Insulating concrete form or insulated concrete forms (ICF)is a building system of construction where reinforced concrete is poured in metal rebar between rigid foam exteriors. That may not sound exciting, but what should motivate you is that you can expect high performance from icf products, particularly in energy savings, cost savings, durability, and strength. Also, if you’re looking for green construction, icf products are your answer since ten fewer trees will need to be cut down to build your new home if you rely on insulated concrete form construction instead.

How ICF Provides you with High Performance Green Building Materials

Insulated concrete buildings blocks provided superior protection from either air escaping or coming in as you have insulation on both sides of the wall with the concrete/steel rebar in the middle. A study conducted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development indicates energy savings up to 25% of homes built with traditional construction materials. And when ICF is used instead of concrete flooring for your decking, not only does it weigh 40% less, but also provides far superior insulation, something to consider if you have ever walked barefoot across a concrete floor.

ICF Provides High Performance Strength Construction Standards

ICF, while becoming more favored in recent years, is not a new process. Globally, Insulated concrete building has been used for more than six decades, with refinement and improvements made along the way. If your home is built with ICF, it will be six or seven times stronger than those built with traditional building materials. Not only that, ICF has been found to withstand hurricane force winds of over 240 miles per hour.

ICF provides High Performance When it Comes To the Cost of the Materials

When comes to home construction, going green doesn’t mean it will cost you a lot of green. In fact, your savings should be up to seventy-five cents per square foot with insulated concrete building materials. For basements, the savings in construction amount to an amazing forty percent when compared with traditional building costs. Now that’s high Performance but low expense!

ICF Provides High Performance in Noise Reduction.

Because of the double layer engineering of the ICF wall, it is far more absorbent of ambient noise, then drywall where sound bounces off, echoing while still leaking sound waves through a wall to other areas. If you want a quiet house, ICF is the way to go.

And ICF Looks Great!

The hard form exterior comes in multiple designs and forms allowing your house to have the latest design choices in faux, but realistic styles such as brick or stucco.

Insulated Concrete Forms provide so many advantages: environmental durability and cost savings. If you’re looking to build a home, choose the option that gives you all these high performance options and more–ICF.