After a number of years of research with Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (international industrial research center) and Laval University, HONCO developed a patented construction technology based on steel structural panels.
Steel Structural Panels
A material that has no apparent rigidity cannot, at first glance, support any load, but when the same material is bent, it acquires greater structural properties. According to this principle, corrugating a steel sheet enhances its bending strenght, resulting in a structural panel.
The main corrugation provides the panel with a global stabilizer when it works in compression and optimizes the bending strength. The secondary
corrugation ensures the local stability of each part of the panel. A groove on each side of the panel stiffens the connection between panels.
Once they are corrugated, the meter-wide panels are bolted together to form the building’s walls, roof, and ceiling. The steel struts, gussets, and lateral spacers bolted between the roof and ceiling panels form the roof truss.
The side (load-bearing) and end walls bear the weight of the building evenly without the need for independent supports.
Connection
All elements of a self-supporting steel building are joined to each other with 9,5 mm (3/8") in diameter bolts at every 200 mm (8") on center in a way to form an entire envelope. Longitudinal joints are sealed with the help of polybutylene tape of 6,4 mm x 6,4 mm (¼'' x ¼'') compressed by bolts to ensure a tight connection.
A totally efficient insulation method
The wall section illustrated in this page shows that the structural panel system allows for more efficient wall insulation since the insulation is :
- Installed horizontally, from inside the building, with wood lathing that does not compress it;
- Laminated with a reinforced aluminium vapour barrier (FSK) that reflects heat;
- Held up with the help of special hooks and supports that prevents the insulation to sag in the walls;
- Sealed on horizontal lathing;
- Located in a continuous line with the foundation insulation;
- Installed by the inside preventing the insulation from being exposed to the elements during its installation.
Simpler and More Cost-Effective Foundations
The weight of HONCO buildings (and the load they support) is distributed evenly over the foundation walls, unlike conventionally framed buildings, in which loads are concentrated at the base of the columns. As a result, HONCO self-supporting structures do not require massive foundations with pilasters and reinforcements to support concentrated loads. Instead, their foundations are much simpler and easier to build, cutting overall construction costs by 25% to 40%.
Roof Space Ventilation
Roof trusses allow plenty of space for installing blown installation, as per the desired thermal performance. Unlike most buildings, where there is no space to aerate insulation, the roof space in HONCO buildings is continually aerated by a ventilation system, which keeps the insulation dry and efficient.
Roof spaces offer a host of benefits:
- Continuous ventilation by roof-mounted gravity or mechanical ventilators combined with ventilation louvers located in both end walls
- Insulation remains permanently dry and efficient
- Accessible at all times through a trap door
- Ceiling is strong enough to walk on
- Pipes and electrical wiring can be installed quickly
Well ventilated attics reduces energy costs, and HONCO boasts the best roof space ventilation system available. HONCO buildings translate into guaranteed savings!
The cornerstone of our HONCO technology is the structural panel. Self-supporting steel structures offer a host of advantages over conventional buildings. See the Benefits page.