A house on piers in the town of Forlach in Lannion

The revolutionary technology comes from the province of Quebec, Canada, but is also used in France.  They’ve introduced the idea of screwing helical piers into the ground rather than pouring a concrete slab to support buildings and infrastructures.  In many cases, a traditional slab foundation isn’t always practical or even possible, so the introduction of piers has been a great solution for those projects.

For the urban development of Forlach, architect Sébastien Morfouasse launched an invitation to demonstrate this process.  Twenty people were present to witness how this worked: Galvanized steel helical piers, are screwed into the ground by a hydraulic machine.  The piers are driven into the ground until the load-bearing capacity is then reached.

Techno Pieux Rennes-Vannes’ Olivier Le Bigot explains, "One day was all we needed to drill the ten piers for the house".  They were installed 4 meters deep and cut between 12 to 24 inches above the ground.  Sitting atop the pier shaft is a cap or plate which supports the structure.

The house is 105 square meters on one floor and will also be supported by some retaining walls.  Soil will be placed around the house at the height of the lowest level in order to hide the piers.  Ty Coat Construction was the company that built this wooden house.

Sébastien Morfouasse the architect, has already used this technology in the past…"For this house, we wanted a slab that was as close to the upper-level ground as possible.  Because of poor soil quality, we were forced to dig very deep in order to establish a proper foundation. The idea of ​​installing piers proved to be the best option, otherwise we would have had to pour more concrete, which was too expensive.  In a situation that is not problematic, this technique is not advantageous from an economic standpoint. But from an ecological point of view, it is very smart! The day you want to remove the house, you’ll have no permanent foundation to contend with-clear area only once you remove the piers".

During the demonstration, many questions arose on the longevity and performance of the piers.  The response was, "at least one hundred years, can withstand very heavy buildings and they can be changed after their present lifespan".

Odette Odin, the future owner of the house, was present at the demonstration. Her wooden house will take shape at the beginning of this year, and she is already excited about the idea of ​​moving in. "You can have an eco-friendly townhouse", which she insists it is.  She wanted it to be environmentally friendly and that is exactly what she got.

This is what she had to say about other aspects that pleased her… "All the companies involved, support ways that are friendly not only to the environment but to the people as well.  This includes the materials used, cleanliness of the work, and that no employee carries loads over 55 pounds… "

Source : West France