WO2010141703A1 - Ecological comprehensive component construction system - Google Patents

Abstract

An ecological comprehensive component construction system that is man transportable and erectable without the need of heavy lifting equipment. The system includes a plurality of exterior and interior panels or courses that are interconnectable to provide walls of variable heights, ceiling/flooring components, and roofing components. Advantageously, the exterior and interior panel courses, ceiling/flooring components, and roofing components are pre- manufactured to include a plurality of studs that are provided to provide a fastening surface for attaching ceiling panels, wall panels, and the like, and for routing utility lines.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

ECOLOGICAL COMPREHENSIVE COMPONENT CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional

Patent Application Number 61/184,058 also of the same title filed on June 4, 2009 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 61/325, 902 entitled "e3Co Mechanical Engineering

Capstone" filed on April 20, 2010.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR

DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wood, light-frame construction is the most common small- building construction technique for low-rise building. Wood, light-frame construction, however, is both labor intensive and wasteful of construction materials. As an alternative, structural insulated panel systems (SIPS) , which are prefabricated panels having two sheets of oriented strand board sheeting on opposing sides of a rigid, insulated core, are also widely used. However, due to their size and weight, heavy equipment is necessary to erect a SIPS structure. Furthermore, current SIPS have been designed exclusively as exterior walls. As a result, interior partitioning walls and floors still must be wood frame construction. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An ecological comprehensive component construction system that is man-transportable and -erectable without the need of heavy lifting equipment is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of exterior and interior panels or courses that are interconnectable to provide walls of variable heights, ceiling/flooring components, and roofing components. Advantageously, the exterior and interior panel courses, ceiling/flooring components, and roofing components are pre- manufactured to include a plurality of studs that provide a fastening surface for attaching ceiling panels, wall panels, and the like, and for routing utility lines.

The prefabricated component construction system includes a first plurality of exterior wall component panels for each level of construction; a second plurality of interior wall component panels for each level of construction; a third plurality of ceiling/flooring component panels for each level of construction; and a fourth plurality of roofing component panels. Preferably, each of the pluralities of component panels including at least one of a receiving groove portion and a connecting tongue portion and/or each of the pluralities of components panels includes at least one stud portion on at least one face thereof, the stud portion providing a first opening for routing utility lines in a first linear direction therethrough. A second opening in the stud enables routing the utility lines in a second linear direction that is perpendicular to the first linear direction.

During construction, the first and second pluralities are stackable using the receiving groove portions and connecting tongue portions. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following Detailed Description of the invention in conjunction with the Drawings, of which:

FIG 1. shows an isometric view of a multi-story structure made of Ecological Comprehensive Components in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2A shows an isometric view of an exterior wall component panel in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2B shows an isometric view of an interior wall component panel in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2C shows a cross-sectional view of an interior or exterior wall component panel in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2D shows an isometric view of an alternative exterior wall having utility chase openings between the proximal and distal ends of the studs in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a joint detail of interior or exterior wall component panels in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of plural exterior wall component panels for forming an exterior wall in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a top course for an interior or exterior wall; FIGs. 6A and 6B show isometric views of alternative corner connection systems; FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of plural interior wall component panels for forming an interior wall in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a plan isometric view of a joint detail between an interior wall and an exterior wall;

FIG. 9A shows an elevation view of a typical truss-based ceiling/flooring component panel;

FIG. 9B shows a plan view of the typical ceiling/flooring component panel shown in FIG. 9A; FIG. 9C shows an isometric view of the typical ceiling/flooring component panel shown in FIG. 9A;

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of an alternative ceiling/flooring component panel;

FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view of a joint detail between adjacent alternative ceiling/flooring component panels;

FIG. 12A shows a cross-sectional view of a flooring detail for the truss-based ceiling/flooring component panels shown in FIG. 9A;

FIG. 12B shows a sectional view of a flooring detail for the alternative ceiling/flooring component panels shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 shows a wall-roof connection detail; and FIG. 14 shows a typical construction sequence in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An Ecological Comprehensive Component Construction System (The "e3Co System") is disclosed. The e3Co System includes standardized, building components of varying sizes and dimensions, which are configurable into a variety of combinations of exterior, interior, roofing, and ceiling/ flooring systems. U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 61/184,058 filed on June 4, 2009 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 61/325,902 filed on April 20, 2010 are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

