Building System
Innovative Construction Process
The EchoStone System is standardized to enable rapid and scalable construction.
EchoStone employs a unique process that utilizes on-site concrete production in conjunction with state-of-the-art formwork to enable a full placement of slab and walls in three days. Formwork is then removed from the walls for cleaning and a roof is installed; once formwork is clean, it is immediately set up at the next site. Each house is finished with a standardized prefabricated kit, increasing the rate of construction while maintaining and producing consistent, high-quality housing.
The EchoStone System is designed to produce a finished house in a 14 day timeframe. While this system has numerous steps from preconstruction to offtake, there are 4 major steps that are required for a project team to achieve the desired scalability.
Examine the details behind each step in our unique building system in the descriptions below.
Step 1 | Site Plan & Prep
Multiple construction sites are prepared simultaneously. The site planning and preparation process:- The EchoStone team performs a sustainability assessment and develops a master plan with local architects, international architects, and formwork specialists to develop communities with the least environmental impact possible
- Building sites are prepared and leveled with minimal intrusive earthwork and clearing operations
- Foundation reinforcement and footings are laid into the slab formwork per local code and approved design drawings
- A CLC slab is poured, laser-leveled, and smoothed in a single day, for many EchoStone house designs this can be achieved in as little as one hour per house
Step 2 | Form Installation
Forms are installed by hand – no heavy equipment required.
Elements of formwork installation:
- Formwork is hand capable and weighs no more than 11kg, so no heavy lifting machines are required and job site safety is improved
- As few as seven workers install and complete formwork in two days
- In-wall electrical, plumbing, and prep work begins once forms are in place
Step 3 | Monolithic Pour
Ensures an integrated, durable, and weather-tight envelope. CLC pouring process:- All pours are continuous and monolithic (not batch), both slab and wall pours are completed in less than a single day
- For an individual dwelling, a slab can be poured in as little as one hour, and walls can be poured in as little as two hours
- CLC fully sets within a day, and formwork is removed after 12 hours
- Conduit and piping for electrical and plumbing systems are embedded in the concrete for rapid finishing and installation of fixtures
Step 4 | Finishing
Finishing work begins immediately after formwork removed. Elements of the finishing process:- All finishes are selected, designed, and prefabricated for rapid and consistent installation
- A roof is fitted in two days
- Electrical and plumbing systems, doors, windows, flooring, and paint are standardized per market, and per project, giving homeowners a product designed uniquely for their local customs and requirements