The Digigraph System is a formwork made of PVC extrusions (also called sections) that slide into each other to form a hollow wall ready to hold concrete. This system allows for the construction of solid high quality buildings at a low cost. Developed with state-of-the-art advanced technology, the Digigraph System, once on site, calls upon local basic materials and manpower. The installation is easy and requires no specialized manpower. The walls and roof of the buildings are made of concrete pumped into the formworks made of PVC extrusions. This step completed, the building is essentially a reinforced concrete building. The PVC formwork contributes to the structural resistance of the building. Since the cavities are perforated between them, the concrete becomes monolithic. PVC is a cost effective plastic material (Polyvinyl chloride) that is massed produced. PVC can be found in a variety of construction materials including : windows, doors, piping, venetian blinds, exterior wall coverings, etc. PVC is a stable material that does not deteriorate and requires little maintenance. PVC used in our system is treated to resist ultra-violet rays. To ensure that our buildings are low cost, every detail has been well thought out from the design to the finished product. The design The design of the sections allow for maximum flexibility to carry out a plan adapted to your needs for one, two or even three-storey buildings. The manufacturing Our strategic partnership with an important Quebec manufacturer of sections allows us to tap into their expertise, their volume discounts and quality of manufacturing they have come to develop over the years. The Digigraph System extrusions are, for the most part, made of recycled material which greatly lowers the manufacturing costs. Transportation The Digigraph sections are lightweight and stackable. When shipped they take up little space, which is particularly important in reducing transportation costs. A 12 cubic meter container (40 ft) can accommodate all the necessary materials to construct 4 or 5 houses, depending on the chosen model. This also reduces the unit transportation cost. Customs The applicable customs duties are that imposed on prefabricated houses. Construction Carrying out the construction is so simple that a Digigraph building can be erected without any specialized manpower. A non-specialized manpower can easily carry out each required step with minimum supervision. Construction requires standard tools widely available and easy to handle. The Digigraph windows and doors are easily installed without complicated adjustments. The Digigraph buildings do not require any interior or exterior wall or roof finishing. Once erected it is ready for occupation. Digigraph has put particular care into the design of its buildings. Our team has solid technical support to help in the research and development (R & D), as well as in the validation of the results obtained. Along with the experts of the Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ) and the Canadian National Research Centre (CNRC), Digigraph allows you to buy a building that stands up to the rigours of the coldest Canadian winter and hottest Latin American sun. CRIQ report excerpt... CONCLUSION ''The work conducted made it possible to verify weather the behaviour of PVC and concrete one - or - two-story houses would adequately meet Canadian weather conditions and some specific requirements for Latin America. All the analyses are in appendix A and the main results in section 2. They were all conducted in accordance with the National Building Code of Canada. For Latin America, loads caused by violent winds (250 km/h) and earthquake factor is equal to approximately 7 or 8 on the Richter scale. The walls react well during pour and the roof sections fill properly when an injector was used. Depending on the type of concrete used and the installation conditions, you may need to check the roof sections to see whether they are filled properly, especially in areas where snow load is a factor. in other areas, strength requirements are lower because roof loads are lighter. The results of the tests show that CMCC (Canadian Construction Materials Centre) requirements with regard to fire behaviour, seepage and air filtration have been met.'' In short, buildings constructed with the Digigraph System are : Durable Easily maintained Hurricane resistant Earthquake resistant Vandal resistant Fire-proof Termite-proof Weather-proof The Digigraph System allows the construction of buildings adapted to different situations and needs. The Digigraph System's flexibility insures the realization of constructions of varied dimensions of 1 or 2 storeys. The system can also be used for the erection of retaining walls. Thanks to the unique assembling procedure of the Digigraph System, it is now easy to construct high quality housing at a low cost. We have also developed another application for our system using polyurethane foam instead of concrete. The structures filled with foam can be used as hunting camps or service buildings in remote areas. With the Digigraph System, it is now quick and simple to construct houses without any specialized manpower or tools. Here are the 7 stages of construction using the simplest tools : 1 Laying the sill plate on the concrete slab 2 Installation of scaffolding to provide temporary wall support 3 Installation of wall components 4 Pouring of concrete into wall components 5 Installation of roof components 6 Pouring of concrete into roof components 7 Finishing work, installation of doors and windows House soon ready for occupation ! To better appreciate the simplicity of the construction of Digigraph houses, we have prepared a guide summarizing the construction operations. Thus you can familiarize yourself with the stages of construction of your new Digigraph house. Copyright Digigraph Systems Inc. All rights reserved