Handling the Texas Heat Wave: Bruco, our amazing caterpillar

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.  

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.