Patent Publication Number: US-2011047912-A1

Title: High performance building panel

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application to Duane Armijo entitled “HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING PANEL,” Ser. No. 61/238,080, filed Aug. 28, 2009, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates generally to building components and more particularly to panels used to create building walls, floors, and ceilings. 
     2. State of the Art 
     Building structures are typically constructed on-site from wood, brick, stucco, and steel, as well as other materials. Wood has always been a favorite because of its easy availability, its hardiness and the ease with which it can be formed and connected to make different shaped building structures. Wood is still the most common element use as the basis for creating building walls and building roofs in homes and smaller industrial buildings. Brick and concrete blocks are also commonly used for walls in homes and commercial buildings. Steel is used as the structural element in some homes and in most commercial construction. In recent years the construction industry has been working to develop building construction techniques and material which are environmentally friendly during both construction and usage of the building. 
     The use of wood can be discouraged because it uses the natural resource of trees and there is much waste when the wood is cut and some of it discarded on the building site. For both brick and steel, there is a push to reduce the energy consumption of forming these basic building structures and in using recycled material in the fabrication of the mortar and steel components. There is a need for building components which use a minimum of resources and energy to manufacture, which reduce the amount of material waste at the building site, and which are energy efficient once assembled into a building structure. 
     Typical building construction techniques include sending the basic building blocks of wood, steel, bricks or blocks to the building site, where they are cut, formed, and connected into a building. This can require a high level of manpower and energy consumption at the building site to construct the building, and can result in wasted raw materials. There is a need for building components which are formed to the correct size and shape during manufacture and which can then be quickly and easily connected to create a building at the site, resulting in a minimum of resource usage and labor at the building site. 
     The construction and maintenance of temporary shelters also pose several problems. When tents are used the tents are not energy efficient and the walls are not sturdy. When wooden structures are used as temporary shelters, the temporary building is difficult to reuse due to the nails and other connecting means which are hard to separate from the building material once the structure is taken down after the first use. Much of the building material is wasted and often the structure can only be used once. There is a need for building components which can be used to create sturdy, energy efficient temporary structures that can be assembled quickly and easily, and reused over and over. 
     Therefore, building components are proposed which are manufactured to the needed size and shape at the factory, require minimal energy resources to create and sustain a building, can be reused in the case of temporary shelters, and require minimum labor to assemble into a building. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to building components, and more particularly to panels used to form walls, floors, and roofs of buildings. The buildings constructed from these panels can be homes, offices, storage facilities, or any other type of building structure. The present invention discloses a building system comprising a first panel formed of expanded polystyrene with a front surface, a back surface, and an edge surface, and a second panel formed of expanded polystyrene with a front surface, a back surface, and an edge surface, wherein the first panel and the second panel are used to form a portion of a building. In some embodiments the first panel has a tongue, and the second panel has a groove, and the tongue and the groove are used to couple the first panel and the second panel together. In some embodiments the tongue and groove are coupled together with a latch mounted in the tongue of the first panel and a latch receiver mounted in the groove of the second panel. The first panel and the second panel can be formed by molding the expanded polystyrene. In some embodiments the first and the second panel are formed by molding other moldable materials. In some embodiments structural elements are molded into the first or the second panel. The structural element can be formed of light gage steel. 
     The invention discloses a building system comprising a first panel with a front surface, a back surface, and an edge surface, wherein the panel has a tongue on one of the surfaces. A second panel is disclosed with a front surface, a back surface, and an edge surface, wherein the second panel has a groove formed in one of its surfaces for receiving the tongue from the first panel. A lock located in the tongue couples to a lock receiver mounted in the groove to couple the first panel to the second panel. The first or the second panel can be formed by molding from a moldable material. In some embodiments the first or the second panel are formed of expanded polystyrene material. The first or the second panel can have a structural element molded into the panel. This structural element can be formed of light gage steel. The first or the second panel can have an end cap placed over an edge. The end cap can be formed of light gage steel. In some embodiments a metal mesh is molded into the panel. In some embodiments the first panel has two tongues on a surface, and the second panel has two grooves on a surface, wherein the two tongues mate with the two grooves to couple the first and second panel together. 
