Made from 16 gauge alluminium the stressed skin 7 meter dome has no internal support beams, the entire 7 meter diameter structure is self supported using 1.5mm thick alluminium sheet. Double glazed south facing windows help keep the dome warm in winter (often 10 degrees above outside tempreture)
I use the dome for testing alternative energy systems and equipment, I've tested solar panels, underfloor heating, sun tubes, reflective pools, solar hot water panels, ram pumps and other energy saving tech, most worked pretty well but there where some issues with most of the equipment I installed and used. The geo-dome has an array of temperature gauges and sensors from which I collect data to analyze the performance of each system in turn, I use the information to work out which works best, costs least, last longest etc. Some cost next to nothing others had a huge effect and some didn't make much difference or cost too much for the difference they did make.
7 meters in diameter, two floors, 9 inches of insulation. Locals call it the tardis, I use the ground floor as a woodworking workshop and upstairs as an office gym room. The dome has it's own private water supply from a well and off grid electricity. More information and pictures here: geo-dome.co.uk/article.asp?uname=mydome
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