Hybrid Building Sections for Faster Low-Transport Housing Construction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional housing construction methods are slow, expensive, and environmentally impactful, with prefabricated modular buildings facing challenges such as large factory space requirements, costly transportation, and complex on-site assembly, which limits their adoption in the construction industry.
Innovation Solution
The hybrid residential building system consists of a first building section constructed on-site using conventional methods and a second, more complex building section built off-site, which is transportable and connects to the first section to form the complete building, reducing on-site complexity and transportation costs while allowing for quality-controlled construction of complex features like staircases and bathrooms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If modular building units are constructed in a factory and transported to the final location, then construction speed and quality control are improved, but factory space requirements and transportation costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The building is divided into two distinct sections: a first building section constructed on-site using conventional methods, and a second building section constructed off-site using modular methods. This segmentation allows the benefits of modular construction to be applied to only the portion of the building that requires complex features, while avoiding the need to construct and store entire large modular units at the factory.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from the traditional approach of constructing complete modular units in three dimensions at the factory to a hybrid approach where the modular section is integrated with the on-site constructed section. This dimensional change in the construction methodology allows for reduced factory space requirements while maintaining the advantages of modular construction for the second building section.
2Productivity
If modular building units are transported from factory to final location, then construction efficiency is improved, but transportation costs and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the building into two sections with different construction methodologies, the patent reduces the size and complexity of the modular unit that needs to be transported. Only the second building section requiring complex features is constructed off-site and transported, while the first building section is constructed on-site, thereby reducing transportation time and costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complex features like staircases and bathrooms are constructed on-site, then flexibility is maintained, but construction time and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the building functions by placing complex features such as staircases and bathrooms within the second building section that is constructed off-site using modular methods. This allows these complex features to be manufactured with high precision and quality control in a controlled environment, while the first building section maintains design flexibility for simpler areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The second building section serves as a pre-fabricated copy or module containing complex features that can be replicated with high precision. This copying approach allows complex features to be manufactured once with exact specifications and then installed as complete units, significantly reducing on-site construction time and labor requirements.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If traditional masonry construction methods are used, then building durability is achieved, but construction speed and environmental impact worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two construction methodologies: conventional on-site construction for the first building section and off-site modular construction for the second building section. This hybrid approach combines the durability and flexibility of traditional methods with the speed and efficiency of modern modular construction, achieving both long-lasting buildings and faster construction rates.
Data Source
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AI summary
Hybrid buildings, hybrid building systems, methods of constructing hybrid buildings, and a method of ventilating such a building are disclosed. First and second building sections forming part of such buildings are also disclosed. One such hybrid residential building (1800) comprises a first building section (1810) and a second building section (1820). The first building section is an on-site construction at a final location for the building and defines an internal volume (1813) that provides a living space (1815) within the building. The second building section defines an internal volume (1823) and is transportable to the final location in a substantially assembled form. The first and second building sections are connected at the final location to form the building. The building comprises a ventilation system (1860) which is configured to supply external air into the building, and to withdraw internal air from the building and to discharge it to the building exterior, to thereby control ventilation of the building.