     A method of constructing a building is disclosed comprising constructing a floor system for a building, and then assembling a wall system from a plurality of expanded polystyrene panels, wherein a first panel has a tongue on one of its surfaces and a second panel has a groove on one of its surfaces, wherein the tongue couples with the groove to join the two panels. The wall system is connected to the floor system, followed by assembling a roof system and connecting the roof system to the wall system. A door is attached to the wall system to form a building. The method can include many other steps. In some embodiments windows are added. In some embodiments additional doors are added. In some embodiments the expanded polystyrene panels comprising the wall system are formed by molding. In some embodiments the floor system is comprised of expanded polystyrene panels. In some embodiments the roof system is comprised of expanded polystyrene panels. In some embodiments the expanded polystyrene panels can be coupled together with a latch in the tongue and a latch receiver in the groove. 
     The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view, perspective view, and side view of a panel  100  which is one embodiment of a component of building system  102  according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of panels  100  and  100   a  according to the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of panels  100  and  100   a  of  FIG. 2  connected using tongues  112  and grooves  114 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top view, perspective view, and side view of panel  100  of  FIG. 1  with end caps  120  added. 
         FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  are a top view and side view, respectively, of a panel  100  according to the invention with lock assemblies  129  added 
         FIG. 5   c  is a perspective view of lock assembly  129  used in panel  100  according to the invention 
         FIG. 5   d  shows end and side views of rotating latch  136  and latch receiver  138  of lock assembly  129 . 
         FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  are additional perspective views of panels  100  and panels  100   a  according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  are perspective views of panels  100   b  and  100   c  according to the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view, perspective view, and side view of a panel  100   d  according to the invention. 
         FIG. 9   a  shows components of building system  102  as embodiments of panels  100   d  connected together with hinge  160 . 
         FIGS. 9   b  and  9   c  shows embodiments of panels  100   d  of building system  102  showing tongues  112 , grooves,  114 , and rotating latches  136  and latch receivers  138  of lock assembly  129 . 
         FIG. 9   d  shows an embodiment of panel  100   d  with inner layer  154 . 
         FIGS. 10   a  and  10   b  shows components of building system  102  as embodiments of panels  100   e  including exterior coating  150   
         FIG. 11   a  through  FIG. 11   e  shows components of building system  102  as embodiments of panels  100   e  connected as a wall-to-roof connection. 
         FIG. 12   a  shows components of building system  102  as embodiments of panels  100  connected together to form floor system  141 . 
         FIG. 12   b  shows components of building system  102  as embodiments of panels  100  connected together to form wall system  142 , which is connected to floor system  141 . 
         FIG. 12   c  shows components of building system  102  as embodiments of panels  100  connected together to form roof system  143 , which is connected to wall systems  142 . 
         FIG. 12   d  shows components of building system  102  as embodiments of panels  100  connected together to form building  140  with window  182  and door  183  attached. 
         FIG. 13  shows components of building system  102  as embodiments of panels  100   e  connected as a wall-to-roof connection 
         FIG. 14  shows components of building system  102  as embodiments of panels  100   d  and how the various embodiments of panels  100   d  can be connected in wall-to-floor connections, wall-to-wall connections, wall-to-roof connections, and other embodiments. 
         FIG. 15  shows a method  200  according to the invention where method  200  is a method of constructing a building. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to building components, and more particularly to panels used to form walls, floors, and roofs of buildings. 
     Conventional building construction materials and techniques result in a high level of waste and energy-inefficiency. Using wood to build structures reduces natural resources and much of the wood is wasted on-site as wooden pieces are cut to fit. On-site construction techniques require high labor costs and low re-use of building materials after the life of the building. There is a need in the construction industry for building components which use resources more efficiently throughout the entire construction chain, from manufacture of construction material and components, through construction of a building, throughout the useful life of a building, and by efficient recycling and reuse of materials after the building life is ended. There is also a particular need for building components for temporary structures and shelters which are configurable, rapidly deployable, energy-efficient, and re-usable many times. The current invention provides a solution to these problems, disclosing panels used for constructing a building made from energy conserving and recycled base materials. The panels according to the invention are manufactured for modular, scalable, and customizable construction, and the resultant structure composed of these panels forms an energy efficient, user-friendly, long life structure. 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the invention as panel  100 , a component of building system  102  according to the invention.  FIG. 1   a  shows a top view of panel  100  according to the invention.  FIG. 1   b  shows a perspective view of panel  100 , and  FIG. 1   c  shows a side view of panel  100 . 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of panel  100  having back surface  122 , front surface  124 , and four edge surfaces  125 ,  126 ,  127 , and  128 . Panel  100  has tongue  112  on edge  127  and groove  114  on edge  128 . Panel  100  also includes four structural elements  116 . 
