BONE Structure, designer and builder of luxury custom homes using a patented light steel frame building technology and integrated process, announced the opening of its first U.S. office in San Francisco.
The company says its building system is a scalable solution that meets California’s 2020 Net Zero Energy (ZNE) new home building requirements.
Founded in 2005 by Marc A. Bovet in Laval, Quebec, Canada, BONE Structure says it has patented, in 42 countries, a technology that combines aesthetics, flexibility, efficiency, and respect for the environment.
Credit: BONE Structure
BONE Structure says it has contracted to build a new home in Palo Alto and another 15 residences in the Bay Area and Southern California. The company expects to build 50 new homes in California in 2016 and has manufacturing resources and the capability to produce 1,000 residences per year. More than 250 BONE Structure custom homes have been built in Canada.
The company says its building sys.tem gives architects greater flexibility, due to the strength of the steel parts. Homes can feature a very large open plan, interior space and double-height ceiling, allowing for natural light throughout and future reconfiguration as needed. The home’s shell is reported to produce near zero waste, is made of 89 percent recycled steel and is 100% recyclable, and is seismically resilient and resistant to damage by termites and mold, the company says.
Each custom home is designed for assembly using a battery powered drill, and one type of self-tapping screw, allowing a significant reduction in labor hours. The home’s set of laser-cut steel components include pre-planned, ready-made “highways” to accommodate building systems: plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The system is designed to avoid potential clashes between the various trades on the jobsite.
Precut insulation panels clip into place between the steel columns, and soy-based polyurethane foam insulation is sprayed on the exterior to tightly seal the building and act as a vapor barrier. Together, the steel structure, insulation panels, spray insulation, and roof create a tight, energy efficient envelope, the company says.
“We have been building houses the same way for 400 years. The cost keeps going up and the quality down.” Bovet said. BONE Structure’s custom home is “healthy, energy efficient and built to last generations.”
Credit: BONE Structure
Bovet was formerly part of the management team at Bombardier, the global aerospace and transportation company. His experience and observations led to the idea of applying the same assembly technologies to home construction, the company says.
Charles Bovet, vice president of business development at BONE Structure, will lead the company’s expansion to the U.S. He has a Masters degree in civil and environmental engineering and construction from Stanford University, and looked to his graduating class to build a multidisciplinary team to open the BONE Structure in San Francisco, the company says.
“California was an obvious choice for our first U.S. location,” said Charles Bovet. “It is the home of innovation and the birthplace of world-changing smart technologies.”
“We believe that the process of building a custom home should be exciting, simple and transparent.”
More information: BONE Structure.
