A composite material may be used as a building material to provide desirable visible aesthetics, such as in a roof or facade. The composite material may include two or more materials, wherein a first material provides desirable qualities for appearance and a second material provides desirable qualities for strength or other characteristics desirable of a building material. Each of the first material and the second material may be transparent, such that the composite material is also transparent. The first material may be Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) and the second material may be Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

A composite material may be used as a building material to provide desirable visible aesthetics, such as in a roof or facade. The composite material may include two or more materials, wherein a first material provides desirable qualities for appearance and a second material provides desirable qualities for strength or other characteristics desirable of a building material. Each of the first material and the second material may be transparent, such that the composite material is also transparent. The first material may be Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) and the second material may be Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

A composite material may be used as a building material to provide desirable visible aesthetics, such as in a roof or facade. The composite material may include two or more materials, wherein a first material provides desirable qualities for appearance and a second material provides desirable qualities for strength or other characteristics desirable of a building material. Each of the first material and the second material may be transparent, such that the composite material is also transparent. The first material may be Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) and the second material may be Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

A portable housing system is provided that transmits forces through a plurality of walls. The walls may be arrayed about a central axis. A tension cable is wrapped around top ends of the walls, and anchor cables are interconnected to bottom ends of the walls. This cabling system transmits lateral forces through the walls towards the central axis. Joists and rafters extend inwardly from the walls towards a floor ring and a roof ring, respectively. The weight of the housing system acts against the cabling system, and the housing system rests in balanced state. The anchor cables may also anchor the housing system to a ground surface.

A method for constructing a cylindrical tank which has a metallic inner tank and a concrete outer tank includes a step of building up a PC wall in an outer circumferential edge portion of a base plate, a step of assembling an outer tank roof on the base plate other than the outer circumferential edge portion of the base plate, a step of lifting the outer tank roof which is on the base plate using a jack-up unit while the PC wall is being built up and then holding the outer tank roof on the PC wall, and a step of assembling the inner tank independently of the outer tank roof in a space under the outer tank roof which is created due to the lifting.

A method for constructing a cylindrical tank which has a metallic inner tank and a concrete outer tank includes a step of building up a PC wall in an outer circumferential edge portion of a base plate, a step of assembling an outer tank roof on the base plate other than the outer circumferential edge portion of the base plate, a step of lifting the outer tank roof which is on the base plate using a jack-up unit while the PC wall is being built up and then holding the outer tank roof on the PC wall, and a step of assembling the inner tank independently of the outer tank roof in a space under the outer tank roof which is created due to the lifting.

A geodesic dome accessory having an accessory frame that utilizes a base frame and an upper frame. The base frame is attached to the frame of the geodesic dome on interior to the frame. The upper frame attaches to the base frame and secures the membrane of the geodesic dome between the upper frame and the base frame, providing a weather resistant or tight seal. The base frame forms an opening to access from the exterior of the dome to the interior. The upper frame can be in a variety of configurations, including a window, door, vent passage, or stove pipe passage. The structural framing of the dome can remain with the base frame in the shape of the opening between frame elements, such as a window, or the framing can be removed with the accessory base frame forming the structural support replacing the standard framing, such as a door.