Building Component Materials

The building component materials comprise of prefabricated panel sections that can be easily interconnected to form, as shown in FIG. 1, structural, load-bearing interior 30 and exterior walls 40 as well as ceiling/flooring 60 and roofing 70 for a low-level structure 100. A typical bottom or middle panel or course 10 for exterior 40 walls is shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2C and a typical bottom or middle course for an interior wall 30 is shown in FIG. 2B. Courses 10 are relatively-narrow, lightweight components that are the building blocks of the embodied system. Advantageously, unlike current SIPS, courses 10 can be transported by two or three people and can be erected without heavy equipment .

Each course 10 includes an insulating core section 12, structural sheathing panels 11 and 13, e.g., oriented strand board (OSB) structural sheathing panels, and OSB splines 14 and 16. Optionally, the courses 10 can also include a fluid, e.g., air or water, infiltration barrier 15.

Core sections 12 are structured and arranged to provide thermal insulation and, furthermore, to eliminate wood-framing operations that include time- and labor-consuming stud construction, thermal bridging, and the like. The insulative properties of core sections 12 are adapted to create highly energy-efficient building enclosures. For example, core sections 12 can be manufactured from a recyclable foam material, e.g., an expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, that is structurally rigid, highly insulative, and mold, moisture, and insect resistant. EPS foam is widely used in SIPs. Alternatively, GREENSULATE manufactured by Evocative Design LLC of Green Island, New York, a rigid foam product made from agricultural waste and fungus, can be used.

Preferably, the core sections 12 are manufactured in standard sizes and dimensions that can range in thickness from about 3-1/2 inches, e.g., for interior wall 30 component panels; to about 5-1/2 or about 7-1/4 inches, e.g., for exterior wall 40 component panels; and to about 9-1/4 inches, e.g., for ceiling/ flooring component panels 60 and/or roofing component panels 70. A suitable course height dimension is 21 inches (1.75 ft . ) . Course length dimensions can be pre-fabricated in a myriad of lengths. There are advantages to fabricate lengths that are divisible by a whole number, e.g., two or four. For example, the inventors have proposed lengths of 4 ft., 8 ft., 12 ft., 16 ft . , 20 ft . , and 24 ft. Due to the EPS core material, thermal values well exceed current energy code requirements for comparable insulated walls and roof thicknesses. The same is also true were GREENSULATE used. Table I provides EPS core section weights and insulating R-values for various thickness and length cores of a 21-in. course 10.

TABLE I. TOTAL WEIGHT OF 1.75 FT. HIGH COURSES

12 ft long 66 lbs. 70 lbs. 72 lbs. 76 lbs.

8 ft long 44 lbs. 47 lbs. 48 lbs. 51 lbs.

4 ft long 22 lbs. 24 lbs. 25 lbs. 25. 5 lbs.

During the manufacturing process of the panel components 10, OSB structural sheathing panels 11 and 13 are fixedly and/or adhesively attached to opposing sides of the core section 12, e.g., using an adhering mastic. Optionally, spacers (not shown) can be provided at one end of each sheathing panel 11 and 13, to provide for thermal expansion along horizontal joints between adjacent, stacked panels 10.

The OSB structural sheathing panels 11 and 13 can be produced from renewable and/or recyclable materials, such as wood fibers that are infused with a binder material, e.g., resin, and subjected to high pressure. The OSB panels 11 and 13 are structured and arranged to be stronger and more resistant to moisture and infestation than conventional paneling, e.g., plywood, sheetrock, particle-board, press-board, gypsum board, blue board, and the like. Alternatives to OSB sheathing materials are MACROSTRAND Wheat, which is a lightweight, high- strength agricultural fiber manufactured by Environ Bio- composites Manufacturing LLC of Mankato, Minnesota, and PLYBOO manufactured by Smith & Fong Co. of San Francisco, California.

Referring again to FIG. 2A-2C, each panel 10, whether a bottom, a middle or a top course, includes a receiving groove 29. Bottom and middle courses also include a connecting tongue 26. Top courses, however, do not require connecting tongues. Receiving grooves 29 are structured and arranged to receive corresponding connecting tongues 26, to form a tight, interference fit .

