Use of Insulating Concrete Forms in Residential Housing Construction

摘要

The use of Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) represents a viable alternative construction method to conventional wood framing in today's residential housing marketplace. The Partnership for Advancing Housing Technology, a joint Government-private venture, will further propel the advancement of ICF construction. The National Evaluation Service is currently standardizing the ICF industry building requirements for inclusion in model building codes. There are three types of ICF building units and four types of foam, each with different properties and structural design requirements. Many of ICF material properties provide advantages over wood frame construction, notably in better insulation R-values, fire resistance, sound reduction, air infiltration, consistency of insulation, and strength and durability against severe storms. The cost to build ICF foundations and exterior walls is double the cost of wood frame construction, but overall ICF housing prices are 2-4% more than similar wood frame houses. Homes constructed from ICFs use less energy and therefore will save the owner in energy costs. An analysis of energy savings in cold, moderate, and warm climates and a basic economic analysis can be performed to determine the relationships between the location, energy cost savings, and the added purchase expense. A fairly new industry, the Internet provides a lot of data for ICFs and related construction technologies.