IHI was honored to welcome, on September 13th 2001 at their Vancouver show home, the principals of ARCHITECT 5 as part of a research trip to Canada and the USA.� ARCHITECT 5 is a very reputable architectural consulting firm based in Tokyo, Japan. We were very pleased to see their positive reaction and impression of the innovative HI-TECH construction system created and developed by IHI. They confirmed that no comparative system exists at present in Japan or Asia where they are currently designing major projects. They believe that the Hi-Tech system is needed and suitable to the construction market in Japan because of its multiple advantages including design flexibility, high quality, performance, durability, speed of production/erection and economy. In their words, they witnessed a major advancement in construction techniques and methodology utilizing state-of-the-art technology to address the needs of a modern and complex world.

ARCHITECT 5 Headquarters office building in Tokyo, Japan - designed and occupied by the firm.

Professional Benefits: Design Flexibility

Whether you are an architect or an engineering consultant for residential,commercial or industrial developments - specifying the Hi-Tech System for your client offers the ultimate in affordable quality paired with design flexibility.

Our customized, modular building technology can accommodate hi-rise, low-rise and single-family designs without restricting your creativity - and the final product can cost less than conventional and pre-manufactured/pre-fabricated building technologies based on the erected cost comparisions with equivalent standards.

Computer-Engineered Design & Construction - How it Works:

CAD

First, a detailed CAD architectural plan is entered in a computer by an IHI design engineer. Using IHI's patented technology system the computer runs over 70 iterations of the design and produces a structural 3-D model of the buildingconfigured with IHI panels. Panel shapes and sizes are optimized for code, stress and aesthetic requirements and take into consideration site, transportation and budget constraints. Architectural drawings and material specifications are produced by the computer for review with the client.

CAM The computer directs cutters to shape, cut steel frames and rigid foam insulation cores exact to the design specifications. Steel reinforcing cables within the panel are connected to the steel frame and tensioned to provide diagonal stiffness. Concrete is then applied and bonds to the panel elements, finishing the interior and exterior of the completed panel.

There are no molds. The steel frame and pre-formed rigid insulation core form an individual panel mold, eliminating all design constraints - and the high manufacturing costs associated with disposable molds.

Architectural Flexibility:

While most pre-fab structures are restricted to a limited set of physical layouts and aesthetic features, Hi-Tech's System offers maximum flexibility for design innovation and style preferences. Vaulted ceilings, cantilevered structures and cutouts are all demonstrated in our showhome. In fact Hi-Tech panels can be configured to achieve any geometric shape an architect can imagine. And it's flexible enough to allow for future architectural alterations and additions.

The Finishing Touch:

Both internal and external panel surfaces are factory-finished and pre-serviced with electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems where applicable. IHI facilitates compliance with local codes to secure necessary permits and approvals.

A wide range of exterior finishes can be used on the panels, including, aluminum or wood siding and acrylic stucco. Interiors can be painted, covered with paper, fabric or leather, clad with stone, wood or other materials.

The Strength of a Superior Product:

Extensive tests have been conducted on the Hi-Tech System panels. Test results confirm that the panels can resist all natural forces, such as earthquakes and hurricane-force (300mph) winds, by filtering the induced stress outside the connection system. The walls, floors and roof are fitted together with unique steel joints that allow for quick assembly and add strength unmatched by any wood-frame design. And Hi-Tech panels are impervious to bacteria, rodents, termites and other insects.

On July 3, 2002, we announced that Intertek successfully conducted a full scale two hour fire test under a 90,000 pound load on a 10' x 10' panel incorporated the Technology. This certification covers the U.S. and Canada. Additional test to cover European markets are planned shortly.

So now you can spec a product that will deliver maximum benefits to your clients and let you unleash your creative spirit. Read what a very reputable architect had to say about the Hi-Tech System:

Gerald Hamilton

Gerald Hamilton Architects, Vancouver M.A.I.B.C., Dip.Arch., F.R.I.B.A., M.R.A.I.V.C., M.S.A., Mex. (Hon.), K.St.J. Past Director & Chairman, IHI (deceased)

"All my life I have looked for a system that is not hampered by the restrictions of molds and with the advent of sophisticated computer programs it is now possible, on an assembly line basis, to create any shapes. When you consider that there have been next to no advancements in the construction industry in the last 70 years, this means a great deal to a world that has been sorely looking for affordable housing both in the industrial and developing world.

Our aim is to provide flexibility without monotony and to achieve our economies for our single to multi-storey buildings of different types by exactness of manufacture and speed of erection."  

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