California is the mecca of surfing, cinema, impressive mansions and technology (Silicon Valley, near the San Francisco Bay, concentrates all the start-ups and large technology companies in the world such as Google and Apple). But there’s more: it’s also where the most advanced prefabricated homes on the market are designed and manufactured.
To make a little history: prefabricated houses are nothing new. Indian teepees already belonged to this typology: they are removable, transportable, sustainable and “available” houses in various sizes. But modern life demands more, because the risks are greater: fires, natural disasters, or, simply, that they can cover basic needs such as electricity and running water.
The most complete (and durable) prefabricated house on the market
Zomes is a new invention that has revolutionized the prefabricated housing market. Although traditional nomadic dwellings had limited resistance to inclement weather and, due to their materials, a useful life of no more than 20 years, the creators of this house ensure that you will have a house for life: they last 100 years. The secret? Your materials. The Zomes are built with bioceramic cement. This type of ultra-resistant material is also used in the storage of radioactive waste due to its durability and longevity. It is not a normal cement, it is the super cement, because in addition, it does not produce carbon dioxide in its manufacture. On the other hand, bioceramic is a neutral compound based on perlite and magnesia. When these two substances are combined, they create a polymeric material with cement-like properties, which is modeled from a paste. It is easy to work with and saves costs.
About the design, you see it: almost circular and dome-shaped. “At first we thought about designing a geodesic dome, a type of sphere formed by geometric planes, but we had to discard it because it generated many leaks. We opted for a design of a zonohedron, which is a polyhedron with central symmetry. Our design is far from original: it has the same shape as pineapples, beehives, some cacti or seashells. Nature has been generating zonohedral geometry for thousands of years,” say Shereef and Karim Bishay, two Egyptian brothers who live in California, and who have suffered from the “startupitis” syndrome for the last 20 years. “We decided to change jobs, we didn’t want to keep promising that we would change the housing problem… with an app. We wanted to build something real, and we fell in love with bioceramic cement and its properties: it’s robust, lightweight, environmentally friendly and incredibly strong, and that’s how Zomes was born.”
Another motivation to create a prefabricated house resistant to everything has been the fires that have ravaged California in recent summers. That is why it was essential that they were resistant to fire: the Zomes withstand temperatures of more than 1,200 degrees. Considering that iron melts at 1,250 degrees, it is quite a technical achievement. And since they were getting to it, they thought of adding more protection: it is resistant to water (including the weight of snow on the roof) to insects and mold.
An interior of natural and sustainable materials
The interiors of this prefabricated house can be customized (you can also buy only the “shell”, with nothing inside): from the number of windows to the number of meters, which makes it possible to be one or two floors. But if you are looking for an all-inclusive option, you will take better advantage of the distribution and you will only have to take care of furnishing it. The interior is clad in bamboo and Douglas fir wood, a species of perennial conifer of the pine family. It is known for its strength, hardness and durability. In addition, the wood comes from sustainable forests: for every tree that is cut down, a new one is planted.
In addition to an acoustic insulation, they have a cellulose insulation, which exceeds the R value of other insulators ,. Energy savings are enhanced by its platform, which creates a thermal mass that provides passive cooling and heating by absorbing heat during the day and diffusing it at night. But that will only happen in winter: in summer, it will be cool and ventilated.
What does it take to install a manufactured home?
The main thing is to have a clear land of a minimum extension of 50 square meters without cut corners. The house can be moved and, for US residents, they promise to beinstalled in just 4 weeks.
They have models ranging from 30 square meters to almost 300 (in this there is room for 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms). And the final fact: depending on your needs and desires the budget can vary a lot, but to give you an idea, each square meter will cost you about € 375. In total, for € 46,000, you can get the smallest model, about 20 square meters. As it is an American company, you should know that if you want one, you must hire your own builder, and they will send you your prefabricated house disassembled: walls, windows, doors and skylights along with assembly instructions and remote support so that you live the adventure of living to the adventure.
