Domes can adapt to uses as varied as schools, churches, and sports facilities. These sturdy, energy-efficient domes are relatively inexpensive to build and maintain. They can cost half as much to heat and cool as traditional structures. The monolithic dome construction process is fairly simple. It begins with a circular concrete foundation.
Special fans inflate the airform, forming the shape of the dome.
Steel reinforcing bar, arrayed in a specially engineered horizontal and vertical hoop layout, is attached to hooks embedded in the foam. Next, shotcrete, a special mix of concrete, is sprayed on the interior surface of the building, covering the rebar. After several inches of shotcrete are in place, a monolithic dome of steel-reinforced concrete has been created. Because most of the construction work takes place inside the structure, the building process moves quickly. In fact, construction can even proceed around the clock.