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NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDIA SERVICES
JULY 10, 2015
VOLUME 27, NUMBER 17
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VIEWPOINTS, PAGE 4 | FAMILY TECH, PAGE 10 | CLASSIFIEDS, PAGE 11
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Targeted growth policy returned to Stafford County planners TRACY BELL
For the Stafford County Sun
Thomas and Yong Langrehr are building a house after the geodesic designs of R. Buckminster Fuller. The house should be finished in August. Photo by Aleks Dolzenko
Dome home pops up on Joshua Road AMANDA MOTLEY
For the Stafford County Sun
Driving down Joshua Road you will pass a lot of conventional homes until you see a home pop up that looks much like something from Walt Disney’s Epcot center. The structure is geodesic, a dome home, owned by Thomas and Yong Langrehr. Having researched the project for more than 10 years, Thomas Langrehr began construction on the house in December 2014. Langrehr said he was raised near homes built from non-traditional designs. Most homes were underground with the front façade exposed, introducing him to the idea of alternately constructed homes. “I have lived in many different types of houses though my life, from high-rise concrete apartments to brick houses and of course the traditional stick-built homes,” he said. “They all provided a roof over my head, but for the most part lacked character.” Langrehr said he chose a geodesic home for its character, along with its five star energy rating and many other attributes.
Upon completion, the dome will hold an R-28 insulation value verse the R-15 insulation value of traditional homes. This means that the dome will have a better thermal performance than most homes. The R-value of insulation reflects its ability to resist heat traveling through it, according to energystar.gov. In other words, the higher an R-value of insulation, the better thermal performance it will offer. Unconventional materials and construction methods used to construct a geodesic home, says the manufacturer, offer extraordinary durability against many natural elements. The manufacturer, American Ingenuity, states that the shape of all dome homes creates reduced wind resistance, can withstand 225 mph hurricane-force winds and guarantees the home will withstand F-4 tornados. “The dome itself is made of various sizes of triangle and rectangular panels,” said Langrehr. “The panels have a 3/4 inch steel reinforced concrete exterior surface
attached to seven-inch expanded polystyrene and finished in the inside with 1/2 inch DensArmor drywall.” According to Langrehr, the building materials are not only durable but will not decay, as opposed to materials of traditional homes. The structure’s panels are assembled into a geodesic shape according to a specific plan created by the manufacturer. Once in place, seams between panels are joined with steel reinforced mesh and cemented together. The panels of the dome transfer the load evenly across the entire structure. The geodesic design not only features a non-traditional shape, it specifies a nontraditional paint job as well. The home has no shingles on the roof or siding around the structure, just the unique tan exterior paint to provide any needed protection from the natural elements. Langrehr’s process of building the home was not without obstacles. Due to the unique style, the manufacGEODESIC ture and Langrehr worked PAGE 3 together with the Building
After a lengthy discussion about targeted growth areas in the county, the Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted 4-3 Tuesday to send the matter back to the county’s planning commission for further review. Supervisors Robert Thomas, R-George Washington; Meg Bohmke, R-Falmouth; and Paul Milde, R-Aquia, cast the dissenting votes. The dissenting supervisors wanted to provide the planning commission with more direction and assistance, rather than sending the broad issue back. Stafford County’s populaGROWTH tion has more than doubled PAGE 10 every 20 years since 1950,
OK to drink yellow water
Officials are telling residents of southern Stafford County that it’s safe to drink the yellow water, but don’t do the laundry. The discoloration of the water is a result of manganese which is naturally occurring at the Lake Mooney Reservoir, the county posted on its website Wednesday. It seems that higher than normal levels of the chemical entered the Lake Mooney Treatment Facility, which services the southern portion of the county, and turned the water yellow. Crews are working to flush out the system as quickly as possible and expect the water to clear up in a few days, according to the county. As for doing the laundry, the water may stain clothes.
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