Improvements in machine walls to construct a building or house is disclosed. Adjacent side of the wall sections are tapered and dovetailed that lock-in-place. The dovetails are spaced to reduce the height that one section must be lifted to engage in an adjoining wall section. The footers/base plate will also have integrated earthquake or hurricane hold-downs in the footer/base plate that aligns and can be secured from the foundation to the wall sections. The connection of the wall section to the foundation to have counter flashing at the concrete insert and the wall-to-wall sections can be self-flashed. The wall sections can have GPS locators for positioning the wall sections. Plumbing and electrical conduit creating circuits that can be integrated into the walls and are connected sealed or bonded together.

A floor panel includes hollow floor connector blocks that are reinforced with anchor pins embedded in cementitious material in the body of the panel. The floor connector blocks have two internal plates, which have holes that guide a tapped-head bolt. The tapped-head bolt has a threaded hole in its head and a bottom end thread that are used as anchoring sites respectively for upper and lower wall panels, which are also equipped with connector blocks.

A closed wall hold down system is provided including at least one closed wall panel, at least one first tie rod, at least one second tie rod, at least one coupler nut, and at least one ratcheting take-up device. The at least one closed wall panel includes a bottom plate and a top plate. The at least one first tie rod projects through the bottom plate. The at least one coupler nut is coupled to the at least one first tie rod and to a first end of the at least one second tie rod. A second end of the at least one second tie rod extends through the top plate. The at least one ratcheting take-up device engages the second end of the at least one second tie rod. A method of installing the closed wall hold down system is also provided.

A system and method for installing the system of sheathing panels having building information applied to the individual sheets of sheathing prior to installation. Application of the building information is performed by printing the information directly on each sheet to form a rasterbated image of the building plan. The rasterbated image is then assembled as the surface of a building to provide a building plan integrated into the surface of the building. The information provided by the building plan can include, but is not limited to, plumbing information, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning information, electrical information, and framing information, including but not limited to information regarding the composition of walls, and placement, size and configuration of windows and doors.

In an example, a conductive concrete structure disclosed. The conductive concrete can include a plurality of conductive side structures defining an interior of the conductive concrete structure and a plurality of conductive concrete partitions disposed within the interior of the conductive concrete structure. The plurality of conductive concrete partitions are arranged to define a labyrinth within the conductive concrete structure.

A tongue and groove panel connecting system including a plurality of panels configured to be mounted to a fence and attached thereto by means of fasteners. Each panel includes a tongue at the front side and a groove at the rear side thereof. When mounted, a first panel's groove receives the tongue of an adjacent panel, thereby interconnecting and securing one another onto the fence.

The present invention is directed to an improved gypsum board, such as an improved sound damping gypsum board. The gypsum board comprises a gypsum core including gypsum and a sound damping polymer. The gypsum core includes a first gypsum layer surface and a second gypsum layer surface opposing the first gypsum layer surface. In addition, a first encasing layer is disposed on the first gypsum layer surface and a second encasing layer is disposed on the second gypsum layer surface.

An eco-smart panel is described comprising a a solar thermal panel, a phase change material, a metal foil layer, and a structural frame constructed of materials including wood studs, gypsum, or fiberglass-reinforced concrete. The materials may be variously configured to create modular systems for fabricating buildings or structures. Eco-smart panels may be utilized to create buildings or structure with enhanced energy efficiency, increased fire resistance, increased flood resistance, and decreased construction cost and time.

A modular construction system, including, first and second walls, each having first and second broad surfaces. Each wall includes throughgoing connector-receiving bores. The modular construction system further includes a connector including a longitudinal body portion arranged along a longitudinal axis and having a first width. A head portion of the longitudinal body portion includes a base surface having a second width in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. A pair of protrusions extend outwardly from the longitudinal body portion and are disposed between the base surface and a tail end of the longitudinal body portion. The protrusions include an engagement surface facing toward the base surface and having a third width, the third width being greater than the first width.

Fire-retardant panels that include: a frame with multiple holes that reduce heat conduction through the panel; or a frame that includes two portions separated by a layer of fire-resistant material (e.g., gypsum, calcium silicate, or gypsum board). Some embodiments include skins (e.g., sheet metal) or insulation (e.g., between skin and fire-resistant material, for instance, within the frame). In particular embodiments, the fire-resistant material is (e.g., midway) between: two skins, two layers of insulation, two portions of the frame, or a combination thereof. The portions of the frame can be: sheet metal, attached (e.g., screwed) to the skin(s) or to each other, or extend around the perimeter. The frame can include: various elongated members, (e.g., parallel) bends, or holes that are: in at least one row, elongated, or slots (e.g., parallel to each other or to the skin).