BUILDING WITH THASTYRON

1. BUILDING WITH THASTYRON • Two years were spent researching framing material suitable for this environment • The first house permitted in the area using Thastyron: thermal-acoustic-styro-concrete • In order to get the product I had to become the distributor for Boulder County • Three other houses have since been built in the local area • Sound insulation >50 decibels • Heat insulation: evens out temperature changes equivalent to R45 • Passed 5 hour fire endurance test at >2000oF • Compressive strength of 56 psi: withstands a 45 caliber bullet from 18 inches • Low toxicity level, highly frost, fungus and mildew resistant • Concrete and rebar grid framework has 43 psi tensile structural strength • Thastyron is one of the best building materials for the Front Range • Plaster is applied directly to a Thastyron surface • Thastyron is NOT an expanded polystyrene block [EPS] product

2. BUILDING WITH PermaCrete • A chemical concrete [acrylic polymer cement] twice the strength of standard concrete • It is NOT a stucco! • Used to re-surface airport runways, inter-State bridges and driveways • Ultra high impact product (178 inch – lbs) – withstands Woodpeckers! • NOTE: A dryvit and parex surface has a 25 inch – lbs indent resistance • Full compliance with thermal and moisture protection codes • Became a local Boulder dealer and sent job foreman for training in use to California

3. INCORPORATING ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS • Examined building materials over a 30 year period in over 30 countries • Decided on a mode of building used by the colonial Portuguese in India • Multiple use of concrete, plaster, indigenous wood and rock materials • Incorporation of regional and national architectural artifacts • Selection of specific architectural elements to fit the Front Range environment • Windows construction is recycled Burmese teak beams ca 300 years old • All door are hand carved Burmese teak and 150-350 years old • The wine cellar door is from a British Military Colonial home in Madras, ca 1750 • The front door is hand carved with specially made tools, ca 1800 • The central fortress door is from Tamil Nadu [?] ca 1650 • Wash basin were specially made by a New Orleans potter for the house

4. HIDDEN ELEMENTSElectrical, plumbing, and duct-work • All of the plumbing is highest grade copper pipe • The sprinkler system was designed by a Boulder specialist • All of the electrical wiring is #12 or #10 wire, NO #14 grade was used • Wiring that is embedded in the Thastyron is 'gray-wire' suitable for direct burial • The duct work is all commercial grade steel ducting • The air conditioning is a commercial grade unit • The under slab radon mitigation system is all high grade profession level construction • All tiles are natural rock. The main tiles are ¾ inch thick • All windows are double glazed • All construction conformed to Boulder County Building Code • All construction passed stringent building inspections • The sub-floor heating is a Norwegian electrical system: more suitable for the Front Range than the water based pipe system

5. SITE PREPARATION AND FRAME CONSTRUCTION • The foreman/builder was Ben Carnes, last heard of building a home in Beverly Hills • Used a small crew of 5 except for specialized jobs that were sub-contracted locally • Specialized jobs included site preparation, slab pours, concrete wall filling • The house was initially designed by a New Orleans Architect and technically redesigned by a Boulder construction engineer to conform to local code • The trusses were engineered by a Colorado truss company • The roofing was installed by Garrard roofing company's roving professional crew • The chimney was designed and installed by an Arizona builder • The fire mitigation and forestry plan was designed by the Colorado Forestry Department