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INSULATED CONCRETE FORMS
What is an Insulated Concrete Form?
Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) are blocks made of expanded polystyrene. These blocks are hollow in the center and are held together by Polypropylene webs. The webs have a flange typically 1-1/2" wide that aid in both construction of the walls and to install finishes such as drywall and siding. These webs also act as rebar holders to keep rebar in place when placing concrete.
KEY FEATURES OF ICF:
R Values: Combing concretes thermal mass with the two layers of EPS insulation, ICF walls reach an R Value equivalent to R50 and greater.
Fire Ratings: ICFs can easily achieve 2 hour (4" Core) to 4 hour (6" Core) fire ratings on fully assembled walls.
STC Ratings: Who doesn't like peace and quiet, ICF walls reach STC ratings of 50+.
All these awesome features are achieved with standard ICF construction.
What these features mean for you
R-Values
Heat is energy and R-Values are a measurement of a materials effectiveness to resist the flow of heat. This means in the summer when its 95 degrees outside, you want to reduce the amount of heat entering your house so you can reduce the amount of that heat that you need to remove to maintain a cooler temperature. In the winter, the flow of heat is the opposite. You want to heat your home and reduce the amount of heat (energy) you are loosing the cold exterior temperatures. So the higher the R-Value, the less energy you need to maintain a comfortable living environment.
Air Tightness
High R-Values are just part of the equation. The other main factor about energy efficiency is reducing how much air we allow to flow through our home. The goal is not to eliminate the air flow its to control it. We want that fresh air to be constantly flowing but through an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) where it filtered and temperature regulated. We do not want that air creeping various areas of the structure as many wood framed homes do. This is where ICF comes into play as the continuous foam insulation along with 6"+ of concrete act as a huge air barrier.
HRV diagram courtesy of CleanBC
Examples of ICF's Resiliency
ICF Home Survives Hurricane
ICF Home Survives Tornado
It's a house made out of concrete, what is there to say, of course it's resilient. The big bad wolf isn't blowing an ICF house down that's for sure!
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