A new type of home is about to hit the North Texas market — but these are made from foam.
Expanded Polystyrene foam (EPS) possesses the qualities of being lightweight, flexible and recyclable. Its structural integrity is enhanced when enveloped in a concrete coating, forming an integral part of a new three-layer building system.
The concrete coating, known as Sabscrete, is a composite mixture of sand, cement, glass fibers and various additives. The innovative system, SABS, devised by Dr. Nasser Saebi and his team at Arizona-based Strata International Group, underwent an eight-year development and testing phase, involving an investment of $4 million to secure approval from the International Code Council.
"Our technology is very simple,” Saebi told NBCDFW. “It comes down to providing a type of system that can make housing available for everybody.”
The reinforced structural blend from SABS is applied onto the EPS material covering exterior walls, interior walls, ceilings, mid-floors and the roof surface. Following the complete application of the mixture over the foam core, the finishing touches are done using standard industry tools such as trowels, screeds and sponges. SABS allows for direct application of most third-party materials, including finished facia, drywall mud, sheetrock, and various other finishes compatible with the technology.
The SABS homes are designed to accommodate solar panels seamlessly, and the company reports that energy bills will be lower than the average house.
Sustainability is another important factor for Strata. According to the company, as climate change and deforestation threaten the planet, they hope to embrace new technologies and methods that will sustain humanity long into the future. The SABS system uses no wood in the construction of the homes and significantly decreases the amount of energy footprint on any build site.
The foam is expected to be used in Dallas by 2024.
