Is a Monolithic Dome Green?

Bruco the caterpillar is a 240′ long, 60′ wide and 24′ high dome structure used for manufacturing the Airforms on site in Italy, Texas.

This is a hard question to answer for many.  “Green” means a lot of things to different people.  The word can be used interchangeably with sustainable or environmental friendly.  In my studies I’ve learned some of the most important aspects of buildings that are green or sustainable must consider the physical environment, social environment and the economic viability.  The construction or building industry has great potential to improve our future’s environmental, social and economic status; this idea is of course not a new one and perhaps not surprising to a lot of people.  Buildings require a lot of natural resources, a lot of man power and ultimately a lot of energy to construct and maintain over their lifetime.

What is surprising to me is how the Monolithic Dome can be part of the building industry for such a long time and not become more recognized for its ability to be sustainable.  A good handful of individuals have noted their green building characteristics and have capitalized on them, but in the long term scope the domes simply haven’t caught onto main stream green building practices.  Why do you think that is?

The Monolithic Dome has the potential to be the greenest building ever constructed.  Several basic aspects of the structure give it some sustainable qualities right off the bat.  First off, the stability and durability of the structure is such that its’ lifetime is measured in centuries.  Consider the reduction in cost, resources, energy and man-power that not having to repair or demolish and reconstruct a building would bring.  The Monolithic Dome is made of rebar, shotcrete and polyurethane foam, which is used for insulation.  Sustainable has been defined as the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations.  Not having to rebuild the core structure of a home, school, office building, manufacturing facility and any other type of building provides sustainability in the very essence of the word’s meaning.

The other quality of the Monolithic Dome that supports sustainable development is its ability to reduce the need to cool or warm the interior environment.  Energy is a big topic in the world of sustainability and in economics because our society revolves around energy and energy requires a great deal of monetary investment.  Therefore, when we consider the amount of energy needed to power our buildings it makes sense to consider ways to reduce the energy demand of those buildings.  Monolithic Dome owners can testify to energy savings in their power bills.  They can testify to a larger range of time in which the temperature inside of their building remains constant and fluctuates by a very small margin, even during the hot months in the State of Texas.  If this is not enough the Monolithic Dome Institute claims that their buildings save an average of 30-50% in heating and cooling costs.  I’m not exactly sure, but given the dimensions of Bruco (detailed in picture above) what might you expect the electricity bill to be during the summer months for such a building?  (keep in mind it’s used for manufacturing purposes).  I have records of the electric bill and would like to compare!

Other qualities that make the Monolithic Dome a candidate for the greenest building ever invented is the efficiency in the building phase, the easy access around the world for the few building materials required and the cost of building one.  When compared to a conventional structure, the Monolithic Dome costs the same, if not less, to build.  In addition, further savings can be realized by looking at the reduction in cost of energy bills and maintenance or re-construction costs.  A wood panel on a vulnerable part of a home that has soaked up a little too much water and is rotting will not be a concern in a Monolithic Dome, for example.  The outside of the dome should be coated with paint, but structural maintenance is rarely needed.  Roof shingles never have to be replaced, as they are not a necessary part of the structure.  Furthermore, the domes can be equipped with any type of instrument, mechanism and appliance that would further aid in reducing the carbon footprint of the structure, such as rain water catching systems, efficient appliances, solar panels, et cetera.

I can find a few areas in which the Monolithic Dome’s sustainability or “green” building rating may be criticized by some.  No, wait.  I can only think of one; perhaps the manufacturing process in the materials used or the materials themselves?  For an expert in the field, conducting a life-cycle analysis seems to be vital to fully understanding the costs and benefits of Monolithic Domes, but I find it hard to believe that such savings in energy and cost, as outlined above, could outweigh any negative aspects associated with the building materials.

Is there any quality I’m missing that would keep Monolithic Domes from being an absolutely sustainable type of development?