EN
IT

It is a prefabricated and modular construction system, which allows to obtain high construction precision and a high degree of compositional flexibility and whose assembly is carried out dry. The “In-Diesis” system becomes structural through a succession of snap-fit joints and consists of three main components:

  • The steel foundation plate (also “Diesis” positioning matrix);
  • The vertical “Diesis” bricks, characterized by a hollow core;
  • The interlocking closure system formed by the four wooden beams, on which the roof will be housed.

Patent Status

PENDING

Priority Number

IT 102019000006622
PCT/IB2020/054324

Priority Date

08/05/2019

License

INTERNATIONAL

Market

The modular and prefabricated construction system market turned out to be the most suitable and inherent one to analyze and confront. The global market size exceeded USD 147 billion in 2022 and is foreseen to register 6.5% CAGR from 2023 to 2032; the Italian market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 5% during the period 2019-2028. Growth is attributable to the fast expansion of building and construction industries; this plus the increasing investments by government on improving public infrastructure and global boom are the major push behind the fast expansion of prefabricated building system market.

Problem

Given the exponential growth of the world’s population, a major fallout is expected on the demand for housing, clean water, energy, transport infrastructure, food and social services. Therefore, the building and construction industry is under enormous pressure to adopt alternative construction approaches. The rapid urbanization and industrialization have led, in fact, to a rapid growth of the economy and this is determining the preference of modular and prefabricated construction technologies, which are cost-effective, can be built in less time, have less impact on the territory and generate less waste compared to a traditional construction system. In fact, 60-90% of the components of the construction technologies are made inside a factory, making the construction yard phase streamlined and fast; they also provide greater flexibility in architectural design and reduce the amount of energy emitted in the construction of new buildings. Most people in developed and developing regions show keen interest in building their own houses using prefabricated structures; adopting these systems not only helps save time and money, but also reduces CO2 emissions and construction waste; moreover, prefabricated systems are particularly suitable in emergency situations where time is very limited and the demand for spaces suitable for everyday life is high.

Technological limits/ Solutions

Currently there are different types of prefabricated construction technologies on the market: in wood, in concrete, containers, in steel frames. However, these alternatives do not offer solutions that are simultaneously flexible in terms of composition (customizable and reconfigurable over time), fast-building, architecturally valid in terms of material quality, suitable for diversified uses (residential, tourist-accommodation, commercial, hospital, urban, emergency).

Precast concrete systems are quick to build but, in most cases, do not use sustainable materials; moreover, the components are heavy and cannot be reconfigured over time except with invasive interventions. Wood technologies use a sustainable material, but the price is not always competitive, the construction components are not fully customizable given the existing commercial dimensions and the reconfiguration is not easy given the high number of metal connections necessary for the joints of the parts. Containers are cheap and quick to install but are devoid of architectural quality, are made of unsustainable materials and do not allow compositional flexibility given the rigidity of their standard dimensions. Finally, prefabricated steel systems, despite being light and flexible, require numerous metal connections between the parts which limit their compositional flexibility and reconfiguration.

Killer Application

The main applications concern the fields:

  • Residential, for example an outbuilding or second home to be installed on own land;
  • Tourist-receptive, for example activities such as glamping or widespread hotel or welcoming students and visiting professors on university campuses;
  • Urban regeneration, for example urban modules for the user experience;
  • Emergency, for prevention in the event of natural disasters or for the gradual reintegration of homeless people (social project).

DoT5-Lab has already developed two projects: Armònia (tiny house-existing prototypes) and Oasi High-Tech (urban module).

Technology and our solution

The “In-Diesis” construction system is mainly composed of 3 components:

  1. The foundation plate and positioning matrix: steel matrix cut and drilled with the laser CAM with regular intervals, which ensures high precision in the assembly phase. The complete foundation is made up of 4 plates placed side by side, equal 2 by 2 and joined together with plates joined on site. The configuration of the plate allows the arrangement of the internal and external walls according to the different needs of the user; this makes it adaptable to more specific needs.
  2. The “Diesis” vertical brick: hollow vertical element (h: 270 cm) with a 13×13 cm square section which fits into the holes of the foundation matrix, made with a PVC or steel core covered with a material that is not necessarily structural. The juxtaposition of the vertical bricks in the foundation plate allows the construction of perimeter walls and internal division of the works that can be achieved with this construction system.
  3. The beams: they represent the wooden structural crowning and housing system for the roofing package which can vary according to the image and the solutions to be adopted. The 4 L-section beams have pins at the base to be fitted into the cavity of the “Diesis” bricks.

The pieces are dry assembled together with a succession of snap-fit joints, simplifying the construction site and reducing construction times to a minimum.

Advantages

  • Compositional flexibility: the vertical Diesis bricks can be placed anywhere on the foundation plate;
  • Compositional modularity: repetition of small-sized construction elements;
  • Dry assembly and with interlocking mechanisms; possible disassembly and storage for use in another place or time;
  • Low weight of the components;
  • Specialization of Diesis using the hollow core by placing cables, topsoil, ecc. (light Diesis, aeroponic Diesis, photovoltaic Diesis, wi-fi Diesis, etc.);
  • Possibility of creating furniture (residential and urban) with the same In-Diesis technology to offer turnkey solutions.

Roadmap

  • Achievement of TRL 8. This requires the validation of the fully industrialized production chain;
  • Obtaining the CasaClima sustainability certification with the “MobileHome” seal. This requires passing the Blower Door Test;
  • Obtaining the CE labeling, to ensure compliance with the health and safety requirements established by the pertinent Community directives or regulations;
  • Marketing boost, with specific reference to the Armònia product. This involves making a professional promotional video;
  • Participation in trade fairs and industry events.
Review the Technology
TRL 1
TRL 1
Basic Principles
Basic principles tested
TRL 2
TRL 2
Formulation
Technology concept formulated
TRL 3
TRL 3
Proof of concept
Experimental proof of concept
TRL 4
TRL 4
Laboratory Prototype
Technology validated in lab
TRL 5
TRL 5
Prototype tested on pilot-scale/large-scale
Technology validated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
TRL 6
TRL 6
Commercial prototype
Technology demonstrated in relevant environment (industrially relevant environment in the case of key enabling technologies)
TRL 7
TRL 7
Real world validation
System prototype demonstration in operational/real-world environment
TRL 8
TRL 8
First complete and commercial product
System complete and qualified
TRL 9
TRL 9
Full commercial application
Actual system proven in commercial environment (competitive manufacturing in the case of key enabling technologies; or in space)

TRL

Team

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