A fluid infiltration barrier 15 can be provided within the receiving groove 29. The optional fluid infiltration barrier 15 is manufactured from a flexible, compressible foam that is capable of serving as an air- or water-infiltration barrier. The fluid infiltration barrier 15 can be disposed between adjoining EPS core sections 12a and 12b and fixedly and/or adhesively attached, e.g., using an adhering mastic, to the top surface of the connecting tongue 26. Although the fluid infiltration barrier 15 shown in FIG. 2C includes two narrow strips, this is shown for illustrative purposes only. The number and dimensions of the barrier 15 can vary. Optionally, a corresponding fluid infiltration barrier (not shown) can be provided on the top surface of the connecting tongue 26 of an adjacent core material 12a. Such a corresponding fluid infiltration barrier can be adapted to be in registration with the barrier 15 disposed on the receiving groove 29.

Referring to FIG. 3, to reinforce the horizontal joint between adjoining, stacked courses 10a and 10b, at least one and preferably a plurality of OSB splines 14a and 16a are provided. The OSB splines 14a and 16a are adapted to project some distance beyond the end 28 of the OSB sheathing panels 11a and 13a, to create the connecting tongue 26. More specifically, OSB splines 14a and 16a are fixedly and/or adhesively attached to a back face of the OSB sheathing panels 11a and 13a, respectively, and are adapted to fit snugly into the negative or hollow spaces 27a of the core sections 12a. During construction, the OSB splines 14a and 16a and connecting tongue 26 of a first course 10a are fixedly, releasably, and/or adhesively attached to the OSB sheathing panels lib and 13b within the receiving groove 29 of a second, adjoining course 10b, e.g., using screws, nails, rivets, or other fastening devices 85.

Utility Chases

Referring to FIGs. 2A-2C, the interior faces of exterior wall component panels 40 and at least one of the faces of interior wall component panels 30 include a plurality of spaced, vertical furring strips or studs 17 for use in routing utilities, e.g., electrical wiring, telephone wiring, computer wiring, cable wiring, conduit, plumbing, and the like, in a vertical direction. In addition to providing chase space 18 for routing utilities, the vertical studs 17 can also be used as fastening strips for hanging sheetrock, gypsum board, particle- board, plywood, blue board, and the like.

The vertical studs 17, which, for illustrative purposes are shown as open channel-type sections, are fixedly and/or adhesively attached to the outer surface of an OSB sheathing panel 11 or 13. An inner-chase layer 19 of EPS foam can be provided between each of the vertical studs 17. One end of the inner-chase layer 19 is disposed proximate the open end of the channel section to create a contained, vertical chase space 18a. The vertical studs 17 are made of the same OSB material as the sheathing panels 11 and 13 and, for illustrative purposes only, can be approximately 1-1/2 inches wide and can extend orthogonally approximately 1-1/4 inches above the surface of the sheathing panel 11 or 13. Center-to-center spacing between vertical studs 17 can be standardized, e.g., 16 inches. The length of each stud 17 is commensurate with the height of the corresponding course 10.

Each of the courses lOa-lOc (discussed in greater detail below) can also be manufactured to include pre-located, pre-cut openings 52 through the vertical studs 17, to permit routing utilities horizontally. The location of the pre-cut openings 52 in the studs 17 can be standardized. For example, the openings 52 can be provided near the bottom edge of the each course 10- 10c proximate to the receiving groove 29. Horizontal chase gaps 18b adjacent to or between inner-chase layers 19 are provided for routing utilities in a horizontal direction. As an alternative, as shown in FIG. 1Od, the location of the openings 52 can be anywhere between the proximal and distal ends of the studs 17.

Optionally, protective metal plates (not shown) can be provided over each opening 52, to prevent fastening devices, screws, nails, staples, and the like 85 from piercing or otherwise damaging any utilities routed through the opening 52. Alternatively, the openings 52 do not have to be pre-cut or located at pre-determined locations.

Exterior Wall Systems

During construction, panels or courses 10 can be combined, e.g., stacked, to provide interior 30 and exterior walls 40. A typical exterior wall 40 using a plurality of panels or courses is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4. Each exterior wall 40 includes a bottom course 10a, at least one (middle) course 10b, and a top course 10c. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that the exterior wall 40 can include a plurality of middle courses 10b to provide any desired wall height. Furthermore, although FIG. 4 shows each bottom course 10a, middle course 10b, and top course 10c having the same length and being stacked one above the other, the lengths may vary and, moreover, the courses can be horizontally offset so that the vertical joints between stacked courses is not continuous, to provide greater structural strength. For descriptive purposes only, we will assume that each exterior course lOa-c has a core section that is 5-1/2 inch thick, a total wall thickness of 6.375 inches, and a height of 21 inches.

