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This home looks like a traditional home built from a traditional stud-wall construction, but it is not. This home was especially engineered to withstand the ravages of fire and hurricanes using an innovative EPS technology called Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF's).
ICF's are hollow EPS forms that are erected at the construction site, then filled with five or six inches of reinforced concrete. Unlike traditional concrete forms, which are removed after the concrete cures, ICFs are left in place.
"Because the concrete core is surrounded with EPS insulation, ICFs provide superior R-values and sound-deadening qualities," said Dick Whitaker, president of the Insulating Concrete Form Association (ICFA). "But because super-strong concrete is at their center, they also offer the strength to withstand the forces of nature that would destroy houses built using traditional construction methods."
Performance You Can Live With
According to Whitaker, ICF's offer several benefits to home owners, including:
Greater Comfort and Lower Energy Bills -- ICF's start with high thermal performance. An ICF wall with four inches of Type II ASTM C578 polystyrene foam insulation, combined with a five-inch concrete wall, is rated above R-17 at 75 degree mean test temperatures. Air barriers provided by the EPS insulation and concrete eliminate convection currents and the high thermal mass of the concrete walls buffers the home's interior from extreme outdoor temperatures. The result is a 25 to 50 percent energy savings over traditional stud-wall or steel-frame homes.
Super Quiet -- In sound transmission tests, ICF walls allowed less than one-third as much sound to travel through them than did ordinary frame walls insulated with fiberglass.
Super Durable -- Due to the superior strength of concrete, ICF homes are able to survive hurricane and tornado winds. ICF homes are becoming very popular in southern and midwestern states, where hurricanes and tornados are more likely to strike.
Ease of Construction -- ICF homes require fewer man hours than stud-wall construction. Once a construction crew is trained in the ICF installation process, homes can be completed much more quickly than stud and fiberglass wall constructions.
Design Flexibility -- ICF's also allow for greater design flexibility. ICF forms can accommodate tall walls, curved walls, large openings, long ceiling spans, custom angles and cathedral ceilings.
"Because foam is easy to cut and shape, it allows contractors to build curved walls and custom angles without worrying about structural load considerations," said Whitaker. "To achieve these designs with stud-wall construction requires a lot more cutting and finishing work."
- Environmentally Responsible -- Building with ICF homes can provide environmental benefits in a number of ways. ICF's minimize the use of lumber, which preserves trees. Homes built using stud-wall construction typically result in a lot of cutting and trimming and, consequently, waste costly for the contractor. Finally, the superior thermal performance provided by ICF homes significantly lower the energy requirements for heating and cooling which saves the homeowner money.
Future Market Trends
Acceptance of ICF homes is growing rapidly, from a humble start after the Energy Crisis in the 1970's. Nearly 200 ICF homes were constructed in 1993. By 1997, the number had grown to approximately 8,000 per year.
"We're doubling the number of ICF homes that are built each year," said Whitaker. "By the end of the year 2000, we expect to be building 80,000 ICF homes, which will represent seven percent of the new-construction market."
Whitaker says that ICF homes currentlyl cost three to 10 percent more than homes built of "2 x 4's", but construction costs will level out over time.
"The fact is, ICF homes are easier to build, but there is a learning curve," said Whitaker. "As more contractors and subcontractors become familiar with the technology, and become more efficient at building ICF homes, labor costs for their services will fall."
Two other factors will contribute to the moderating costs of ICF homes. First is the cost of concrete. According to the Portland Cement Association, the price of concrete has been fairly stable for the past decade, while other building materials, such as lumber, have risen considerably. Secondly, ICF design plans are getting more and more efficient.
"In addition, ICF walls were over designed," said Whitaker. "They were built like bunkers with far more reinforcing than was necessary. Full-scale wall tests showed that reinforcing could be reduced considerably. New technologies and techniques will continue to lower the cost of ICF homes."
For more information on ICF homes, or to order "ICFs for Residential Design and Construction," a comprehensive guide on ICF homes, contact the ICFA at (847) 657-9730.
Interested in an ICF Home?
According to Dick Whitaker, president of the ICFA, EPS shape-molders should expect to see a tremendous increase in the production of ICF products. Most ICF homes are designed and marketed by companies who have innovated their own ICF system. If you're interested in a list of ICF home companies, contact the ICFA Concrete Homes Hotline at 1-888-333-4840.
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