Patent ID: 8393123

Claim:
A building, defining an inner space, said building comprising: (a) a load-bearing foundation, said load-bearing foundation having a bottom thereof, and a top, and comprising (i) a load-bearing footer, and (ii) a load-bearing foundation wall, overlying said footer, and interfacing with said footer, and applying a downwardly-directed force on said footer, said foundation wall having a top, a bottom, and a length, and (b) an above-grade structure supported by said load-bearing foundation, said load-bearing foundation wall comprising a plurality of upright foundation wall panels connected to each other in side-by-side relationship, a given said foundation wall panel extending upwardly from loci at or adjacent said footer, and having a height defined between a top and a bottom, a length, and a thickness, and comprising (iii) an outer fiber-reinforced polymeric layer, said outer layer defining an outwardly-facing surface of said foundation wall panel, and (iv) an inner fiber-reinforced polymeric layer, said inner layer defining an inwardly-facing surface ( 25 ) of said foundation wall panel, said load-bearing foundation wall further comprising a plurality of studs extending between the top and the bottom of the given said foundation wall panel, and extending, from locations at or proximate said inner layer, away from said foundation wall and away from said inner layer, and channels between said studs, a given said channel having an open side facing away from said inner layer a bottom plate being attached to said foundation wall adjacent the bottoms of said foundation wall panels, said bottom plate extending along the length of said foundation wall, and extending along the thickness of said foundation wall, and further extending inwardly into said building beyond said inner layer and across said channels between respective ones of said studs.