The bottom course 10a includes a core section 12a, OSB sheathing panels 11a and 13a, OSB splines 14b and 16b, and a fluid infiltration barrier 15a. The receiving groove portion 29 of the core section 12a is planar or substantially planar and adapted for disposition on a bottom plate 41 that is fixedly attached to a foundation, footing, floor slab, and the like. Although not shown, optionally each of the bottom plate 41 and the bottom course 10a may include cavities for installing a shear key, to provide shear resistance between the bottom course 10a and the bottom plate 41. The top portion of the core section 12a of the bottom course 10a, i.e., the connecting tongue 26a, includes two hollow portions 27a. The hollow portions 27a are structured and arranged to receive the OSB splines 14a and 16a that are attached to the back sides of each OSB sheathing panel 11a and 13a.

At the interior face of the exterior wall 40, the interior sheathing panel 11a projects beyond the bottom portion of the core section 12a a sufficient distance (nominal or true) to conceal the bottom plate 41 and to abut against the flooring. At the exterior face, the exterior sheathing panel 13a is adapted to project beyond the bottom portion of the core section 12a a sufficient distance (nominal or true) to conceal all or some portion of the building foundation (not shown) .

Referring to FIG. 5, the top course 10c of the exterior wall 40 includes a core section 12c and OSB sheathing panels lie and 13c that overlap the top and bottom portions of the core section 12c. By design, the planar or substantially planar top portion 26c of each top course 10c is not mated with a receiving groove, hence, there are no OSB splines. Instead, at least one top plate 42 is disposed on the top portion 26a within the overhang projection 43. Preferably, the height of the first top plate 42 is equal to the length of the projection 43 of the OSB sheathing panels lie and 13c, e.g., two inches. The OSB sheathing panels lie and 13c overhanging at the bottom portion of the core section 12c forms a receiving groove 29c.

A middle course 10b has been described in some detail above. As shown in FIG. 4, the middle course 10b also includes a connecting tongue 26b at an upper end and receiving groove 29b at a lower end thereof. The connecting tongue 26b is structured and arranged to provide a tight, interference fit within the receiving groove 29c of a top course 10c or of another middle course. The receiving groove 29b is structured and arranged to provide a tight, interference fit with the connecting tongue 26a of a bottom course 10a or of another middle course. In addition to the tight, interference fit, adjacent courses are fastened together, e.g., using fastening devices 85, as shown in FIG. 3.

FIGs. 6A and 6B provide isometric views of multiple-floor building corner 45 connections. As shown in FIG. 6A, the respective ends 47 and 48 of the exterior walls 40a and 40c on each floor overlap the ends of corresponding exterior walls 40b and 4Od. Wood boards 46, i.e., lumber boards, can be fixedly or adhesively attached at the ends 47 and 48 of the exterior walls 40a-40d.

An L-shaped plate 66 is provided to satisfy the anti- lifting and seismic requirements of local building codes. The L-shaped plate 66 has a long leg 67 and a short leg 68. The short leg 68 is disposed on and fixedly attached to the exterior walls 40a and 40c and the intermediate floor component 44 that overlap the other walls 40b and 40d. The long leg 67 is disposed on and fixedly attached, e.g., fastened, to the other exterior walls 40b and 40d. Fasteners used to secure the short leg 68 should be sufficiently long to anchor into the wood board (not shown) attached at the face of the core material 12 of the other exterior wall 40b and 40d. Fasteners used to secure the long leg 67 of the L-shaped bracket 66 should be sufficiently long to anchor into the OSB sheathing material 11 on the interior face of the exterior walls 40b and 40d. As an alternative, as shown in FIG. 6B, one wall-to-wall structural connector 66 is disposed on and fixedly attached to the exterior walls 40a and 40c and the intermediate floor component 44 and the, while another to the other structural connector 66 is disposed on and fixedly attached to the exterior walls 40b and 4Od and the intermediate floor component 44. The fastening devices (not shown) can be fixedly or adhesively attached to the wood boards 46, i.e., lumber boards, disposed at the ends 47 and 48 of the exterior walls 40a-40d.