     In this embodiment panel  100  is composed of expanded polystyrene (EPS) material. Using expanded polystyrene allows panels to be formed by molding. These panels can be formed in any size and shape to create buildings of any size and shape, including curved and multi-story structures. Using expanded polystyrene results in panels with excellent thermal protection. The panels are lightweight and can be used for walls, floors, or roof systems. The EPS can be recycled after the useful life of the building is over. Panel  100  is made of EPS material in this embodiment so that panel  100  has weight, strength and thermal characteristics suitable for buildings. Indeed, panel  100  has insulative properties, including at least R12 insulation in the panel  100  that is used in the walls of the building and at least R15 insulation in the panel  100  that is used in the floor or roof of the building. In this embodiment panel  100  is formed from EPS but plastic, fiber, foam, or any other suitable material can be used to form panel  100 . In some embodiments panel  100  is formed from material other than expanded polystyrene. In some embodiments panel  100  according to the invention can be made from Neopor® material. In some embodiments panel  100  can be made from an anti-ballistic material. 
     Panel  100  can be made in any dimension suitable for the building it will be forming. In a particular embodiment panel  100  is 5.5 inches thick, 48 inches wide, and 96 inches tall, or long. In other embodiments panel  100  has other dimensions. The thickness of panel  100  is chosen to provide the thermal and mechanical requirements of the building to be formed. In some houses for example, panel  100  will be thick enough to provide high thermal insulation, high mechanical strength and a long lifetime. In other embodiments, such as where panel  100  is used for temporary shelter or temporary buildings, a thinner panel may be desired so that panel  100  is lightweight and can be carried and assembled easily. 
     Panel  100  in this embodiment is molded from EPS for ease of manufacture, but in other embodiments panel  100  can be extruded or formed into the correct dimensions using other means. In some embodiments of the invention panel  100  has an air cavity within panel  100 . This will result in panels  100  that are lightweight. 
     Panel  100  as shown in  FIG. 1  has tongue  112  on edge  127  and groove  114  on edge  128 . Tongue  112  of panel  100  is formed such that it will couple with groove  114  of an adjacent panel  100 , as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . Tongue as used in this document is defined as a protuberance from a structure which couples with a corresponding groove in a mating structure to couple the two structures together. And groove is defined as the corresponding mating channel for the tongue. This is the common definition of tongue and groove as used in the building industry. Tongue  112  and groove  114  are shown in this embodiment as rectangular shaped structures, but any shape can be used which will allow the two panels to repeatably, or non-repeatably, couple together. In some embodiments tongue  112  can be circular or oval shaped. In some embodiments tongue  112  can be shaped with ridges or curves. In some embodiments tongue  112  can include multiple protuberances, and groove  114  can have multiple channels. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  tongue  112  has a single protuberance and groove  114  has a single channel. 
     Panel  100  includes structural elements  116  which provide the function of structural studs within the panels. In this embodiment structural element  116  is made of light gage steel to add structural support to panel  100  and to provide a surface on the front and back of panel  100  to attach or mount other structures to. Structural elements  116  take the place of studs as used in a wood frame building structure. Panel  100  has four square tubular structural elements  116  as shown, two along front surface  124  and two along back surface  122 . Structural elements  116  can be formed into panel  100  during molding. In this embodiment structural elements  116  are formed of light gage steel, but in general structural elements  116  can be formed of any suitable material such as metal, plastic, wood, or any other material which will provide the function of adding structural integrity and serving as a wall, ceiling, or floor stud for mounting or attaching to. Structural elements can take many different forms, as will be seen in later figures, and be placed in any desired configuration relative to the structure of panel  100 . Creating panel  100  from molding allows the shape and placement of elements within panel  100  to be flexible and configurable during manufacture of panels  100 . 
     Panel  100  can have other items molded into the structure of panel  100  as needed. Tubes or channels can be molded into panel  100  to route wires or pipe through. Wire mesh can be embedded into panel  100  to provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, radio frequency (RF) shielding, and/or infrared (IR) shielding as needed for the building to be assembled using panel  100 . Panel  100  can be molded with openings or holes for windows, air vents, pipes, etc to be installed or pass through. Since molds can be made in any shape, size, and outline, the form of panel  100  is not limited by the starting material as it is with wood or brick building materials. 
     Panel  100  is shown in  FIG. 1  as a flat square panel, with tongue  112  on one edge and groove  114  on another edge. Panel  100  according to the invention, however, can be many different shapes according to the intended use in the building. Panel  100  in some embodiments is square, rectangular, triangular or any other shape necessary in building a particular structure. Panel  100  can have tongues  112  on multiple surfaces, including any of the edges or the front surface  124  or back surface  122 . Panel  100  can have grooves  114  on multiple surfaces, including any of the edges or the front surface  124  or back surface  122 . 
