Interesting concept. I wonder if it's practical?

--
Christopher A. Young
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"Bob-tx" No Spam no contact wrote in message
. ..
Hope this isn't ot - these could be used for a garage, shop,
chicken house,
etc.
Bob-tx


http://www.wimp.com/concretetents/

But, all that glitters is not plastic - read below

LONDON (AlertNet) - Two British engineers have scooped a
global innovation
award for an inflatable concrete tent, designed for rapid
deployment in
disaster zones, but aid workers differ on its practical
viability.
The inventors, Peter Brewin and William Crawford, say they
saw a need for
the structure given the inadequate protection provided by
tents in the
aftermath of disasters such as the Pakistan earthquake.
'With shelter and medical facilities it is possible to
rebuild shattered
communities from day one of a crisis,' they said in a
statement.
The tent, made from fabric impregnated with concrete, can be
put up by an
untrained person in 40 minutes. It takes 12 hours for the
concrete to set,
but once done, the tent can last for up to 10 years.
The two designers, both 26, developed so-called Concrete
Canvas during an
industrial engineering course at the Royal College of Art in
London. Their
efforts were rewarded on January 26 at a ceremony in New
York with the
presentation of the top prize at the Saatchi & Saatchi Award
for World
Changing Ideas.
Media reports say the invention has attracted interest from
the United
Nations and several international humanitarian agencies.
JUST ADD WATER 'If this was available now, we would buy 10
today,' Monica
Castellarnau, a programme director at M'decins Sans
Fronti'res, was quoted
as saying by Wired News. Its combination of ease of assembly
with durability
has also drawn praise.
The logic of Concrete Canvas is simple. Each unit ' weighing
227 kg (500
lb), making it light enough to transport by plane or truck -
comprises an
inflatable plastic inner bubble, wrapped in the treated
fabric and packed in
a plastic sack.
To deploy the tent, the sack is first filled with 145 litres
(32 gallons) of
water, which is absorbed by the cloth. The sack is then cut
open, the tent
is unfolded and the plastic bubble is inflated. The canvas
then moulds
around the bubble and sets to form the solid infrastructure
of the tent.
The finished shelter covers some 16 sq meters (172 sq feet)
of floor space
and the cost per unit is estimated at '1,100 ($2,100).
But some aid officials are not convinced.
'At first sight it looks marvellous,' said Rishi Ramrakha, a
logistics
officer at the British Red Cross Society. 'But the real
practicalities look
a bit difficult.'
According to Ramrakha, there are several central problems.
First, the unit
is too heavy to be carried easily into areas where there
might not be access
for aircraft or trucks. The second is the amount of water
needed to erect
each tent.
'Where are you going to get 145 litres in a disaster zone?'
he asked.
Experts also point out that displaced populations are
accommodated in
temporary shelter because they will eventually be encouraged
either to go
back to where they came from, or to make homes and a new
life in a better
place.
The construction of permanent structures, particularly in
conflict zones,
could hamper that process, they say.