague and troubling..." is an understatement! Very basic intro.
@@acchaladkaLightweight, cheap, and strong. Pick two 😝
Looks to me like aircrete has its place, just not as a structural element.
Concrete by definition includes aggregate like sand or gravel, so the whole term "Aircrete" is a misnomer. "Cement" is the adhesive substance in concrete that binds all the aggregate in the mix together like glue. What gives concrete its strength is the combination of cement gluing together aggregate, where the aggregate itself lends its structural properties making the end result super strong. If you take out the aggregate and replace it with air it's going to be very brittle and have low strength in compression, tension, and torsion. Meaning - it's definitely going to crack.
I appreciate the deep thought that can go into scrutinizing new methods of building - especially here on youtube.
My mom and I have had air-crete on our radar for nearly a decade now, and we are so excited about this foam pump!
I'd like to know about the resistance factors to extreme elements - how does it do in floods, how much mph wind can it tolerate, is it earthquake rated, are there insulation comparisons with say, straw bale, sand bag cal earth structures, or earth ships, or compared to concrete alone relative to its thickness? Can you use chicken wire inside walls vs. fiberglass, for its EMF blocking abilities? It all looks very intriguing - this was a good intro. Tho it likely varies from state to state, wondering in general how big a structure can be built w/o permit. Hope you follow up with a more indepth report. Would like to know is there an aircrete greenhouse out there?
I think most of what you're concerned about is structural rather than material.
@@Antenoxdoes not material play a part in construction? Even if your construction is great, if you have poor materials, it will still fall. What might be the middle ground?
@@PHE-nomenon Modern buildings are made of many different materials, and it's all about balancing cost, availability, material properties, and construction when choosing which ones to use in which component structures.
In the case the OP is talking about, water and wind cause specific types of stresses on structures, and there are probably ways to design aircrete structures that are just as strong against these stresses (e.g. reinforcing with rebar, designing thicker walls, etc) as more traditional materials. Aircrete can't replace concrete, but aircrete-based composite structures might be a viable replacement for timber-based construction, even if there are some structural differences (e.g. maybe aircrete structures use thicker walls than timber structures)
@@Antenox ok, I see what you're saying. Fair enough...
Here is something I think that will interest you, and really increase the structural strength, "check out using mushroom mycelium, and greatly improves regular concrete etc...., At a very low increase of weight." This would limit the falling collapse, but the end product would not be, near as good. It is hydrophobic, lightweight, but weak to crushing without cement....😔
This looks very interesting for remote locations, since you need to carry less base materials over.
With a robust thick base this could rise atleast 10stories n thus allow for an aircrete city with this curved designs,urban food forests n water treatment mangrove forests.....would be a wonderful place
@@andrewmutavi590 can you point me to resources that actually show if this is possible?
@@aidangonzalez4823 there are non as it's never been done before
I was just thinking how great it would be in remote or hard to access places. I could use this.
The one house that would get me out of my RV would be a hobbit hole. I'm kind of in love with this building method.
I was looking at an RV as a tiny house substitute but honestly this is cuter so I want to ask locally. If it can be properly cooled in this climate it might be interesting indeed .
Love Dome Gaia! Had the best time at their workshops. A life changing experience in every way
Thank you Matt and Danielle this was very interesting. It's amazing how many different materials can be used in building that are economical.Also better for the environment 👍👍 ❤
Those are definitely amazing glamp style little dwellings! Love the open air ones, wow! Great video! 😍
What is the largest residential building that’s been built with aircrete? Would be nice to see a full scale 4500 sf house built with it to show how far you can take the tech
This is pretty amazing! I'd would live in one of these homes, they're really beautiful!☺
Great teaching skills. Very clear!
Totally make sens to use such material. The surf board analogy made it simple to understand.
Thanks for sharing.
Sand will be happy !
Absolutely amazing!!
I like it. Very cool. Seems cost effective. Messy process, but the results definitely seem worth it.
That's awesome 👍 thanks for sharing
I have seen bridges built in the SF bay area and used by MANY heavy semi trucks...fascinating ti watch being built...LOVE IT ...❤
Really unique architecture of this structure. It really is tasteful. Thanks for the content Exploring Alternatives!
Thanks for your comment, happy you enjoyed this intro to aircrete :)
What mean "It not approved as building material"? Here in Russia half of living houses build with Aircrete. We have multiple standarts about Aircrete since Soviet Union.
Nothing strange here,u're brilliant, id buy a home like this in a heartbeat, it's the anatural way to live, the future, excellent work, so beautiful✌🏼🌴🍏✅
that's my future dream home. I love dome houses, this is a fantastic concept.
❤this is just how I imagined my dream home. And about This cement mix, this is a great idea and looks so satisfying.
Wow, gorgeous!
Wow! Awesome!
This is so exciting! I would love a house using this material!