Interior Wall Systems

A typical interior wall 30 using a plurality of panels or courses is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7. Each interior wall 30 includes a bottom course 10a, at least one (middle) course 10b, and a top course 10c. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that the interior wall 30 can include a plurality of middle courses 10b to provide any desired wall height. Furthermore, although FIG. 7 shows each bottom course 10a, middle course 10b, and top course 10c having the same length and being stacked one above the other, the lengths may vary and, moreover, the courses can be horizontally offset, to provide greater structural strength. For descriptive purposes only, we will assume that each course lOa-lOc has a core section that is 2-1/2 inch thick and that each panel has a height of 14 inches. Typical interior walls 30 are virtually identical to typical exterior walls 40 except that they tend to be thinner because less insulation is needed and vertical studs 17 may be provided on both interior faces of each course lOa-lOc. The bottom course 10a includes a core section 12a, OSB sheathing panels 11a and 13a, OSB splines 14b and 16b, and a fluid infiltration barrier 15a. The bottom portion of the core material 12a within the receiving groove 29a of the bottom course 10a is planar or substantially planar and adapted for disposition on a bottom plate 41 that is fixedly attached to a foundation wall, floor slab, and the like.

The top portion of the core section 12a of the bottom course 10a, i.e., the connecting tongue 26a, includes two hollow portions 27a. The hollow portions 27a are structured and arranged to receive the OSB splines 14a and 16a that are attached to the back sides of each OSB sheathing panel 11a and 13a. At each interior face of the interior wall 30, the sheathing panels 11a and 13a project beyond the bottom portion of the core section 12a a sufficient distance (nominal or true) to provide a receiving groove 29 to conceal the bottom plate 41 and to abut against the flooring on either side of the interior wall 30.

Referring to FIG. 5, the top course 10c of the interior wall 40 includes a core section 12c and OSB sheathing panels lie and 13c that overlap the top and bottom portions of the core section 12c. By design, the planar or substantially planar top portion 26c of each top course 10c is not mated with a receiving groove, hence, there are no OSB splines. Instead, at least one top plate 42 is disposed on the top portion 26a within the overhang projection 43. Preferably, the height of the first top plate 42 is equal to the length of the projection 43 of the OSB sheathing panels lie and 13c, e.g., two inches. The OSB sheathing panels lie and 13c overhanging at the bottom portion of the core section 12c forms a receiving groove 29c.

A middle course 10b has been described in some detail above. As shown in FIG. 7, the middle course 10b also includes a connecting tongue 26b at an upper end and receiving groove 29b at a lower end thereof. The connecting tongue 26b is structured and arranged to provide a tight, interference fit within the receiving groove 29c of a top course 10c or of another middle course. The receiving groove 29b is structured and arranged to provide a tight, interference fit with the connecting tongue 26a of a bottom course 10a or of another middle course. In addition to the tight, interference fit, adjacent courses are fastened together using fastening devices 85 as shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 8, interior walls 30 can be connected to an exterior wall 40 or to one another interior wall (not shown) using a vertical joining plate 49. Preferably, the vertical joining plate 49 can be one of the vertical studs 17 or can be mechanically coupled to one of the vertical studs 17. Bottom plates 41 are also used for attaching the bottom course 10a of the interior wall 30 to the floor or subfloor.

Ceiling/Flooring Systems Elevation, plan, and isometric views of a typical floor component panel 60 are shown in FIGs. 9A-9C, respectively. Floor component panels 60 are joined together laterally in a horizontal or substantially horizontal plane, i.e., the xz- plane. In one embodiment, the floor component panels include a decking or subfloor 61 and an engineered truss 63.

The truss 63 includes solid top chord 63a and bottom chord portions 63b, which are connected by compressive and tensile truss elements 63c. The design and dimensions of the truss 63 and truss elements 63c can be standardized for typical live and dead loads or can be designed discretely for a particular structure. The top chord portion 63a is fixedly attached to the bottom surface of the subfloor 61. Depending on the floor length and acceptable deflection, the bottom chord portion 63b can be simply-supported at two ends or can further include one or more intermediate supports, e.g., load bearing walls or lolly columns, therebetween.