     Panel  100  does not have to be flat.  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  shows how panel  100  and panel  100   a  are mated together to form a portion of a building wall with corner  118 . Panel  100   a  has corner  118  which can form a corner in a wall. Corner  188  can also form a corner on a roof, floor, or any other building surface. Panel  100   a  has structural element  116   a  molded into the interior of corner  118  and structural element  116  molded into the exterior of corner  118  to add strength and structural integrity to corner  118 . Panel  100  a shows a 90-degree corner  118 , but in some embodiments corners can be molded into panel  100  which have different angles, typically ranging from 0 to 180 degrees. Whatever angle is needed for the building to be assembled can be molded into panel  100 . It should be understood that panel  100  can be constructed in any particular size and shape needed to form any portion of a building as needed. 
     Tongue  112  of adjacent panels  100  mount into groove  114  of panel  100  as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 . In some embodiments tongue  112  and groove  114  can be formed so that this coupling is a one-time coupling which can not be reversed. In some embodiments tongue  112  and groove  114  are formed so that the coupling is repeatable and reversible. In other embodiments tongue  112  and groove  114  are coupled so that the attachment is not permanent but may be difficult to reverse. The permanency of coupling is determined by the building and its use. For temporary structures which may be assembled and disassembled many times during the life of the panels, couplings for tongue  112  and groove  114  which are reversible may are used. For permanent structures it may be desirable in some embodiments to couple tongue  112  and groove  114  in a permanent fashion. In other embodiments where the building is long-term but changes might be desirable, the coupling can be durable and reversible but not necessarily be quick to reverse. 
       FIG. 4  shows components of building system  102  according to the invention including panel  100  with end caps  120 .  FIG. 4   a  shows a cross-section of two end caps  120 . End caps  120  in this embodiment are formed of light gage steel and provide protection to edges  127  and  128  of panel  100 .  FIG. 4   b  shows a top edge view of panel  100  with end caps  120  mounted to respective ends  127  and  128 .  FIG. 4   c  and  FIG. 4   d  shows a perspective view and side view, respectively, of panel  100  with end caps  120  mounted to edges  127  and  128 . Tongue  112  and groove  114  of edges  127  and  128  can be the weakest elements of panel  100  due to the small structural width and the stresses they experience during shipping and assembling. End caps  120  protect tongue  112  and groove  114  from chipping, breaking, bending, mis-shaping, etc. and add structural strength after assembling. End caps  120  can be formed into panel  100  during manufacturing or added to panel  100  after forming panel  100 . End caps  120  can be any shape needed to match the contours of panel  100 . End caps  120  in this embodiment are made of light gage steel, but end caps  120  can be formed of any material capable of protecting the edges of panel  100 . End caps  120  can be made of plastic, metal, or other durable material. The end caps  120  may run the length of the panel  100  along the edges  127  and  128  or, alternatively, the end caps  120  may cover only a portion of the edges  127  and  128 . Where the end caps  120  run the entire length of the edges  127  and  128 , the end caps  120  can have openings therein to accommodate a latch  136  and latch receiver  138 , to be discussed in more detail below. 
       FIG. 5  shows components of building system  102  according to the invention including panel  100  with lock assemblies  129 . In this embodiment lock assembly  129  is an R2-0267-02 lock from Allegis Corporation. In other embodiments different lock assemblies  129  are used.  FIG. 5   a  shows a top view of two panels  100  coupled with lock assemblies  129 .  FIG. 5   b  shows a side view of two panels  100  coupled with lock assemblies  129 .  FIG. 5   c  shows a perspective view of lock assembly  129 , and  FIG. 5   d  shows side cross-sections of lock assembly  129 . Lock assembly  129  is used to couple tongue  112  and groove  114 . In some embodiments lock assembly  129  can repeatably couple tongue  112  and groove  114 . In this embodiment lock assembly  129  includes latch  136 , which includes rotating tumbler  131  and latch actuator  135 , and latch receiver  138 . Panel  100  includes latch hole  132 , latch receiver hole  134 , and lock access hole  130  (see  FIG. 10 ). Latch  136  is positioned in panel  100  next to groove  114 , in latch hole  132 . Latch receiver  138  is positioned in panel  100  in latch receiver hole  134 , in tongue  112  (see  FIG. 10 ). Latch  136  and latch receiver  138  are positioned in panel  100  so that when tongue  112  and groove  114  are mated for assembly, latch  136  can be accessed through lock access hole  130  to activate latch  136 , which will couple latch  136  to latch receiver  138 , which couples tongue  112  to groove  114 . In this way latch  136  couples to latch receiver  138  of an adjacent panel  100 , coupling adjacent panels  100  together. In this way tongue  112  is coupled to groove  114 , coupling adjacent panels  100  together.  FIG. 5  shows panel  100  comprising six latches  136  and six latch receivers  138 , three on each of two sides, but any number of latch  136  and latch receivers  138  can be used along any appropriate edges to couple panels  100  together.  FIG. 5  shows latch  136  and latch receiver  138  being used to couple together two panels  100  which are both flat, but latches  136  and latch receivers  138  can be used with any type or shape of panel  100 , such as corner panel  100   a  of  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , or any other type or shape of panel  100 . 