Would depend on what reinforcement was used. And what surface layser. I'd go with a heavy mesh and rlight rebar grid sandwich, some kind of fiberglass outer layer, and hard plaster with fiber interior, and a fine plaster top coat. Interior reinforcement, and a hard waterproof shell.
This is magical !!!
Waou ! I didn't know this technique ! Thank you !
Fascinating!
Perfect for building a life sized fairy house. Super cool
I would use this with tire house building to quickly fill the tires versus pounding with dirt. That is very tasking and time. Filling with foam cement would significantly speed up the building with tires. Aad the tires would be far stronger than just foam cement and fiberglass
I would love to hear how it deals with extreme cold, or repeated freeze / thaw cycles. Conventional portland is prone to cracking and degrading. How many decades should we get out of aircrete? Can it last centuries, or is aircrete only suited for short-lived buildings? It's good to build with, it works well in the short term, but how well does it hold up?
These are amazing
Creativity at it's finest😇♥️💯
incredible material, very curious to learn more.
Lovely. Thank you
I love these. They remind me of cob houses which are my favourite build.
Informative.
Happy you found this video informative, thanks for your comment :)
very unique and extraordinary👍♥️♥️
In my country we use a lot of Ytong. If you're building floors or columns you want to use concrete, but for walls - there is really no need to use anything else unless you really really want to. Bricks are kind of obsolete. Building with Ytong is like building with legos. And you can shape it however you want so you can make some amazing stuff. I guess you can build domes with it if you want to - just like building igloos with ice blocks.
ytong is fairly popular in the balkans as well
What is Ytong?
@@fredericapanon207it's aircrete. like styrofoam but maybe 4 times heavier, easy to shape and very fast to work with, the cement is like 1mm thick, the brick itself is filled with air so its insulated. When I see how all houses in the US are built with studs it looks so 16th century to me. The houses are basically matchboxes.
@@fredericapanon207 it's autoclaved aerated concrete block, very light and durable and has good insulation properties, I don't know exactly how it's used as I don't know anything about construction but I know the name, it's very popular around here
❤️🧡💛 ENJOYED, LIKED, WATCHED, COMMENTED 💚💙💜
Good show mate🖤
Interesting concept. Going to keep this in mind for my future build. Pink building at 8:45 is a humorous shape though.
I'd like to see how this material performs with various modifications like fiber reinforcement added in the mixing stage (with different types of natural and synthetic fibers).
I also wonder how the foaming agent may or may not chemically affect the cement itself.
What I find fascinating with Aircrete is that it seems to be the best marriage of cost, efficiency, and customizability. Most of the aircrete structures I've seen are domes but that's just becaue you can do it that way and it makes the process of building a smaller building easier. You can totally build a rectangular or square building our of aircrete, and especially with a small crane you could use much larger slabs. I'd love to try building a solid building out of aircrete and do load testing.
Beautiful ❤❤
Very interesting video ❤
Very beautful 👍👍
I'd say fine for little builds like a tiny home or for a kids playhouse in a backyard, but can't be used to build houses with. Never forget here in the US, a home will have certain requirements per zone/state, and be built to better withstand earthquakes. I'd mention tornados too but there's still trailer homes which are weak even against an ef1.
I never thought of surfboards as superstrong, but having done home demo, most regular building materials aren't super strong.
Flinstones :D I'll take it
I get so excited about this and other alternative building techniques until I think about my local building department. It would be an automatic NO. It’s so unfortunate and frustrating.
One possible solution is to use a permitted post-frame or pole-barn structure, then use alternative methods for filling in the walls.
That is so cool I want to build one nown
Incrível. ⚘️⚘️⚘️
Every nice!!!
You'd think it would be possible to make blow molded panels (think little tykes cozy coupe toy blow molded) then ship them on site and fill with aircrete. Paint for decoration and UV protection of the blow molded shell ... this would be a lightweight to ship easy to assemble, near permanent structure anyone could build.
Yes, I think this could be possible and some experiments have been done but nothing fully developed to my knowledge.
WOW 😮❤💯
I see it more as a replacement for wood rather than concrete, but so far it seems to work great.
Which are the recommended structure that can be made by this material? I don't think it's for houses or buildings
I'm curious to know if these structures are safe to use in area that are prone to earthquakes, or how to design them in a way where they would be safe in that situation. I live on a few major fault lines.
Nothing can completely protect you from Mother Nature.
@@kasondaleigh Of course, but many building practices are available which save millions of lives for people who live near earthquakes so if i have the option not to be crushed under rubble I will take that option
disis da way!!
😉👌
I love this! I want to try it in Panama, near the beach. Too many termites for wood and I am not a fan of cement block houses.
There's plastic composite lumber...I thought that would be perfect for jungle environments. what about bamboo ?