The bottom chord portion 63b provides an attachment surface for hanging and supporting a ceiling. The space 64 between the top and bottom chord portions 63a and 63b provides ample room for locating utilities.

As an alternative to a truss-based ceiling/flooring system, there is shown a second ceiling/flooring based system 65 in FIG. 10. The alternate system 65 includes a decking or subfloor 61 and an OSB structural sheathing portion 69, between which an EPS foam core 12 is fixedly or adhesively attached. The decking or subfloor 61 and a OSB structural sheathing portion 69 are adapted to provide a load-carrying capability similar to the flanges of an I-beam while the foam core 12 is adapted to provide load-distributing and moment of inertia capabilities similar to the web of an I-beam. For reasons that will become more clear below, an engineered beam 71 having the same or substantially the same height as the EPS foam core 12 is fixedly or adhesively attached to the bottom surface of the subfloor 61 and to the top surface of the OSB sheathing portion 69.

A plurality of horizontal furring strips 17 is fixedly or adhesively attached to the bottom surface of the OSB structural sheathing portion 69, to provide chase space 18 for routing utility lines within the ceiling and to provide a fastening surface for hanging a ceiling. The furring strips 17 can be provided at a 16-in. center-to-center spacing. An inner-chase layer 19 or EPS foam is provided between adjacent furring strips 17. Flooring details for joining adjacent floor component sections 60 and 65 are shown in FIG. 9C and FIG. 11, respectively. The truss-based system 60 (FIG. 9C) has a fastening tab 62, e.g., a 3/4-in. piece of plywood, that is mechanically or adhesively attached to the underside of a cantilevered portion of the subfloor 61 disposed on a male side 72 of the subfloor 61 and a receiving section 75 that is provided under the cantilevered portion of the subfloor 71 on a female side 74 of the subfloor 61.

In the alternative, FIG. 11 shows a joint connection detail between adjacent floor component section 65a and 65b. Fastening devices 85 are used to secure the subfloor 61a of a first floor component section 65b to the engineered beam 71a of an abutting, second floor component section 65a. Although not shown, the OSB sheathing portion 69b of the first floor component section 65b can also be mechanically or adhesively attached to the bottom of the engineered beam 71a of the second floor component section 65a . FIG. 12A shows a typical floor detail 90 between floors at an exterior wall 40 for a truss-based ceiling/flooring system 60 and FIG. 12B shows a typical floor detail 90 between floors at an exterior wall 40 for the previously-described alternative ceiling/flooring system 65. In each figure, the top course 10c of a first floor exterior wall 40c, the ceiling/flooring system 60 or 65, and the bottom course 10a of a second floor exterior wall 40a are shown. Live and dead loads from the bottom course 10a of the second floor and from the truss-based ceiling/ flooring system 60 are transferred to the top course 10c and to the first floor exterior wall 40c primarily via a lumber board 95 and the trusses 63 that are simply-supported on the top course 10c (FIG. 12A) or via engineered beam 68 and the EPS foam 12 (FIG. 12B) .

Because the latter (alternative) system 65 includes an engineered beam 71, e.g., a laminated, engineered beam, the beam 71 can be flush with the outer surface of the exterior wall 40. Because the former (truss-based) system 60 merely has a piece of lumber 95 adjacent to the truss 63, an additional component panel 44 is needed and all joints 96 between the additional course panel 44 and the bottom course 10a and between the additional course panel 44 and the top course 10b require additional waterproofing, which is to say additional taping 98 to cover the joints 96.

Roofing System

A typical roof-wall connection detail is shown in FIG. 13. The roofing component 70 includes a roofing portion 75 and an OSB structural sheathing portion 74, between which an EPS foam core 72 is fixedly or adhesively attached. The roofing 75 and the OSB structural sheathing portions 74 are adapted to provide a load-carrying capability similar to the flanges of an I-beam while the foam core 72 is adapted to provide load-distributing and moment of inertia capabilities similar to the web of an I- beam. For reasons that will become more clear below, an engineered beam 76 having the same or substantially the same height as the EPS foam core 72 is fixedly or adhesively attached to the bottom surface of the roofing 75 and to the top surface of the OSB sheathing portion 74.

