Insulating Concrete Forms

NES formalizes evaluation on protocol for ICFs - May, 2001

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. But because super-strong concrete is at the 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

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. To achieve these designs with stud-wall requires a lot more cutting and finishing work is required.

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. ICF homes currently cost three to 10 percent more than homes built of "2 x 4's", but construction costs will level out over time.

According to the Insulating Concrete Form Association (ICFA), ICF homes are easier to build, but there is a learning curve. As more contractors and subcontractors become familiar with the technology, and become more efficient at building ICF homes, ICFA predicts labor costs 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.

Initially, ICF walls were over designed. 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.

Interested in an ICF Home?

According to 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.

Copies of the report are available from HUD by calling 800-245-2691 or online at www.huduser.org for $5.00 each
 

NES Helps Pave the Way


In May 2001, NES released a newly developed evaluation protocol for insulating concrete forms. The objective of the protocol is to assist in the deployment and use of ICF technology and is geared to facilitate the acceptance of various ICF products, materials, and assemblies in meeting building construction regulations.

Manufacturers of ICFs will be able to use the protocol to establish the scope of the evaluation for their ICF product(s) and better understand the requisite testing and documentation needed in advance of seeking building regulatory approval. This should help prepare manufacturers to secure more timely and widespread acceptance of this technology. The protocol focuses on the structural, fire and thermal properties of ICFs as well as durability, maintenance and other construction issues

The expert panel that developed the evaluation protocol was comprised of individuals with backgrounds in ICF prefabrication and installation, structural engineering, building design, materials science, code enforcement, product development and testing, and architecture. To obtain a copy of the NES ICF evaluation protocol, go to www.nateval.org and click on "Evaluation Protocols".

Most recently, NES has announced the development of an evaluation protocol for structural insulated panel technology. Echoing the ICF protocol, use of the evaluation protocol will establish guidelines to advance the acceptance of various SIP products in meeting building construction regulations. Upon completion the draft will be subjected to public review and comment and revised and finalized by the panel. EPSMA has forwarded a letter of interest to NES staff to assist with the development of a SIPs evaluation protocol. SIPA Board of Directors has voted to support the new protocol. David Conover, CEO of NES, anticipates the process will take approximately one year to complete the final draft.

The National Evaluation Service, Inc. is an independent, not-for-profit organization that conducts a voluntary and advisory program of evaluation for both traditional and innovative building materials, products, and systems with respect to the U.S. model building codes. The evaluation reports issued by the NES, as well as other efforts undertaken by NES, facilitate the acceptance of new building technology by those in the U.S. building regulatory community as well as by those who design and construct buildings. Cooperative efforts with similar organizations in other countries also help facilitate inter-country acceptance of building technology.
 

NES formalizes evaluation on protocol for ICFs - May, 2001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

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