Do you have photos of a dome in deep snow and what about the snow load I live in upstate New York and I would love one of these if it would work
Wouldn't it be cool if you could do the following:
Frame your structural walls with 1 by 6, spaced 24 inches on center, with gypsum board screwed directly to the inside and suitable exterior panels, whether plywood siding, FRP panels, or galvanized sheet metal, and then simply pour in this Aircrete, a batch at a time to fill in the walls. It would be well- insulated, sealed, and ready for interior paint!
I had this thought as well
Check out aircreteharry on TH-cam, he's doing something like that.
This is fascinating and the dome designs are gorgeous. My main concerns are the materials used and inner air quality. Namely VOCs. Does the aircrete (and especially the fiberglass) materials mean an air purifier is necessary? My dream is to build a small, "green" home, so on the surface aircrete seems perfect, but how healthy are it, and the other materials used, in both the short- and long- term?
Interesting question.
@Spookalina,
I had this same question…. I wonder if there are VOC free foams?
Can aircrete be applied like shot Crete or gunite? How would you recommend installing/insulation a 40,000 ft, structure with aircrete? And making interesting interior facades?
Does the foam provide tensile strength?
Well. I know what I want to try when we get our land!
Sweet. Im not into the interior fiberglass. Could i earth plaster. Or ferro cement.
How does this work in extreme cold and heavy snow ?
Ya, perfect glamping structures
Wish this had been available 17 years ago when I built my home.
Can build to last❤💯
Do you or the organization offer a chance for people to work with you in your organization to learn the whole process? These would make a great alternative for temporary homeless shelters.
What long term testing has been done for these homes and "Aircrete"?
I WANT TO BUILD THIS OMG
hows this hold up after a few years?
this is very reminiscent of some tofu dreg building methods.
your reinforcements and size helps a lot I'm sure.
Is it possible to do stove from air-creat?
Does ot expand or shrink in extreme heat or cold?
Which foundations can you use?
We regularly have 30-50 mph winds both Spring & Fall here. How does this hold up to high winds?
So, like, it's the angel food cake of concrete. Forbidden meringue. Does look like it makes a very cosy hovel and how easily carvable it is would make it great for statue making.
Does these bricks breath ?
How can these stand up to very rainy, wind and cold climates?
Show the crushing strength results pls, Mpa?
Did you film that before or after the UK schools being condemned?
I appreciate the details on the means of re-enforcement methods
Hi and thanks for your comment. We did hear about the news story after posting the video. We're definitely not experts but we looked it up and it sounds like RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) is a different way of using aerated concrete that involves steel reinforcement. This Guardian article has more information:
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/04/raac-crisis-who-knew-what-when-crumbling-concrete-england
"With an estimated 30-year lifespan, failures among Raac roof panels in 1950s buildings were inevitable. Engineers also discovered some panels were too thin for the distance they were used to span, some lacked enough steel to anchor them to vertical structures, and leaky roofs triggered a “rapid worsening” of steel corrosion."
The aircrete method featured in this video does not use any metal in the structure so it seems to be quite different than the RAAC method, but just like with any new or alternative building project, it's always a good idea to consult with experts like structural engineers, architects, etc.
Thanks so much for watching :)
Would the heat of a “persistent” house fire eventually melt the aircrete or even the fumes from melting foam cause a problem? Also what about earthquakes? How do they hold up in non catastrophic “typical” earthquakes?
А что за пена, которую к цементу добавляют?
How much time does it take to make enough bricks to make one of these small structures?
You have stated this is low cost, but have not really discussed how labor intensive it is to make the bricks. It appears to be a lot of steps done in small batches. I'm assuming the labor cost, or personal time required, is not insignificant when considering building with this material.
So how do you find circular windows like that?
WATER INGRESS: Must bear in mind that its (surely?) an open-cell porous material, totally dependent on the integrity of outer coating . like all open cell insulation,any moisture ingress over time will reduce the R value As well as structural strength.
Most wall insulation is far more water absorbing than aircrete. Depending on the foaming agent, most aircrete is closed cell and will absorb water very very slowly. Regardless you are right that keeping any wall dry is important.
@@domegaia Thank you
Is it possible to use lime instead of cement?
how do you water tight it?
Is there any risk using fiberglass as an external building material? I know fiberglass can cause serious health issues if you are exposed to the fibers. Breathing issues, Skin irritation and possible cancerous issues if it is breathed often.
Is it as fire resistant as concrete?
Hmm, seems too good to be true but very interesting. How about VOC exposure during mixing, construction or thereafter and how about particles being released into the atmosphere when you shave it?
What is the foaming agent?
If you swapped the soap for Dr. Bronner's it'd be the most Portland thing on Earth
Love it!
The dream of Bronners Aircrete is alive in Portland.
Is there a life expectancy of this material???
How is Portland Concrete different from regular?