First Bone Structure Property Opens in Orange County

The first Bone Structure property is opening in Orange County this week. Bone Structure is a net-zero ready steel prefab system assembled onsite. As a result, it is a more environmental and low-cost construction style and, because it is steel, longer lasting than wood structures. The property, designed by Anders Lasater Architects and built by J. Kramer Corp., is a duplex located on North Coast Highway.

The North Coast Highway project was an ideal project for the Bone Structure system. It was difficult to access and had regulations that impeded construction, like rules against dumpsters. “The property was an odd lot shape, and it is a very challenging lot in terms of staging,” Marc A. Bovet, CEO of Bone Structure, tells GlobeSt.com. “You can’t bring in cranes, and you can’t have trucks sitting there for deliveries. This is one of the tremendous benefits of the Bone Structure system. It is an erector set with small parts that can be delivered easily. The structure offered the clients the ability to design a property that would take advantage of the lot while at the same time making to build within the constraints of the job site.”

The system is innovative, particularly in an industry looking for solutions to challenging construction sites, increasing construction costs and a lack of construction labor. Like prefab construction, Bone Structure is manufactured offsite, but it is assembled in small pieces on site. It is also zero waste and uses 89% recycled steel. “The way that we have been building homes in not sustainable. Our system is designed for seismic zones, snow fall, everything,” says Bovet. “You can shake it; you can bake it; you can do anything to it. It is meant to be there for hundreds of years. Wood is not the right material to go into a wall. It is a great material for floors or furniture, but it is not a good material for building. It will create mold, termites, and it will affect the health of your family.”

The system isn’t only a good fit for residential construction. “We do commercial and multifamily buildings as well as condominiums up to three stories,” says Bovet. “We are eager to get developers to adopt this technology to make their life easier. In California, builders are having a hard time finding contractors and we are still erecting wood structures.”

Now, Bovet is looking to spread the word about the construction technique by showing off the new property. Thursday, the company is holding an open house at 677 North Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. “We have to create awareness so that people can discover the system,” he says. “We are having an open house to give the local community a chance to see the property, and it is pretty revealing when they see it. It is really a no nonsense type of construction.”