       FIG. 6   a  and  FIG. 6   b  show additional illustrations of components of building system  102  as panels  100  and  100   a  according to the invention, including panel  100  and  100   a  formed of EPS, tongue  112  and groove  114  molded into panel  100  and  100   a , and structural elements  116  molded into panel  100  and  100   a.    
       FIG. 7   a  and  FIG. 7   b  shows additional embodiments of panel  100  according to the invention, including corner panel  100   b  and flat panel  100   c . Panels  100   b  and  100   c  can be formed of molded EPS, with tongue  112  and groove  114  on edges  127  and  128 . Panels  100   b  and  100   d  have structural elements  116  which consist of square tubular structural element  116 , corner structural elements  116   a , and v-shaped structural elements  116   b . Panel  100   b  and  100   c  can have a smaller thickness than panels  100  and  100   a . It should be understood that panel  100  can be made any suitable thickness according to the strength, weight, and thermal and structural characteristics needed for specific buildings. Panel  100   b  and  100   c  can be used when lighter and thinner panels are desired. Any type or placing of structural elements  116  can be used to provide the desired structural or attachment requirements. 
       FIG. 8  shows additional components of building system  102  according to the invention including panel  100   d  having two tongues  112  on edge  127  and two grooves  114  on edge  128 . Multiple tongues  112  and grooves  114  add strength and durability to the coupling of adjacent panels  100   d .  FIG. 8   a  shows a top edge view of panel  100   d ,  FIG. 8   b  a perspective view of panel  100   d , and  FIG. 8   c  a side view of panel  100   d . Panel  100   d  as shown includes lock assembly  129 . In some embodiments panel  100   d  does not include lock assembly  129 .  FIG. 9   a  shows multiple panels  100   d  coupled together using tongues  112 , grooves  114 , and lock assembly  129 . In some embodiments panel  100   d  can include end caps  120  as shown in  FIG. 9   a . Panel  100   d  includes structural elements  116   c  molded into panel  100   d . Structural elements  116   c  have a different shape than structural elements  116 ,  116   a , and  116   b  shown earlier. Structural elements  116   c  have a wing-shape as shown. Panel  100   d  can in some embodiments include structural elements  116 ,  116   a , or  116   b  shown in other figures, or different shaped structural elements  116 . It should be understood that structural element  116  can take many different shapes and forms as desired. 
     Panel  100  according to the invention can be formed in any shape and connected in many ways to create a structure. Panels  100  can be used to form walls, floors or roofs of a building, or any other structure. Panel  100  can be formed with a thickness that fits the thermal and mechanical needs of the building to be formed. Panel  100  can be formed with many different numbers and shapes of structural elements  116  embedded therein, to provide the needed attachment, support and strength. 
       FIG. 9   a  shows an additional embodiment of components of building system  102  according to the invention, including panels  100   d  and coupled together with hinge  160 . Hinge  160  allows panels  100   d  to rotate with respect to one another at a corner. Hinge  160  can be used to couple two panels  100  to form a wall-to-wall corner. Hinge  160  can also be used to couple two panels  100  to form a wall-to-floor corner. Hinge  160  can be used to couple two panels  100  together to form a door-to-wall corner. Hinge  160  can be used to couple two panels  100  together to form a wall-to-roof corner. Hinge  160  is only one example of how multiple panels  100  can be coupled together. Multiple panels  100  can be coupled together using tongue  112  and groove  114 , or multiple panels can be coupled together using hinge  160 . In some embodiments multiple panels can be coupled together using different coupling means. These coupling means can include screws, glue, bolts, nails, staples, locks, hinges, etc. 
