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Molinelli Architects and ST Bungalow LLC of Garrison, NY are pleased to announce a grant has been awarded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), together with the University of Maine, to develop a breakthrough construction technology (“ConTech”) invented by Michael Molinelli of Molinelli Architects. Molinelli and co-inventor and founder of ST Bungalow LLC, Ashok Chaudhari, have developed the technology which is a non-ferrous stay-in-place formwork system.
The ConTech replaces steel rebar, steel decking, and potentially reduces the amount of concrete needed, all while lowering the cost of installation typically required for concrete flatwork. It does so by allowing the formwork to stay in place and using inherent arched forms to displace the loads from the surface to the edges.
The system is a breakthrough potentially money saving invention that can also possibly use recycled materials such as composites from wind turbine blades or other products which otherwise would end up in landfills.
The non-ferrous formwork will be manufactured using state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing which could include 3D printing, vacuum forming, etc. The grant work will be overseen by the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the University of Maine to explore the performance characteristics of the system and possible methods of production and delivery.
In mini models testing (images above and below, 1/24 scale), we have already seen outstanding performance. The system, called NONFERRO-FORMS, supported loads over 200 psf without the use of steel reinforcing. This is a result over 5 times the normal code requirements.
It is envisioned the system cold be used to form floors, roofs and earth-structures, particularly where economizing on steel would be helpful. In an age where the built world is undergoing a massive transition towards decarbonization this technology is exceptional in its timing.
The invention is fully patent protected. Molinelli Architects and ST Bungalow LLC are now seeking capital and partners to scale up and commercialize.
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