The Energy Efficiency Of A Dome
People around the country are choosing dome homes for a number of reasons, most notably, their incredible energy efficiency. Did you know that a dome can often cut your heating bill in half? Seriously. A concrete dome will usually cost around 50% less to heat and cool than a comparable conventional building, which leads to tremendous savings over the life of the building.
How is this possible? Well, beyond the high-grade insulation we use throughout a dome’s structure, a few other attributes make them incredibly efficient, starting with their unique shape.
Surface Area
Spherical shapes cover the greatest amount of space using the least materials. That means domes have the highest ratio of internal volume to external surface area than just about any other structure. And less surface area means less physical contact with the outside climate to allow heat to escape.
Aerodynamics
Depending on the aesthetic treatment of a dome’s exterior, they are generally smooth and unbroken like the surface of an egg. This spherical shape makes domes much more aerodynamic than conventional buildings.
A traditional home is rectangular, sporting eaves, gutters, trusses, and roofing. These are all places that catch the cold wind and zap heat from the structure. A dome allows wind to flow smoothly around its exterior without snatching up what little radiant heat may exist.
Air Circulation
The shape of the dome promotes exceptional interior air circulation, which keeps the temperature even throughout the structure. The ambient airflow inside a dome home is continuous, meaning it doesn’t get caught in corners or nooks. This makes circulating air easier and cheaper and allows warm air to maintain itself and heat the entire building more efficiently.
Airtight
Domes are built to be airtight, making the wind chill factor nonexistent. The layers that make up the dome’s surface slow down conduction and convection heat loss, so heat will stay inside the structure and won’t be affected by the external climate. And air that does come in contact with the dome’s outer surface can’t find any cracks or crevices to enter your home.
Extraordinary Results
The mere shape of a dome sets its owners up for success in winter, not to mention the high-grade foam insulation we use during construction. These attributes allow dome owners to heat their homes in unconventional ways. For example, many people can heat their domes using only a small space heater while easily maintaining a comfortable 70 degrees during the winter. In Minnesota—not known for their mild winters—one dome owner even claims to heat their dome using a single light fixture of five 100 watt light bulbs!
If you want a truly energy-efficient home, sometimes you have to think outside the box and inside the dome.
Tour Our Demo Dome
If you’d like to learn more about concrete domes from the team that builds these amazing structures or schedule a tour of our demo dome in Sioux Falls, click here or call 605-368-5477 today!