       FIG. 9   b  and  FIG. 9   c  shows additional embodiments of panels  100   d  coupled together with tongues  112 , grooves  114 , and lock assembly  129 , which includes latch  136  and latch receiver  138 . 
     Panels  100  according to the invention can be made with one or more inner layers  154 , as shown in  FIG. 9   d .  FIG. 9   d  shows panel  100   d  with a single inner layer  154 . Inner layer  154  can be made of many different materials. In some embodiments inner layer  154  can be air. In some embodiments inner layer  154  can be a Kevlar® material as made by DuPont. In some embodiments inner layer  154  can be plastic, EPS, rubber, or other material. In some embodiments inner layer  154  can be an anti-ballistic material.  FIG. 9   d  shows a single inner layer  154 , but some embodiments have multiple inner layers  154 . 
       FIG. 10  shows an embodiment of components of building system  102  as panel  100   e , which has exterior coating  150  applied to the outer surface. Exterior coating  150  can be added to protect the outside of panel  100 , protecting the surfaces from chipping, wearing, denting, deteriorating, and damage from people, insects, and animals during the lifetime of panel  100 . Exterior coating  150  can be or can include a fire resistant coating to improve the fire prevention capabilities of panels  100   e . In some embodiments exterior coating  150  can be an anti-ballistic material. Exterior coating can be applied over top of panel  100  and in some embodiments, over at least a portion of the end caps  120 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . Exterior coating  150  can be a hard coating, or it can be a pliable coating. Exterior coating  150  can be applied over panel  100  so that exterior coating  150  on a first panel  100  can come into contact with the exterior coating  150  on a second panel  100  connected to the first panel  100 . For example, the exterior coating  150  can be formed on the horizontal panel  100   e , shown in  FIG. 10   a , except over the groove  114 . The exterior coating  150  can also be formed on the vertical panel  100   e , shown in  FIG. 10   a , except over the edge surface and tongue. When the tongue  112  of vertical panel  100   e  is placed within the groove  114  of horizontal panel  100   e  and the lock assembly  129  is actuated, the exterior coating  150  of the vertical panel  100   e  can come into contact with the exterior material  150  of the horizontal panel  100   e , such that the resulting building is completely covered with exterior coating  150 .  FIG. 10   b  shows a close-up cross section showing lock assembly  129  including latch  136 , latch hole  132 , latch receiver  138 , latch receiver hole  134 , and lock access hole  130 . Once tongue  112  is inserted into groove  114 , lock access hole  130  can be used with a locking tool to activate latch  136  and couple it to latch receiver  138 , maintaining the coupling of the two panels  100   e . The coupling shown in  FIG. 10  can be a wall-to-wall coupling, a floor-to-wall coupling, a wall-to-roof coupling, or a coupling between other types of panels  100 .  FIG. 10  also illustrates how groove  114  does not have to be on an end edge surface of panel  100 . In  FIG. 10  groove  114  is on surface  122  and tongue  112  is on edge  127 . Tongue  112  and groove  114  can be on any surface of panel  100  to create a coupling between any of the surfaces. 
       FIG. 11  shows additional components of building system  102  according to the invention including panels  100   e  and illustrating how two panels  100   e  can be connected to make a wall-to-roof connection, where the roof is slanted.  FIG. 11   a  shows a cross-section of two panels  100   e  connected via tongue  112 , groove  114 , and lock assembly  129 . The edges of the two panels  100   e  are angled so that one can be a slanted roof of a building. It should be evident that panels  100  according to the invention can be any shape, size, or angle to form whatever shape and size of building structure is needed.  FIG. 11   b  shows a close up of the corner section with lock assembly  129 .  FIG. 11   c  shows a close up of ‘c’ channel  171  used on the interior of panel  100   e  used as a portion of a roof. ‘C’ channel  171  is adjustable and can add to the structural integrity and strength of the building structure, specifically the structural integrity of the roof and the adjoining walls. ‘C’ channel  171  includes wingnut  172  and slot  173 . The length of the ‘c’ channel  171  running along the interior of the roof may be adjusted using the wingnut  172  and slot  173 .  FIG. 11   d  shows a close up of support piece  174  which is molded into panel  100   e . Support piece  174  has three studs  175  which couple support piece  174  to panel  100   e . Support piece  174  is connected by wingnut  172  and slot  173  to ‘c’ channel  171 . After coupling wall panel  100   e  to roof panel  100   e , wingnuts  172  can be adjusted and tightened in slots  173  to provide additional attachment and structural integrity between wall panel  100   e  and roof panel  100   e . For example, the pitch of the ‘c’ channel  171  referenced from the support piece  174  can be adjusted using the wingnuts  172  in slots  173 . 
