What Are ICF Insulated Concrete Forms?

The CeMent Association of Canada has developed standardized ICF training modules to help facilitate greater adoption of ICF construction. Two of their main objectives are:

(i) To facilitate greater understanding and awareness of ICF construction as a viable building alternative, that will escalate its adoption in the residential and non-residential markets.

(ii) To provide an industry baseline benchmark for required ICF training, ensuring adequate skills competence in the building workforce for the delivery of quality construction.

Today ICF construction is rapidly gaining popularity in both the residential and non-residential markets.

What is ICF Construction? Insulating Concrete Forms are energy-efficient reinforced-concrete walls that are dry-stacked without using mortar and filled with concrete, think of them like Lego blocks. The blocks, or forms as the are referred to, are stacked to form exterior and interior walls, reinforcing steel or rebar is then added into the openings and then concrete is pumped in to form the structural eleMent of the walls.

An Insulated Concrete Form can be made from a variety of materials:

(i) CeMent-bonded wood fiber (recycled waste wood and cement) (ii) Expanded polystyrene (iii) Cement-bonded polystyrene beads

One of the best ICFs are wood concrete forms, that is those that are made with cement-bonded wood fiber material that only uses natural ingredients. This combination of recycled waste wood and cement results in a better performing ICF wall system. When looking for an insulated concrete form you want to find ICFs that are environmentally safe, made from recycled material, do not contain nor emit any toxic elements, and are fully recyclable as well. Furthermore, insulated concrete forms that do not contain plastic, foams or polystyrenes are better for the environment than those that do contain these materials.

Benefits ICF construction has many benefits over traditional wood frame construction.

(i) Strength and Comfort In ICF construction the walls and floors form one continuous surface. This will help to keep out insects and create an environment free of allergens, dust, mold and other irritants. Furthermore the insulated forms are virtually soundproof and keep out unwanted noises and distractions..

(ii) Energy Performance Using insulated concrete forms means that your walls are already insulated better than any wood frame house. The ICFs will help to keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter and you can save as much as 50-80% on heating and cooling costs.

(iii) Structural Integrity A building built with insulated concrete forms can stand up to winds of 200 miles per hour and resist fire for up to 3.5 hours. ICF homes have been know to withstand hurricanes, tornados and a wide range of weather conditions from coast to coast. Furthermore concrete does not rot when it gets wet, making the upkeep and repAirs minimal.

(iv) Green Building ICFs are inherently green, from raw materials to installation. Depending on the product, you can find ICFs that have no CFCs, HCFCs or formaldehyde used in the manufacturing process and made from recycled material. Also, 100% of the installation waste, even the insulated forms themselves, are recyclable.

ICF buildings have higher energy savings, better fire resistance, and a superior structural integrity over traditional wood framed houses.

What Are ICF Insulated Concrete Forms?

What Are ICF Insulated Concrete Forms?

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What Are ICF Insulated Concrete Forms?

Insulating Concrete Forms

This type of exterior wall system is becoming more popular due to the surge in green building construction. The first patent for the application of an ICF was registered in the 1960's. Insulating concrete forms or molds have built-in insulation for accepting reinforced concrete. ICF's are stay-in-place polystyrene forms that have proven to be energy efficient, cast in place reinforced concrete walls. This wall system can be used to create residential or commercial structures. Unlike conventional concrete forms, these stay-in-place after the concrete is placed in the wall cavity of the forms and serve as form, insulation, exterior wall sheathing, and in some cases wall studding. ICF wall systems allow for flexible design, and a vast array of architectural styles and treatMents. The wall becomes a high performing wall that is structurally sound, insulated, has a vapor barrier, and is ready to accept final exterior and interior wall finishes.

There are many manufacturer's of this type of stay in place wall system. The wall systems can be grouped into three different systems:

o Panel Systems are the largest units, as big as 4 feet by 8 feet. The panels typically have flat edges and are connected to one another with extra wall Fasteners.
o Plank Systems include units of long narrow planks of foam held a constant distance apart by steel or plastic ties. Typically, these planks are 8 foot long and 8 or 12 inches high. The planks have notched, cut, or drilled edges that they tie into. Additionally, the ties connect each course of planks to one above and below.
o Block Systems include units ranging in size from standard concrete block sizes and up to much larger 16 inches high by 4 feet long. Along the edges are teeth or grooves and tongues for interlocking. They are able to stack without separate Fasteners, in the same manner as children's lego blocks.

The various wall systems types have different cavity shapes - flat, grid, or post and beam. There are structural and architectural advanTAGes for each type cavity.

There are many benefits and advanTAGes of using these wall systems that promote greater comfort and lower energy bills. ICF's have a high R-value. Four inches of ASTM C578 polystyrene foam insulation combined with a five inch concrete wall would typically be rated a R-17. Nothing blows through the reinforced concrete, eliminating drafts, thereby have a very minimal Air infiltration into the building envelope. The thermal mass of the exterior wall envelope eliminates temperature peaks and valleys. Energy savings have been estimated to be 25% to 50% for an ICF building versus wood framed or steel framed buildings.

Safety and health benefits include no CFC's, HCFC's, or formaldehydes, and also no wood to rot and mold. Typically the structures provide a two hour fire rating and highly termite and pest resistant. Concrete homes have proven track record to withstand the ravages of nature - hurricanes, tornados, and fires. This safety facet typically relates into reduced insurance premiums. The structures can also eliminate outside noises due to their high sound absorption qualities.

DisadvanTAGes include adding or moving doors, window, or utilities after the building is complete. Concrete cutting tools are need to perform these tasks. Typically, initial construction costs be anywhere from 55 to 15% more than conventional wood built structures.

Look for a future increase in the use of the ICF wall systems. The durability of the system coupled with the push for a green environMent and greater energy efficiency will lead the way. Additionally, there are federal energy tax credits for this type of building system that many times stir the interest for utilization.

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