This is Bruco, whose name is the Italian word for caterpillar, our manufacturing plant in Italy, Texas. We cool this sprawling facility with a 5-ton AC unit, and in cold weather, we heat it just by leaving the lights on all night. Note: Domes look half as big from the outside as they do from the the inside.  

This is Bruco, whose name is the Italian word for caterpillar, our manufacturing plant in Italy, Texas. We cool this sprawling facility with a 5-ton AC unit, and in cold weather, we heat it just by leaving the lights on all night. Note: Domes look half as big from the outside as they do from the the inside.  

Handling the Texas Heat Wave: Bruco, our amazing caterpillar

David B. South • Published • The President’s Sphere

We’re having a heat wave! A tropical heat wave!

Boy, are we ever! When this photo was taken, we here in Italy, Texas were enduring our 60th day of daytime temperatures of 100F degrees or more! And our nighttime temperatures stay in the 80s.

But Bruco, whose name is the Italian word for caterpillar, remained wonderfully cool – despite the fact that Bruco houses huge, automatic welders. We use these very expensive, radio frequency welders to attach the fabric when making Airforms. It’s a hot job!

Nevertheless, Bruco’s inside temperature did not exceed the upper 70s. We do keep the doors closed most of the time since we cannot have high humidity in this dome.

So what you are seeing is a 5-ton air conditioner cooling a 14,000-square-foot Monolithic Dome when the outside temperature remains at a horrific high, day after day after day.

Bruco in the winter

During the winter Texas does not get as cold as Idaho, but it gets cold enough to freeze the pond at our office complex.

But to heat Bruco, that 14,000-square-foot Monolithic Dome, all we do is leave the lights on at night. The temperature will drop down to about 60 at the very coldest for a few days.

That is the sum total of the heating and cooling needed for this manufacturing structure we call Bruco.

Analyzing a Monolithic Dome

If you are evaluating a Monolithic Dome, it’s extremely important that you do a 30-year analysis of the building. Your analysis should include the original cost, the cost of keeping the dome heated and cooled and the cost of insurance.

Remember a Monolithic Dome is built to FEMA 361 standards, so it will withstand a tornado. But obviously some of the doors and windows may get ripped off unless they also are certified.

Bruco is 60’ wide, 240’ long, with a floor area of 14,000 sq ft. Generally, a crew of six to eight work inside. The table on the right holds two, state-of-the-art, radio frequency, fabric welders and is used for cutting and assembling patterns. The ceiling paint is an updated whitewash.

Bruco is 60’ wide, 240’ long, with a floor area of 14,000 sq ft. Generally, a crew of six to eight work inside. The table on the right holds two, state-of-the-art, radio frequency, fabric welders and is used for cutting and assembling patterns. The ceiling paint is an updated whitewash.

In hot Texas, only this 5-ton AC unit cools a Monolithic Dome with 14,000 sq ft. That would not be possible in a same-size, conventional building. But a Monolithic Dome’s exterior urethane insulation and its interior concrete thermal mass is the secret that makes it possible. The dome’s mass averages the temperature for the entire day and week.

In hot Texas, only this 5-ton AC unit cools a Monolithic Dome with 14,000 sq ft. That would not be possible in a same-size, conventional building. But a Monolithic Dome’s exterior urethane insulation and its interior concrete thermal mass is the secret that makes it possible. The dome’s mass averages the temperature for the entire day and week.

For winter heating, lights are left on at night. The radio frequency welders do produce about 2.6 tons of heat when they are on at idle and 5 tons when they are both working.

For winter heating, lights are left on at night. The radio frequency welders do produce about 2.6 tons of heat when they are on at idle and 5 tons when they are both working.

Hotter than H in Texas for about 2 ½ months of 100 plus daytime and rarely less than 88⁰ F minimum. Inside was held at reasonable temperatures by 5 ton single unit.

Hotter than H in Texas for about 2 ½ months of 100 plus daytime and rarely less than 88⁰ F minimum. Inside was held at reasonable temperatures by 5 ton single unit.