       FIG. 12  illustrates components of building system  102  as used to create building  140 .  FIG. 12   a  shows how panels  100  according to the invention are used to create floor system  141 .  FIG. 12   b  shows panels  100  according to the invention being used to create wall systems  142  connected to floor system  141 .  FIG. 12   c  shows panels  100  according to the invention being used to create roof system  143 .  FIG. 12   d  shows building  140  built from panels  100  after door  183  and window  182  have been added. 
     To create floor system  141  as shown in  FIG. 12   a , the ground is prepared and leveled if required, and panels  100  laid out to the proper size. Each panel  100  is connected to adjacent panels  100  using tongues  112  and grooves  114  and lock assemblies  129  if used. It should be understood that panels  100  as shown can be any embodiment of panel  100  including panels  100   a ,  100   b ,  100   c ,  100   d , or  100   e  as shown and discussed earlier. Some panels  100  used in floor  141  may be different embodiments. Any combination and number of panels  100  can be used to create floor  141  of the desired shape, thickness, and size. 
     Wall systems  142  are created by coupling adjacent panels  100  as shown in  FIG. 12   b . Adjacent panels  100  can be coupled by connecting tongues  112  to grooves  114  and actuating lock assemblies  129  if used. Not all panels in  FIG. 12   b  are labeled panel  100 , but it should be understood that each panel can be a panel  100  according to the invention. Each panel can be an embodiment of panel  100  as discussed and shown earlier, such as panel  100   a ,  100   b ,  100   c ,  100   d ,  100   e , or any combination of these panels. Some panels may be different embodiments of panel  100  according to the invention. Wall systems  142  can be assembled and connected while laying on the ground and then raised and connected to floor system  141  and adjacent wall systems  142 . Or, wall systems  142  can be assembled in place by starting with a panel  100  used as a corner piece, connecting tongues  112  and groove  114  between panel  100  and floor system  141 , and continuing by attaching each successive panel  100  to create wall system  142 . 
     Roof system  143  can be assembled separately from panels  100  and then raised and attached to wall systems  142 . Or roof  143  can be assembled in place on wall system  142 . Not all panels in  FIG. 12   c  are labeled panel  100 , but it should be understood that each panel can be a panel  100  according to the invention. Each panel can be an embodiment of panel  100  as discussed and shown earlier, such as panel  100   a ,  100   b ,  100   c ,  100   d ,  100   e , or any combination of these panels. Each tongue  112  is coupled to appropriate groove  114  and lock systems  129  are activated if used. 
     Completed building  140  according to the invention as shown in  FIG. 12   d  is an embodiment of a rapidly deployable building  140  after a door  183  and a window  182  have been added. This particular embodiment of building  140  constructed from a plurality of panels  100  can be constructed quickly and efficiently with a minimum of labor costs. Panels  100  are made to the correct size and shape at the factory and received ready to install. Moreover, each of the panels  100  can be identified as a floor panel, a wall panel, a roof panel, a door panel, a window panel, or other applicable panel within the building  140 . Also, each of the panels  100  can be labeled within the building system to assist the user in assembling the panels into the building  140 . Each panel  100  can have a set position within the building  140 , and this position can be marked on the panel  100 , for example, in color code or numerical code, to ease assembly. This minimizes material waste at the site and speeds construction.  FIG. 12   d  shows a particular size and shape building  140 , but it should be understood that the size and shape of building  140  is configurable. In addition, internal wall systems using panels  100  can be added to divide interior space into any number of rooms and structures. Integrated power systems can be added to provide power to building  140 . Panels  100  can be used to construct a building of any footprint that is durable, affordable, and energy efficient. When the useful life of building  140  as shown in  FIG. 12   d  is over, it can be quickly and easily dismantled and the panels  100  used again in another structure. After the useful life of panel  100  is over it can be recycled. Ease of re-use and recycling is designed into panels  100  by virtue of their modular design, long life material, and integral coupling structure. 
     Panels  100  can be used to construct structures used as homes and residences, commercial buildings, offices, storage facilities, etc. The structures constructed from panels  100  can be temporary or long-term structures. The examples provided here of components of building system  102  and structures formed from building system  102  and panels  100  are not exhaustive of the possibilities. Many other embodiments are possible. For instance, walls or other building structures can be formed of multiple layers of panels  100 . This will add to the structural integrity and thermal characteristics of the structure being created. In some embodiments layers of panels  100  can be coupled together with an air gap in between. In some embodiments this air gap can be further filled with material such as foam or additional EPS. 