A plurality of horizontal furring strips 17 is fixedly or adhesively attached to the bottom surface of the OSB structural sheathing portion 74, to provide chase space 18 for routing utility lines within the attic and to provide a fastening surface for hanging a ceiling. The furring strips 17 can be provided at a 16-in. center-to-center spacing. An inner-chase layer 19 of EPS foam is provided between adjacent furring strips 17. The pitch of the roofing component 70 is variable. A triangular wedge connecting block 73 can be used to establish the desired pitch angle 77 as measured from the top plate 42 of the top course 40c. The roofing component 70 and roof live and dead loads are supported along the hypotenuse of the triangular wedge connecting block 73 and by the top course 40c. A fastening device 78, e.g., a lag bolt, can be used to fixedly attached the roofing component 70 to the top plate 42 of the top course 42.

Although not shown, alternatively, the roofing component 70 can be truss-based and/or columns can be provided to support the peak portion 80 of the roofing system 70. Method of Construction

Design on an e3Co system building can be facilitated using parametric software designed specifically for that purpose. Indeed, in a first construction phase, preferably, the interactive software uses dimensional data input by the user to determine the number, size, e.g., dimensions, core thicknesses, length, and so forth, and configuration of each building component for exterior and interior walls, ceiling/flooring systems, and roofing and to prepare a bill-of-materials (BOM) of construction components needed and an estimated thereof to complete the desired construction. Preferably, the parametric software is further capable of integrating electrical, heating, cooling, interior wiring, and plumbing systems into the design. In a second phase of production, all of the building components in the BOM are fabricated using a computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) fabricator. The ESB cores can be formed and pre-cut into required lengths and shapes and then adhered to OSB panels using a structural mastic. Locations for field-applied fasteners can be stenciled on to the surface of the OSB panels, to facilitate construction in the field. Optionally, when electrical wiring, radiant heating/cooling, and/or plumbing are integrated into the design, electrical chases, plumbing chases, and locations for CPOs, light switches, and so forth can also be stenciled on the OSB panels.

The third phase of production is the sequential assembly of the building components in accordance with an accompanying instruction manual that describes graphically the various construction procedures. Preferably, each component is numbered at the time of manufacture so that contractors or builders erect the structure in its proper assembly sequence.

As shown in FIG. 14, initially, the soil foundation is prepared and a concrete or other foundation is placed thereon (A) . A first level subfloor or floor slab can then be installed

(B) , before the first level exterior walls are erected (C) . The exterior wall component panels are stacked vertically as connecting tongues are inserted into receiving grooves. The components are attached at each joint using fasteners, e.g., screws. An integral adhesive air-infiltration barrier binds the

EPS foam cores together. After the component panels are stacked and fastened to form an exterior wall, moisture-resistant tape, e.g., ZIP SYSTEM tape manufactured by Huber Engineered Woods LLC of Charlotte, North Carolina, can be used to cover the joints created between adjacent courses, to provide a continuous sheet of protection.

Upon erection or partial erection of the exterior walls (C) , first floor interior walls can be erected (D) . As with the exterior wall component panels, interior wall component panels are stacked vertically as connecting tongues are inserted into receiving grooves. The component panels are attached at each joint using fasteners, e.g., screws. An integral adhesive air- infiltration barrier binds the EPS foam cores together. As the component panels are positioned and interconnected, electrical systems, switching units, electrical fixtures, CPOs, and the like are electrically coupled to electrical wiring that is routed through the chase space in interior and exterior wall components. Plumbing conduits, fixtures, and lines and radiant heating/cooling lines are also coupled as the component panels are positioned.

After all of the interior and exterior first level walls have been erected, ceiling/flooring components are set on top of load-bearing interior and exterior walls (E) , creating a working platform for erecting second level walls (F) . The erection techniques and sequence of the second and any subsequent levels

(G through J) mirror that of the first level. Once the exterior walls of the uppermost floor have been erected (I), installation of a decking or roofing system component panels (K) takes the place of installing ceiling/flooring component panels.

While the invention is described through the above-described exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that modifications to, and variations of, the illustrated embodiments may be made without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. Accordingly, the invention should not be viewed as limited, except by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Claims

What I cl aim i s :

1. A prefabricated component construction system for building low-rise, building structures from a plurality of stackable, lightweight, insulated components, the system comprising: a first plurality of exterior wall component panels for each level of construction; a second plurality of interior wall component panels for each level of construction; a third plurality of ceiling/flooring component panels for each level of construction; and a fourth plurality of roofing component panels, each of the pluralities of component panels including at least one of a receiving groove portion and a connecting tongue portion .

