We developed the Blue Sky Building System^TM as a key part of our effort to introduce new methods and materials to homebuilding.  This innovative system (patent pending) offers four key attributes:

• Moment-resisting, light-gauge steel frame
• Precise factory fabrication, rapid site assembly
• Large open spaces, flexible floor plans
• High sustainability

Moment-resisting, light-gauge steel frame

At the core of the Blue Sky Building System is a moment-resisting, bi-directional rigid frame made of steel.  Most of the frame elements are made from cold-formed light-gauge [10-14] high-tensile steel that is factory fabricated to exact specifications and high tolerances.  This creates a frame that perfectly matches the architect’s plans and eliminates the need to compensate for the normal human or material errors in wood framing – shimming, walls that are not straight, miscalculations, etc. 

The frame can be completely erected in a matter of days.  All of the components are unloaded and placed by hand or a small lift, eliminating the need for heavy equipment.  Bolt connections allow builders to bypass the time and expense of welding and follow-up inspections.  The fast creation of a weather-resistant space allows interior finish work to begin almost immediately. 

Our system requires no bracing of any kind, and it meets all seismic and wind-loading requirements.

The structural integrity of our frame is provided by the strength of both the steel and the bolt connections that link the framing elements.  These moment connections are comprised of an eight-bolt pattern, arrayed according to a proprietary software system that creates an exceptionally strong frame.  Because the moment frame concentrates all dead load at the columns, our system works in either a slab-on-grade environment or on a raised foundation (with the floor decking hung from the lateral elements).

The Blue Sky Building System is uniquely suited for steep, sensitive or remote locations.  Because our frame touches the ground only at column locations, houses built using it do not require large, flat concrete slabs.  And that can mean dramatically less grading is required, thus saving costs and reducing the aesthetic and environmental damage that grading can cause. 

We believe that steel is a superior alternative to traditional wood framing.  Steel has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any building material.  It is dimensionally stable, meaning it is a uniform and predictable material.  It will not expand or contract due to moisture.  And it does not warp, twist or rot and is impervious to insects. Unlike many steel alternatives, the frame used in our system is economically efficient because it uses mainly light-gauge, cold-formed steel as opposed to the more heavy and expensive hot-rolled steel common in commercial buildings and some residential projects.

The bi-directional, moment resisting framing methodology utilized in the Blue Sky Building System is the result of more than 15 years of design and rigorous testing.  It was recently standardized in the American Iron and Steel Institute’s AISI S-110-07 and adopted into the American Society of Civil Engineers’ ASC 7-10.  It will be adopted into the 2012 International Building Code (IBC), as well as the California Building Code (CBC).

The frame is manufactured by FCP, Inc. of Wildomar, CA and Blue Sky Homes controls the exclusive rights for residential applications.

Precise factory fabrication, rapid site assembly

Unlike traditional homebuilding where much of the manufacturing takes place on-site (interpreting plans, measuring, cutting, assembly, etc.), the elements of the Blue Sky Building System are fabricated in a relatively low-cost labor market under factory conditions.  This dramatically reduces the amount of on-site work and allows us to create a higher-caliber product with lower skilled on-site labor. 

As opposed to traditional homebuilding, which follows a sequential pattern where portions of the construction must be finished prior to another portion starting (e.g. framing before roofing, before walls), the elements of our system are manufactured simultaneously for just-in-time delivery.  Once the frame and exterior envelope of the house is completed, the other elements of the house arrive at the construction site in a sequenced fashion, ready to be added to the structure.  This dramatically reduces downtime due to weather, waiting for materials or specialized trades, etc. and allows us to complete an entire house within six weeks after the foundation or site work has been finished.

Our exterior walls are made of rigid foam panels that that are factory manufactured to integrate with our framing and to snap into place.  Known as steel thermal efficient panels (S.T.E.P) they are made of expanded polystyrene with light-gauge steel studs that are thermally broken to improve their insulation quality.  The walls offer an open system with large, pre-punched holes for utility runs.

We also offer a factory built “core” that can contain a bathroom, hot water heater, air handler, washer/dryer and electrical subpanel which is shipped to the job site as a completed element and lifted into place with a small crane.  The only on-site work required is hooking up rough plumbing and electrical to the core; a few hours of work as opposed to weeks to install these elements on-site.

Large open spaces, flexible floor plans

Because the Blue Sky Building System utilizes a moment-resisting frame, the only structural components are columns at the corners and along perimeter walls.  This eliminates the need for load-bearing or shear walls, inside or outside the house.

This system allows architects wide latitude to create homes in a variety of styles. The strength of the steel permits wide spans, allowing for large rooms and flexible floor plans. The structural frame can either disappear inside of walls (as with a traditional wood frame) or stand out as an architectural element, depending on the style of home.  Because the walls are non-load-bearing, interior floor plans created with our system are limitless and easy to modify in the future.

Our system was designed around standardized dimensions, making it easy to relocate elements during the design process and to use commonly available construction materials.  The system can be used to create structures of up to three floors in height.

Our system allows for the use of any exterior cladding that the homeowner desires – from metal to stone to reclaimed wood.  The interior walls will accommodate traditional drywall finishes as well as plaster, wood or any other surface used in a traditional home.

Unlike prefab competitors, we ship elements of the house as opposed to completed building modules.  Thus our designs are not restricted to heights and widths that can be shipped on a flatbed truck.  This allows us to create homes that bear no resemblance to the modified trailer home look of many prefab offerings.

High sustainability

Everything we do, from the way we build our homes to the way our homes function over their lifespan, is done with sustainability in mind.  Beyond just using “green” materials, we take into consideration the durability and lifecycle of the home, waste of materials and time, and health aspects of the home.

Our framing is made from approximately 70 percent recycled material and is itself 100 percent recyclable.  The frame is ideally suited for the use of pre-fabricated wall panels that will greatly reduce wood usage, waste and labor costs. The expanded polystyrene for our wall panels is made from a byproduct of the natural gas manufacturing process.  Our basic designs contain wood only in the cabinetry and internal doors and options include FSC certified or reclaimed wood for flooring, external siding and cabinetry.  Our other finish materials have been selected based on reuse and the ability to replenish.

A key component of our system is waste reduction – up to 40 percent of the material delivered to a traditional construction site ends up as waste.  Our factory fabrication process virtually eliminates site waste.  Scraps from manufacturing and the limited scraps on site are recycled.  Our system also reduces process waste – fewer trips to the project site, limited correcting or redoing of errors, fewer trades required.

Our system also creates homes that are much more durable than those created with traditional building methodologies.  Steel is our key element, which creates homes with greater lifespans.  Unlike wood framing our steel system is impervious to insects, will not twist or crack as the weather changes and is highly resistant to fire.

We are also creating homes that are healthier for inhabitants.  Unlike traditional wood framing, the steel frame does not foster mold growth and does not need to be treated with noxious chemicals to repel insects or prevent fire.    

Finally, our homes have a great respect for the environment.  The moment resisting frame allows for raised versions of our frame that sit lightly on the ground, do not require substantial grading and thus do not disturb the natural topography. 

We believe that buildings utilizing the Blue Sky Homes System will be eligible for points in each of the eight LEED for homes categories: innovation and design process, location and linkages, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and awareness and education of the homeowner.