In addition
to reasonable priced residential homes this building system is ideally suited
for large commercial properties and government buildings.
Below is a testimony of a hospital build utilizing the technology.
Carleton Hawpe
& Associates Inc.
Architecture/Planning 9 North Pauahl Street
Suite 201
Honolulu, Hawaii 96817
December 2, 1994
Carleton Hawpe and Associates, Inc. is an architectural
firm based in Hawaii which, over the years, has been involved extensively
in remote site developments and designs that employ appropriate technology.
IN late 1993 we were commissioned by the Kwajalein Atoll Development Authority
to design a hospital facility for the community of Ebeye on Kwajalein
Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands in the central Pacific. While
Ebeye is an island community of 15,000 people, its remoteness and lack
of sophisticated construction resources made the erection of a thirty
six bed, 32,000 s.f. health facility a real challenge.
During the preliminary design phase we investigated several modular building
systems as possible alternatives to conventional construction, which had
costed out far beyond our project budget. One of the systems referred
to us seemed to be superior to the rest. This was the system out of Queensland,
Australia.
The system proved ideal for our remote site situation. The material was
shipped on a small charter vessel. While in transit, the site was prepared
and as soon as the material arrived erection began. The structure is designed
to sit on posts, producing a crawl space under the building which served
as a utility space and allowed for easy installation of plumbing and mechanical
systems. This approach avoided the need for extensive site preparation
or concrete work, with the mistakes inherent in placing embedded items
in a concrete slab.
An erection team of six were sent to the site, which was supplemented
by 20 of the owner's workers. The crew taught the local workers how to
erect the system. By the time this building was complete, an experienced
local crew was left to erect future buildings without the need for factory
supervision. Erection proceeded smoothly, with minimum use of heavy equipment
or specialty tools. Only a Bobcat, light crane, and hand tools were required.
Incredibly, the entire two story building shell, including interior and
exterior walls with doors and windows, floors and roof, was erected in
just 10 weeks time. Outfitting is now underway and is proceeding routinely.
The system has many other advantages over conventional construction. It
is termite resistant, hurricane resistant, earthquake resistant, non-combustible,
insulated, and environmentally friendly. In addition the system has proved
to be very economical.
I believe it is important to note that the group have produced not just
another modular building product, but an engineered, comprehensive building
system. It has been intelligently designed for ease of erection and durability
and is versatile enough for a wide variety of residential, commercial,
and institutional applications.
Based on our past experience, most modular building systems have limitations
restricting flexibility of design and function. In contrast, I found the
group very innovative and responsive in accommodating their system to
our program design requirements. This has made for a very successful hospital
project.
We are currently working on a building for a shopping/residential project
in the islands and look forward to using the system on future projects.
Sincerely,
W. Carleton Hawpe, AIA
