Abstract: A soffit for a shelter having a roof overhang and a wall structure. The soffit extends between the wall structure and the roof overhang and includes an I-joist, wherein the I-joist has an elongate web with a pair of opposing elongate edges and a pair of flanges on each of the elongate edges. One of the flanges is engaged to the wall structure of the shelter and travels along at least a portion of a perimeter of the wall structure, and the other flange is engaged to a portion of the roof overhang and follows the travel of the flange engaged to the wall structure.

Abstract: A tensioned structure such as a house is disclosed. The house includes at least one wall panel placed under tension by bending the wall panel from a flat form to a curved form. The tension provides rigidity and thus strength to the wall panel. In a preferred form, the house includes two tensioned wall panels with the concave faces of the wall panels confronting each other such that a generally circular residential house is formed. A counter to oppose the tension engages the wall panels. The counter may include a roof or rafter support network, a portion of the floor or floor support, the wall panels themselves where the end edges of the wall panels are engaged to each other, or stainless steel straps running about the wall panels. The wall panel may be include material such as oriented strand board, steel, cement, plastic, or organic material such as grass.

Abstract: An integral and structural wall panel for a generally studless house where the wall panel is in effect the stud (instead of a two inch by four inch piece of dimensional lumber being the stud) and where the wall panel is a vapor barrier (instead of the polyethylene sheet being the vapor barrier). The wall panel runs integrally, or as generally one-piece, from end to end of an exterior wall, from the top to bottom of an exterior wall, and from face to face of the exterior wall, thereby directly transmitting load from end to end, top to bottom, and from face to face and thereby minimizing joints where vapor leakage may occur. The wall panel is generally impervious to water vapor even though formed of an organic material such as wood, preferably oriented strand board, rendering a polyethylene or metallic water vapor barrier optional.

Abstract: An adjustable rafter that includes a main rafter having an inner end portion and an outer end portion. The outer end portion is adjacent to a wall of a structure. The main rafter defines a longitudinal direction. A rafter tail slideably engages the outer end portion of the main rafter, and the rafter tail is slideable in the longitudinal direction to a position relative to the outer end portion whereby the rafter tail may be laterally aligned with a plurality of other rafter tails.

Abstract: An adjustable foundation wall arrangement having first and second foundation walls running generally parallel to each other and a third foundation wall being disposed between the first and second foundation walls. The first and second foundation walls are preferably prefabricated and the third foundation wall is prefabricated in two portions. On site, one of the third foundation wall portions is aligned to the first foundation wall and the other of the third foundation wall portions is aligned to the second foundation wall. This alignment typically leaves a small space between the inner ends of the third foundation wall portions. This small space, preformed in the shape of a receptor for a key stud, is at least partially filled by the key stud to tie the third foundation wall portions to each other. Alternatively, or preferably in combination with the key stud, a cap tie connects the third foundation wall portions to each other.

Abstract: A box beam incorporating an I-joist. A set of such box beams makes up a portion of the base for a shelter and provide receivers in which prefabricated wall partitions are slidingly engaged. The I-joist or I-beam includes an elongate web, two opposite flanges, and at least a first outer elongate plate member which runs parallel to the web and is fixed to and between faces of the flanges. With a single outer plate member extending beyond the upper flange, an L-shaped receiver is formed for receiving outer wall partitions which may be placed into such receiver from a horizontal direction, without manipulating the wall partition up and over and down into the receiver. With a pair of outer plate members extending beyond the upper flange, a channel receiver is formed. I-beam structures having the channel receiver are placed in the interior of the base for interior wall partitions. The I-beams support a floor and such outer and inner wall partitions which may interlock with each other.