What is a Solargon?
Solargons are octagonal buildings featuring passive solar design principles. The shape is inspired by design elements from Native American and Asian nomadic tribes, while the materials represent the latest in green building technologies. We have created structures that work with and within the environment for outstanding performance, comfort and functionality.
What is Green Building?
Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources – energy, water, and materials – while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment. This is achieved through better design, better siting, faster and tighter construction, optimized operation, reduced maintenance, and simplified removal. We have designed the Solargon to optimize every aspect of the building’s life cycle, thus maximizing cost efficiency and minimizing the environmental footprint.
Why is Green Building Important?
Because it saves you money, and it saves planetary resources, simultaneously. Conventional homes and buildings generally use a tremendous amount of energy for heating and cooling. This energy usually comes from the combustion of fossil fuels, depleting these resources and emitting greenhouse gases and pollutants. Passive solar homes, on the other hand, reduce the yearly demand for heat by a factor of 10, and reduce energy consumption by a factor of 6, thanks to the efficient use of solar energy. The more expensive utilities become, the more cost effective our cabins become. Furthermore, our open octagonal designs allow convective airflow, for more even distribution of that heat in winter, and more effective cooling in summer. As a result, our cabin's heating and cooling costs are more affordable over time than in conventional buildings. In fact, our design requires less than half the heating and cooling requirements of conventional buildings.
How Does Solargon Optimize Building Materials?
Both the construction materials and the construction process are designed to minimize setup time, and maximize the building’s lifetime performance. To start with, our walls and roof panels are made with Structural Insulated Panels (SIP’s) which ensure a fast, rigid, airtight enclosure. The panels are composed of an insulating foam core, with top-quality OSB skins. Both the insulation and panel skins are made from natural, renewable materials. The SIP’s provide both extremely high insulation value as well as extremely strong structures, well above conventional stud-frame insulation standards. The SIP panels also provide fast assembly. On site assembly requires mere hours for our 20’ model and less than two days for our 30’ model. The interior and exterior can then be finished with treatments of your choice. Even the octagonal shape works to your advantage. Why? It uses 20% less materials to enclose the same square footage as a standard rectangular home or building. To further simplify construction, the wall panels are manufactured with electrical chases already in place. Once the panels are erected at the construction site, wiring proceeds much more rapidly than with conventional buildings. With the addition of appropriately sized solar panels and an optional solar radiant floor heating system, heating costs and electrical bills can be reduced to near zero.
How Can Solargons Serve My Purposes?
Our 20’ diameter buildings serve admirably in a variety of ways: recreational cabins, second homes, mother-in-law apartments, art studios, ski huts, military housing, emergency housing, satellite classrooms, etc. Our new 30’ diameter building makes an ideal starter homes, club houses, recreational centers, corporate retreats and sales buildings. Each 30’ model can be attached or linked to additional Solargons for even more floorplan flexibility.
Why Should I Select Solargon?
Whatever your desired square footage and room arrangement may be, Solargon can provide, thanks to the flexible, open-span design options. Furthermore, by combining passive solar principles with an efficient building envelope, you can upgrade your lifestyle by reducing living costs and downsizing your living space while preserving a sense of openness and light.
What are the freight costs to ship from your factory to my location?
We negotiate combined loads so we can reduce the actual overland distance cost. We're sorry we can't provide posted estimates, but changing fuel prices would render those estimates obsolete within only a short time. If you are concerned about shipping, please CONTACT US and based on your Zip Code we will send you a shipping estimate good for 15 days.
If I placed my order today, how long would it take to receive my Solargon?
It takes about a month between the time you place your order, and the time you receive the assembly pieces at your site. We strongly suggest that you have all your site preparations made before the Solargon arrives, because once it arrives it can be erected very quickly. A 20' Solargon will normally require several hours to assemble, and a 30' Solargon will normally require less than two days.
How long will it take from groundbreaking, to finish, to move-in?
Solargons go together very quickly. Erection and seal-in of the structure requires only a few hours for a 20' Solagon and two days for a 30' Solargon. Structural finishes such as flooring, cabinets, fixtures, detailing, and any internal wall construction will take a varying amount of time depending on your choices. It’s reasonable to anticipate being in your completed Solargon within a very few weeks, using an experienced contractor.
Once I complete my Solargon, how easy is it to expand or modify the structure?
You cannot expand the basic octagon shape of the Solargon, but you can add on additional Solargons via our vestibule module. CONTACT US for more information regarding our vestibule module.
Can I connect two Solargons?
Yes, you can connect two or more of the Solargon units via a unit we called a vestibule. This vestibule is a fully contained structure which functions as a long hallway or passageway between two Solargons. This can be paneled and roofed with materials to match your Solargon exterior so that the vestibule will be an attractive, seamless connection to your Solargon smart cabin. It can function as a front door parlor, a walled, shelved utility area between living and garage or sleeping areas, or an airy breezeway. Use your imagination, Green Building with Solargon is fun!
Are the door and window placements fixed?
We have standard placements but we can customize any Solargon to your needs. Additional doors and windows, or different placement of the offered door and window openings are available. Please CONTACT US for more information regarding custom door and window placement.
What kind of siding, flooring, and wall treatments can I have?
Siding, flooring and wall treatment decisions are entirely up to you, based on your needs, goals and aesthetic preferences. The Solargon needs a foundation, so any form of flooring that you like can go over the top of a slab or raised floor system. Insulated flooring is available from ICS ECO-SIPS that is constructed of the same SIP paneling which your Solargon is made with and can accommodate a wide variety of treatments. Most contractors can advise you on how to attach your preferred exterior siding and interior wall treatments to the panels we use in our SIP assembly. Please CONTACT US to request more information regarding siding, flooring, and wall treatments.
I really like these Solargon units and I am interested in becoming a Solargon dealer. What do I need to do?
We welcome new Solargon dealers and authorized distributors, but we have a few criteria which you must meet before you represent Solargon. Please CONTACT US for further information on becoming an authorized Solargon distributor.
If you have any questions that weren't covered in this section, please feel free to CONTACT US and we will be in touch with you shortly.