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second pluralities are stackable using the receiving groove portions and connecting tongue portions.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the pluralities of components panels includes at least one stud portion on at least one face thereof, the stud portion providing a first opening for routing utilities lines in a first linear direction therethrough.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the stud portion includes a second opening for routing utilities lines in a second linear direction that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first linear direction.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein each of the at least one stud portion is disposed on the at least one face to provide a center-to-center spacing therebetween, and wherein a highly thermally-insulative, structurally rigid material is attached to said at least one face between adjacent stud portions.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the third plurality of ceiling/flooring components panels is structured and arranged to include a plurality of truss components.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the third plurality of ceiling/flooring component panels is structured and arranged to include an upper decking layer lying in a first horizontal plane, a lower sheathing layer lying in a second horizontal plane parallel to the first horizontal plane, a laminated engineered beam that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to each of the upper decking and lower sheathing layers, and a highly thermally-insulative, structurally rigid material that is attached to each of the upper decking and lower sheathing layers and to the laminated engineered beam.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein at a distal end of each of the third plurality of ceiling/flooring component panels, the laminated engineering beam laterally extends beyond edges of each of the upper decking and the lower sheathing layers to form a connecting tongue portion and, at a proximal end of each of the third plurality of ceiling/flooring component panels, each of the upper decking and the lower sheathing layers is structured and arranged to extend laterally beyond the rigid material to form a receiving groove portion, the connecting tongue portion and the receiving groove portion being adapted, respectively, to be inserted into a receiving groove portion of a first adjacent component panel and to receive a tongue portion of a second adjacent component panel.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the third plurality of ceiling/flooring component panels is disposed horizontally between exterior wall component panels forming a first floor and exterior wall component panels forming a second floor .

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the fourth plurality of roofing component panes is mechanically attached to a top plate of a top course panel disposed in at least one of the first plurality of exterior component panels.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the fourth plurality of roofing component panes is mechanically attached to the top plate of the top course panel via a connecting block, the connecting block having a pitch angle to orient each of the fourth plurality of roofing component panels at a desired pitch.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of component panels is transportable and stackable by two or three workers .

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the fourth plurality of roofing components panels is structured and arranged to include a plurality of truss components.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the fourth plurality of roofing component panels is structured and arranged to include an upper decking layer lying in a first plane, a lower sheathing layer lying in a second plane parallel to the first plane, a laminated engineered beam that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to each of the upper decking and lower sheathing layers, and a highly thermally- insulative, structurally rigid material that is attached to each of the upper decking and lower sheathing layers and to the laminated engineered beam.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein at a distal end of each of the fourth plurality of roofing component panels, the laminated engineering beam extends laterally beyond edges of each of the upper decking and the lower sheathing layers to form a connecting tongue portion and, at a proximal end of each of the fourth plurality of roofing component panels, each of the upper decking and the lower sheathing layers is structured and arranged to extend laterally beyond the rigid material to form a receiving groove portion, the connecting tongue portion and the receiving groove portion being adapted, respectively, to be inserted into a receiving groove portion of a first adjacent component panel and to receive a tongue portion of a second adjacent component panel.

16. A prefabricated component construction system for building low-rise, building structures from a plurality of stackable, lightweight, insulated components, the system comprising: a first plurality of exterior wall component panels for each level of construction; a second plurality of interior wall component panels for each level of construction; a third plurality of ceiling/flooring component panels for each level of construction; and a fourth plurality of roofing component panels, wherein each of the pluralities of components panels includes at least one stud portion on at least one face thereof, the stud portion providing a first opening for routing utilities lines in a first linear direction therethrough.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the pluralities of component panels includes at least one of a receiving groove portion and a connecting tongue portion.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the first and second pluralities are stackable using the receiving groove portions and connecting tongue portions.

19. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the stud portion includes a second opening for routing utilities lines in a second linear direction that is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the first linear direction.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein each of the at least one stud portion is disposed on the at least one face to provide a center-to-center spacing therebetween, and wherein a highly thermally-insulative, structurally rigid material is attached to said at least one face between adjacent stud portions.