       FIG. 13  shows additional embodiments of components of building system  102  including using panel end cap mounting assembly  165  to provide the capability to mount additional structures to a building constructed from panels  100 .  FIG. 13  shows a cross-section of two panels  100   e  connected in a wall-to-roof configuration using lock assembly  129  and tongue  112  and groove  114 . In addition to having end caps  120  over panel edges, panel end cap mounting assembly  165  is inserted between the coupled edges of the two panels  100   e . Panel end cap mounting assembly  165  can be used to mount many different structures to panels  100   e . In this embodiments panel end cap mounting assembly  165  provides a mount for truss  166  internal to the structure, and for roof structure  164  mounted outside the structure. Roof structure  164  is mounted to panel end cap mounting assembly  165  using roof structure mounting arm  163 . Roof structure  164  can be many different items, including but not limited to antennae, solar panels, shade structures, water collectors, etc. It should be understood that panels  100  can be configured to include different forms of mounting structures to connect and mount items needed for the operation, safety, and comfort of the building constructed from panels  100 . 
       FIG. 14  shows multiple embodiments of panels  100   d  and accessories, including end caps  120  and lock assembly  129 . Various embodiments of panel  100   d  are shown which illustrate how coupling between multiple panels  100   d  are made for wall-to-wall connections, wall-to-floor connections, wall-to-roof connections, and others. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a method  200  of constructing a building according to the invention, comprising steps  201  assembling a floor system, and step  202  assembling a wall system from a plurality of expanded polystyrene panels, wherein a first panel has a tongue on a first surface, and a second panel has a groove on a second surface, wherein the tongue and the groove couple the first panel to the second panel. Method  200  also includes step  203  connecting the wall system to the floor system, step  204  assembling a roof system, step  205  connecting the roof system to the wall system, and step  206  attaching a door to the wall system to form a building. Method  200  according to the invention can include many other steps. Step  201  can include using any embodiment of panels  100  as components of the floor system, including panels  100   a ,  100   b ,  100   c ,  100   d ,  100   e , or a different embodiment of panel  100  according to the invention. Step  201  can in some embodiments include connecting multiple panels  100  using tongue  112  and groove  114  or lock assembly  129 . Step  201  can include using multiple embodiments of panel  100  to assemble a floor system. 
     Step  202  can include using any embodiment of panels  100  to assemble a wall system, including panels  100   a ,  100   b ,  100   c ,  100   d ,  100   e , or a different embodiment of panel  100  according to the invention. Step  202  can in some embodiments include connecting multiple panels  100  using lock assembly  129 . Step  202  can include using multiple embodiments of panel  100  as components of the wall system. Step  202  can include using panels  100  according to the invention that have an opening for windows, pipes, electronics or other items which must pass through the wall system or reside within the wall system. 
     Step  203  can include connecting the wall system to the floor system using tongue  112  and groove  114 . Step  203  can in some embodiments include connecting the wall system to the floor system using lock assembly  129 . In some embodiments other means for connecting the wall system to the floor system are used. 
     Step  204  can include assembling a roof system using panels  100  according to the invention. Step  204  can include using any embodiment of panels  100  to assemble roof system, including panels  100   a ,  100   b ,  100   c ,  100   d ,  100   e , or a different embodiment of panel  100  according to the invention. Step  204  can in some embodiments include connecting multiple panels  100  using tongue  112  and groove  114 . Step  204  can in some embodiments include connecting multiple panels  100  using lock assembly  129 . Step  204  can include using multiple embodiments of panel  100  to assemble a roof system. Step  204  can include assembling the roof system separately from the wall system and then raising the roof system over the wall system and connecting them together as in step  205 . In other embodiments step  205  connecting the roof system to the wall system can be accomplished as the roof system is being assembled in step  204 . In this embodiment the roof system is assembled in place on top of the wall system. 
     Step  205  can include connecting the roof system to the wall system using tongue  112  and groove  114 . Step  205  can including connecting the roof system to the wall system using lock assembly  129 . In some embodiments other coupling means are used to connect the roof system to the wall system according to the invention. 
     Method  200  according to the invention can include many other steps. Method  200  can include the steps of adding windows to the building. Method  200  can include the steps of adding walls to the interior of the building using embodiments of panels  100 . Method  200  can include adding an integrated power system to the building. Method  200  can include adding a plumbing system to the building. Method  200  can include adding an air handling system to the building. 
     The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims.