WO2001073233A1

WO2001073233A1 - Method of constructing a building

Info

Publication number: WO2001073233A1
Application number: PCT/IE2001/000044
Authority: WO
Inventors: Terence Leahy
Original assignee: Terence Leahy
Priority date: 2000-03-30
Filing date: 2001-03-29
Publication date: 2001-10-04
Also published as: IES20000239A2; AU4271101A

Abstract

A method of construction a two-storey building comprises laying a foundation (1) with a perimeter boundary (3), erecting temporary support posts (4) inside the boundary for supporting an intermediate floor (5), positioning permanent corner posts (7) outside the boundary and locating pre-cast concrete panels (11) between the corner posts. The floor is utilized as a guide for positioning the pre-cast concrete panels as well as a platform for further work. Shuttering brackets and shuttering are used for the formation of a ring beam (10), which secures the pre-cast concrete panels into position. The shuttering brackets also support the concrete panels prior to formation of the ring beam thus negating a need for scaffolding. A roof sub-structure (12) is constructed and secured to the ring beam. This method is readily adaptable to facilitate construction of single multi-storey buildings for both private and commercial use.

Description

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING

The present invention relates to a method of constructing a building and more particularly to buildings made from prefabricated concrete panels

A variety of prefabricated building units are known These units typically include walls, window frames and roof trusses and are often made in standard sizes or as modular units for large-scale projects The use of such standard units allows a builder to perform the necessary site preparatory work before the panels arrive

Known construction methods typically involve the sequential steps of -

laying a foundation,

building a sub-structure for the building on the foundation,

building side walls on the foundation,

insertion of intermediate floors between the side walls,

construction of a roof upon the supporting walls,

application of outer building facade,

application of insulation, and

erection of internal partition walls

While pre-fabπcation methods undoubtedly reduce the time taken to construct a building, they suffer a number of limitations, described in detail below with reference to some of the individual steps

Construction of a building begins with laying a foundation on the prepared site followed by the erection of support columns These columns once in position serve as a sub-structure for the building They are constructed using shuttenng, steel reinforcement rods and concrete and are usually integrally formed with the foundations The reinforcement rods used m forming the columns are often difficult to position m the foundations dunng construction as they must be very accurately positioned Errors m positioning the rods can normally only be corrected by destroying the column and recommencing Shuttenng is erected around the rods to form a mould for the column The cavity defined by the shuttenng is then filled with concrete After the concrete has been poured the columns must be left to set which causes unacceptable delays and prevents further progress in construction Additionally, delivery of the concrete required can be problematic on sites where access is limited

The walls of the building are positioned between the columns and can be constructed using bricks or prefabncated panels Reinforced concrete panels are frequently used as they are quick and easy to install As these panels are usually manufactured offsite the relative positions of each of the columns onto which the panel is to be attached is cntical as errors will mean that the panels will not fit Whilst it is often possible to overcome minor discrepancies using sophisticated cutting and grinding equipment, it will be appreciated that this is not ideal or even always possible

One or more intermediate floors can now be fitted to the building The floor is attached to the interior face of the columns and wall panels of the building Once more a prefabncated unit can be used to save time

When the floors of the building have been installed the roof is located on the top of the building As before, the roof is also available as a prefabricated unit and is located and fixed to the top of the columns of the building During positioning and fixing of the roof to the top of the building, construction workers usually gain access using scaffolding However, scaffolding is expensive and its use is not always cost-effective for small projects and it can also take up a lot of space which is not always available on site

Next the exterior and interior walls of the building are finished The exteπor walls are covered m a facade to improve the overall aesthetic appearance of the building However, during application of the facade scaffolding necessary for the task can get in the way, increasing the time taken to finish the building

US-A-5680735 discloses a modular building system comprising one or more wall panels having their edges defined by a male or female configuration such that the respective adjoining edges of the panels can mate The use of panels with specifically defined edges inhibit flexibility as only corresponding panel edges can be joined Additionally, relative spacing of the panels is very difficult to overcome The document also discloses the use of a clip used to secure two side edge panels together The clip must fit tightly between the panels to prevent any movement between the panels Fitting the clip is also difficult as it must be hammered into position to ensure a secure fit and as a result is not easily adjusted or moved US-A-3834095 discloses another building construction and method using precast concrete panels. In this document, panels are interconnected using channels which require exact alignment. The method also involves pouπng concrete through the spaces between the wall panels to strengthen the structure. While producing a strong final structure, this method, is somewhat complex and time consuming.

There is therefore a need to provide a method of constructing a building which will overcome the aforementioned problems, which is suitable for both small and large scale projects and which will accelerate construction and reduce labour costs and skill required during building.

The present invention provides a method of constructing a building comprising the steps of

forming a foundation for a building;

fixing a sub-floor perimeter boundary to the foundation of the building;

erecting a set of temporary support posts on the foundation withm the floor peπmeter boundary;

optionally mounting an intermediate floor on the temporary support posts;

positioning a set of permanent corner posts on the foundations outside the sub-floor peπmeter boundary;

locating at least one pre-cast concrete panel between the permanent corner posts;

fixing ring beam shuttenng brackets and ring beam shuttenng around an upper edge of the pre-cast concrete panel and the permanent corner posts to define a ring beam mould,

pouπng concrete into the πng beam mould and allowing it to set to form a ring beam, and

placing a roof sub-frame on the set πng beam.

Preferably, a foundation is formed which is a sufficient size and depth for the building

As there is no need for a large border area around the foundations to support scaffolding or for bπcklayers to work on the overall construction, space is reduced and costs associated with large foundation borders are eliminated. The sub-floor perimeter boundary acts as a guide for positioning pre-fabπcated units onto the foundations. This ensures that the units are correctly fitted.

The set of temporary support posts positioned within the sub floor perimeter boundary facilitate the placing of supports for assisting workers m buildmg/finishing a roof or an intermediate floor The intermediate floor assists m positioning the walls of the building and provides a platform upon which construction workers can stand and can be used eventually as a permanent upper floor of the building. Additional temporary support members may be provided between the temporary support posts to hold the intermediate floor, for example, bracing elements may be provided to assist in supporting the intermediate floor and to prevent the temporary support posts from spreading apart. Ideally the bracing will be of the form of temporary studding which can be utilised at a later stage of the building process as an internal partition studded wall. Optionally the temporary support posts can be used to prop intermediate floor shuttenng for construction of a concrete floor The temporary support posts used to prop intermediate floor shuttenng for construction of a concrete floor can also include the framework of an internal studded wall. All of these factors greatly reduce the time and complexity involved m the construction process

The permanent corner posts once positioned on the foundation outside the sub-floor perimeter boundary are used to form the corner walls of the building and are also used to support the walls of the building thereby increasing functionality of component parts For larger buildings additional permanent posts may be needed or desirable to be placed between the corner posts to strengthen the construction.

Preferably pre-cast concrete panels are positioned between the permanent posts to form the walls of the building. Ideally, the concrete panels are formed to accommodate different features of a building such as a window or a door opening Conveniently, the concrete panels and the corner posts fit together as they are designed to do so. In existing construction methods pre-cast concrete panels are used m conjunction with on site constructions. In these circumstances the pre-cast concrete panels may not fit correctly because both structures are not made together Such problems are avoided with the present inventions since the use of corner posts and concrete panels provides greater tolerances. Furthermore, any gaps between the corner posts and panels can be filled m readily with additional concrete poured at the time of pouπng the nng beam or poured separately Preferably, a set of shuttenng brackets are fixed to the permanent corner posts or other supports and the pre-cast concrete panels. The shutteπng brackets are used to retain ring beam shutteπng for a πng beam mould which is formed around the top of the permanent corner posts and the precast concrete panels Reinforcement rods from the permanent corner post and the pre-cast concrete panels protrude up into the shuttenng of the nng beam mould. Ideally these reinforcement rods can be secured to the reinforcement rods being used in the construction of the nng beam, using common practice m the art such as tying with a light wire. When the concrete for the πng beam is being poured, the reinforcement rods from the permanent corner posts and the pre-cast concrete panels are embedded withm the πng beam structure, ensuπng that the walls of the building are held securely m position.

During the insertion of the pre-cast concrete panels, no support scaffolding or similar supports are required to hold the concrete panels m position Instead, the concrete panels are held m position by utilising the shutteπng brackets. Preferably, an internal shuttenng bracket is fixed to the internal temporary support wall and includes a fixing element adapted to extend through an aperture m the panel to an external shuttenng bracket. Then, the panel is held securely m position by means of being held between the internal and external brackets. The concrete panels are also retained in position by the attachment of the reinforcement rods from the concrete panels with the reinforcement rods of the nng beam being formed. This method of retention of the pre-cast concrete panels negates the need for support members or other such devices which can be cumbersome and difficult to work around and this method also facilitates the construction of buildings in confined spaces.

Preferably the method incorporates the further step of forming a roof sub-frame on the roof nng beam Ideally the roof sub-frame is bolted into the πng beam to hold it securely in position.

Alternatively, the roof sub-frame is manufactured at ground level, either whole or m sections

The roof sub-frame is then lifted to sit at the correct position on the ring beam and secured

Conveniently the roof sub-frame can accept vanous types of finish such as roof tiles, slates or thatch

Preferably, a set of temporary support frames are attachable to integrally formed receiving points m the pre-cast concrete panels These temporary support frames are used to form a platform upon which construction workers can stand to complete the work upon the roof structure This method of access to the roof negates the requirement for scaffolding, which can be expensive to erect and difficult to work around Preferably, a window sill shuttenng mould is fitted to a window opening formed in a pre-cast concrete panel The shutteπng provides a mould for the construction of a window sill for a window of the building

The method also includes the additional step of constructing a set of internal partition walls between the pre-cast concrete panels The positioning of the walls can be modified to accommodate individual customer requirements

Ideally, a layer of insulation and a layer of building board is applied to the internal surfaces of the pre-cast concrete panels The insulation provides both thermal protection from the outside elements and sound proofing for the building The building board is a layer of material which encloses and hides the insulation layer and gives a more visually pleasing look to the internal walls The building board is well known in the art and can receive a plaster skim if desired Ideally, the finish is such that a final decorative layer of pamt, wallpaper or tiles can be applied to

Preferably, a facade is applied to the external face of the building The application of this facade will give the finished building a more visually appealing appearance as the pre-cast concrete panels usually have a bland look

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for manufactunng a prefabricated wall panel for use m the construction of buildings The prefabricated wall panel is of the type formed using a mould defining the dimensions of the panel and any apertures such as window or door spaces Into the mould are placed reinforcement rods to strengthen the panel An insulation layer is then placed into the mould so that when the concrete is poured into the mould, the insulation layer becomes embedded as an integral part of the panel The insulation layer not only provides insulation but also reduces the overall weight of the final panel making it easier to manoeuvre and position It also reduces the quantity of concrete required to produce a panel thereby reducing the cost A locating fixture, which is designed to receive and temporally retain a support frame, is also placed into the mould pπor to pouπng the concrete The locating fixture is designed to sit flush with the surface of the panel and will receive the support frame which is used to form a platform upon which building workers can stand Additionally and as descπbed below, the wall panel may be formed with one or more apertures for receiving a shuttenng bracket

Multiple storey buildings can also be manufactured using a modified procedure including the steps of forming a foundation for a building;

fixing a sub-floor perimeter boundary to the foundations of the building;

erecting a set of temporary support posts on the foundation within the floor penmeter boundary;

positioning a set of permanent corner posts on the foundations outside the sub-floor perimeter boundary;

locating pre-cast concrete panels in between the corner posts;

fixing ring beam shuttenng brackets and nng beam shuttenng around the upper edge of the pre-cast concrete panels and the permanent comer posts for the formation of a ring beam mould;

placing first floor shuttenng onto the temporary support posts;

fixing first floor reinforcement rods to ring beam reinforcement rods; and

pouring concrete into the ring beam and first floor shutter mould.

Preferably, the first floor shuttenng is substantially triangular m cross-section so that the enclosed space provides a cavity for insulation and services such as wiring for electrical fittings and other conduits.

Preferably, reinforcement elements are provided for the multi-storey building dunng the construction process In one arrangement one or more gaps are left between panels by selecting the panel sizes so that the panels do not fill the full spaces between comer posts or by omitting one or more panels Ring beam shuttenng brackets are used to secure the nng beam shuttenng into position and to secure shuttenng around the gap between pre-cast concrete panels. The shuttenng is secured such that it is flush with the panels. Reinforcement rods are placed m the gap formed such that the reinforcement rods protrude or project upwards to the level of the πng beam or above into the first storey space When the concrete for the first floor πng beam is being poured, the gap is also filled and the reinforcement rods placed m the gap become embedded withm the continuous concrete of the nng beam and former, now filled gap The floor may be poured at the same time When the concrete has set the first floor is used as the foundation for the second storey and the same procedure as described above is used to construct the second and subsequent storeys. Ideally, at the final level the reinforcement rods placed in the gaps will not protrude above the level of the final ring beam, which is the roof ring beam. With this method the ring beam structures are tied to the reinforced panels that bridge storeys running from the ground storey to the roof of the building providing strength and reinforcement for the building. Intermediate floors may be wooden or panel floors or concrete floors.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a building whenever produced using the method described. Such buildings can be single storey, two storey or multi-storey buildings, whether intended for domestic or commercial use

The invention will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example only the construction of a building m accordance with the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a building foundation formed m accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 shows the foundation of Figure 1 with four temporary support posts on the foundation,

Figure 2a is similar to Figure 2 with additional optional temporary bracing and cross-beams attached to the four temporary support posts.

Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2 with a first floor structure added;

Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3 with the addition of permanent comer posts to the structure,

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 with the addition of shuttenng brackets on the comer posts,

Figure 5a is a view of shuttenng brackets used to secure a temporary support and a pre-cast concrete panel, with πng beam shuttenng in position ready for pounng the nng beam;

Figure 6 shows the partially constructed building of Figure 5 with the addition of pre-cast concrete panels, shuttenng for a nng beam and a lowered intermediate first floor,

Figure 7 is the building of Figure 6 with the addition of a roof sub-frame, Figure 8 is a perspective view of a mould used to form pre-cast concrete panels,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a pre-cast concrete panel with a temporary support frame inserted into the panel;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the panel formed m the mould of Figure 8,

Figure 10a is a view taken along the line A-A for Figure 10;

Figure 1 1 illustrates the laying of a first floor of a multi-storey building structure;

Figure 12 demonstrates the laying of a second storey on the structure of Figure 11,

Figure 13 shows an alternative first floor shuttenng; and

Figure 14 shown the shutteπng of Figure 13 in place m a building.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figures 1 to 7 there are illustrated the steps of constructing a two-storey building in accordance with the invention, having a timber first floor. It will be appreciated that with minor modifications, the method is adaptable to construct a single storey building or a multi-storey building.

In Figure 1 there is shown a building foundation 1. The foundation 1 is formed using any suitable matenal such as concrete on a prepared site. Fixed upon the foundation 1 is a sub-floor 2 defining the internal ground floor space of the building. The sub-floor 2 defines a sub-floor penmeter boundary 3 outside of which external walls of the building will lie. The next step of construction is to erect four temporary comer posts 4. The posts 4 are positioned inside the penmeter boundary 3 at the four comers In Figure 2a there is shown optional temporary bracing 40 which is positioned between the four temporary comer posts 4. The bracing 40 is held in position by crossbeams 41 which are attached to both the bracing 40 and the four temporary comer posts 4 In a convenient arrangement, the bracing 40 compπses internal wall studdmgs which will eventually be used to make the internal walls of the building. Such studding is of rectangular shape with one dimension appropπate to conventional building practice for room height or to any desired room height and a second dimension which is longer. The temporary comer posts 4 are used to support an intermediate first floor 5 as illustrated m Figure 3. Optionally, the rectangular temporary bracing 40 is also used to support the intermediate first floor. If the bracing 40 is used, it is placed with the longer side in an upnght position, giving a support height which is higher than the eventual desired ceiling height, and is sufficiently high to enable workers to use the intermediate floor to gam access for the construction of the roof nng beam. Once the roof nng beam has been constructed, the intermediate floor is lowered to its final position to provide the ceiling for the ground storey and the floor of the second storey. The bracing 40 is turned at that point so that its longer dimension is in the horizontal plane, this being the position in which its height matches that of the ground storey ceiling The bracing 40 is then used for its intended pnmary purpose as studding for room divisions. It will of course be appreciated that the invention is not limited to rectangular structures and that posts may be erected at appropπate comers and/or intermediate support points.

Attached to the first floor 5 is a guide rail 6, which is used to assist m positioning the walls of the building. If there is additional temporary bracing 40 present, this will also act as a guide when positioning the exterior walls of the building. In Figure 4 a set of four permanent comer posts 7 are positioned outside the perimeter boundary 3 of the sub-floor 2. The comer posts 7 form the outer comer walls of the building. Attached to each comer post 7 is a pair of πng beam shuttenng brackets 8 shown m Figure 5, and m more detail in Figure 5 a. Although not shown, it is to be understood that further brackets 8 may be utilized at desired positions intermediate the comer posts 7. Referring to Figure 5 a, there is shown the upper part of a pre-cast concrete panel 1 1 with a reinforcement rod 18 protruding from the top Normally, the shuttenng brackets 8 are used in pairs. Each bracket 8 comprises an L-shaped bracket having a shorter leg 8a and a longer leg 8b A slot 81 is formed extending through the shorter leg 8b. In use to form a πng beam, the bracket 8 is attached to a temporary support 36 (which may be a temporary support post 4 or any other of the temporary support elements) with the slot 81 abutting the support 36 and the longer arm 8b spaced apart from the support 36. Next, a pre-cast concrete panel is lifted into position abutting the support 36. The panel 11 has an aperture 11a formed m it, extending through the panel between its front and rear faces The components are arranged so that the aperture 11 a and slot 81 are aligned. A second bracket is then placed against panel 11, with its slot 81 aligned with aperture 11a. Finally, a bolt or other fixing device 34, 35 is placed through the slot 81, support 36, aperture 11a and slot 81 and tied to secure the parts together. This enables panel 11 to be held only by the brackets without need for bracing to hold it m position Once panel 11 is secured, ring beam shutteπng 9 is placed to be held between the shorter and longer legs 8a, 8b of the brackets 8 and the concrete is poured to form the roof πng beam

As shown in Figure 6, brackets 8 retain nng beam shuttenng mould 9 m place to facilitate the forming of a roof πng beam 10, shown in Figure 7, the roof πng beam being formed by pouring concrete into the shuttenng mould Intermediate the comer posts 7 there are positioned pre-cast concrete panels 11. The comer posts 7 and brackets 8 support the pre-cast concrete panels 11 m position as described above. When all of the pre-cast concrete panels 11 are m position, the concrete ring beam 10 is poured. Once this is done the temporary support posts 4 are removed and the intermediate first floor 5 is lowered into its final position. To do this, the intermediate floor is first raised with a crane sufficiently to remove the weight from the temporary posts 4 and bracing 40 if used. The posts 4 are then removed. Any internal temporary bracing 40 and crossbeams 41 being used to support the intermediate floor would also be removed at this point. The bracing 40 in the form of internal wall studdings is then turned through 90 degrees such that the shorter length is now in an upright position, this being the correct height for the ceiling. Ideally the shorter length is selected to match conventional building practice for room height. The floor is then lowered to its final position and fixed to the walls of the building. Finally and as shown in Figure 7, a roof sub frame 12 is fixed onto the roof ring beam 10.

A concrete panel mould 13 is illustrated in Figure 8. A mould base 15 and a set of side walls 14 define the shape of the mould. Positioned mside the mould 13 is a network of panel reinforcement rods 18. The rods 18 are positioned so that they do not he on the base of the mould 13. A portion of the rods 18a protrude out through one of the side walls 14 of the mould 13. The protruding rods 18a can be used to lift the completed panels into position. The network of panel reinforcement rods 18 define two areas inside the mould 13. An insulation block 17 is located m one area defined by the rods 18. The insulation block 17 sits directly onto the mould base 1 . A divider 16 is placed into the second area defined by the rods 18 The divider 16 is used to create a window aperture 21 in the final panel. The aperture 21 provides a space in the panel into which a window can be fitted. A receiving slot 19 is also positioned into the mould 13. The slot 19 is designed and positioned m the mould 13 so that the opening to the slot 19 is flush with the outer face of the completed concrete panel. When all the parts of the panel are positioned m the mould 13 the concrete for the panel is then poured The mould 13 is filled until the level of concrete reaches the upper edge of the side walls 14. When the concrete has set the mould is then removed The completed reinforced concrete panel 11 is shown in Figure 10 with the outer face of the insulation block 17 flush with the surface of the panel and the aperture 21 for a window The section view Figure 10 A-A shows how the insulation block 17 does not fully penetrate the panel 11

Figure 9 shows a temporary support frame 20 inserted into the slot 19 m the panel 11 The temporary support frame 20 can be used m conjunction with a number of the support frames 20 to form a platform (not shown) for a construction worker to stand on. Figure 11 shows a partially constructed first floor of a multi-storey building. The foundation 1 supports the concrete wall panels 11 and a partition studded wall 22. The studded wall 22 is used to temporarily support first floor shutter 23 at a height which is higher than that of the eventual ceiling and as described above. The studded wall 22 can be moved into its final position when the concrete for the first floor has set. The ring beam shuttenng 9 is attached to the upper edge of the wall panels 11 and encloses the reinforcement rods of the ring beam 23. Also protruding into the ring beam shuttenng 9 are the reinforcement rods 18a from the concrete panels 1 1 and the first floor reinforcement rods 24, which run above the first floor shuttenng 23. When the concrete for the first floor and first floor ring beam is being poured the reinforcement rods 18a, 23, 24, ring beam 10 and the first floor all become embedded together with the concrete.

Figure 12 shows a second storey being constructed above the poured first floor 25 of the building. The second storey is constructed using the same steps as for the first storey with the first floor 25 and the first floor ring beam acting as the foundation for the second storey.

Where the engineering strength specification of the building so demand, then the building may be strengthened by pouring parts of the walls as continuous poured panels which extend between floors. These continuous panels can be poured continuously with the nng beams so that some of the wall portions of the building are tied m with the nng beams. For example, when placing pre- cast concrete panels to form walls, gaps may be left between adjacent panels or between a permanent comer post 7 and an adjacent panel.

Alternatively, a panel 11 may be omitted. The so-formed gap may be shuttered and filled with concrete at the same time as the ring beam is poured, or separately The gap can be reproduced directly above on the next storey of the building and again filled to form a continuous poured panel extending between adjacent storeys. This process may be repeated from the bottom to the top of the building. Additionally, reinforcing rods may be embedded in these poured panels such that rods extend between adjacent storeys throughout the building, lending it a desired level of mechanical strength Likewise and as descnbed above, the vertically-extending rods can be tied with the hoπzontally extending rods of the ring beams and floors to enhance further the strength of the construction.

Referring now to Figures 13 and 14, there is shown a first floor shuttenng 26 which is triangular m cross section with a cavity 27 which is used to retain insulation 28 and/or winng 29 for electncal fittings 30 or other conduits for services. Also shown is a concrete first floor 31 poured above the first floor shuttenng 26 Ideally, m this situation the πng beam and the concrete floor are integrated, and the brackets 8 described above are used to support both the ring beam shuttenng and the first floor shuttenng during construction. In such case, the ring beam shutteπng bracket 8 fixed to the mteπor of the building is inverted and reversed such that the shorter leg of the L- shaped bracket is m the uppermost position with the long flat back of the bracket sitting flush with the temporary comer support 4 or other temporary support. The bracket 8 fixed to the outside of the building is used m the same orientation described above relation to 5a. A bolt is then passed through the components and is secured as before to support the pre-cast concrete panel 11 , the ring beam shuttenng and the first floor shuttenng before the concrete is poured.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described above which are given by way of example only and that various modifications and alterations are possible without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS-

1. A method of constructing a building comprising the steps of: forming a foundation (1) for a building;

fixing a sub-floor perimeter boundary (3) to the foundation of the building;

erecting a set of temporary support posts (4, 40) on the foundation withm the floor perimeter boundary;

positioning a set of permanent comer posts (7) on the foundation outside the sub-floor perimeter boundary;

locating at least one pre-cast concrete panel (11) between the permanent comer posts;

fixing ring beam shuttenng brackets (8) and πng beam shuttenng (9) around an upper edge of the pre-cast concrete panel and the permanent comer posts to define a roof πng beam mould;

pouring concrete into the roof ring beam mould and allowing it to set to form a roof ring beam (10); and

placing a roof sub-frame (12) on the set roof ring beam.

2. A method according to Claim 1, including the steps of forming at least one upper storey by placing upper floor shuttenng onto the temporary support posts, fixing ring beam shuttenng brackets and ring beam shuttenng around the upper edge of the pre-cast concrete panels of the storey below to form an intermediate ring beam mould, pounng concrete into the intermediate πng beam mould and locating pre-cast concrete panels about the poured intermediate nng beam to form the walls of the upper storey.

3. A method according to any preceding claim, in which one or more gaps are formed between adjacent pre-cast concrete panels or between a panel and a permanent comer post and the gap is subsequently shuttered and filled with concrete and concrete reinforcing elements (18)

4. A method according to Claim 3, in which a portion (18a) of the concrete reinforcing elements project above the storey in which they are contained into at least the ring beam above.

5. A method according to Claim 1, including the steps of mounting an intermediate floor (5) on the temporary support posts at a height above the desired level of the floor of an eventual upper storey of the building, utilising the intermediate floor as a platform to provide access to workers to upper portions of the building, and subsequently lowering the intermediate floor to a permanent position and fixing it at a position where it comprises the floor of an upper storey of the building.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, including providing additional temporary support means (40, 41) m the form of wall stud elements, the stud elements being usable in a first orientation to support an intermediate floor or intermediate floor shuttenng and in a second onentation as partition wall studding for a storey of the building.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, in which reinforcing elements (18) are provided in one or more of the pre-cast concrete panels, the roof πng beam, the intermediate nng beam, an upper poured-concrete floor and the permanent comer posts.

8. A method according to any of the preceding claim, including providing shuttenng (26) for an intermediate floor, the shuttenng incorporating a cavity for receiving insulation material (28) and/or service cables (29).

9. A pre-cast concrete wall panel (11) having formations (19, 11a) for engaging a scaffolding member and/or a fixing element of a ring beam shutteπng bracket (8).

10. A wall panel according to claim 9, having an integrally formed recess for receiving a layer of insulating material (17)

11. A πng beam shuttenng bracket assembly compnsing a pair of substantially L-shaped bracket elements (8), at least one leg (8a) of each bracket being formed with a slot (81) for receiving a fixing element (34, 35) therethrough when the slots are m register with each other and with an aperture (11a) formed m a pre-cast concrete wall panel (11) supported between them