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• ICF - Insulated Concrete Forms - used by Fredericksburg (PHOTOS)
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ICF - Insulated Concrete Forms - used by Fredericksburg (PHOTOS)

Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) are rigid plastic foam forms that hold concrete in place during curing and remain in place afterwards to serve as thermal insulation for concrete walls. There are great benefits to building with Insulated Concrete Forms. 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. Insulated Concrete Forms are a great idea if you are building an EarthCraft certified home. ICF's minimize the use of lumber, which preserves trees. The superior thermal performance provided by ICF homes significantly lowers the energy requirements for heating and cooling which saves the homeowner money. It has been proven that ICF walls provide a 25 to 50 percent energy savings over traditional stud-wall or steel-frame homes.

On Friday, July 13th, 2007 the Fredericksburg affiliate began pouring concrete at their first ICF home, which will be EarthCraft certified. In preparation for the 13th volunteers had already assembled the Lego like ICF blocks, saying that it was pretty easy. On the morning of the 13th concrete trucks arrived and within a few short hours the forms were full of hardening concrete. This part of the construction process was not very volunteer intensive. However, the steps leading up to the pouring of the concrete and following it require the normal amount of volunteer participation. The affiliate construction manager, William Hedger, pointed out that with the ICF’s it will be very easy to put up the drywall. This is because there are lines on the ICF’s marking where the studs are located within the concrete.

The affiliate purchased their ICF’s from the company Tritek. They worked out a deal with the company in which they purchased three packages (one per home) of ICF’s and they received a fourth for free. ICF’s are quick, dependable structures that have design versatility. They are also a great feature to an EarthCraft home. If your affiliate is interested in Insulated Concrete Forms, William Hedger, Construction Manager, of the Fredericksburg affiliate is a great resource. He can put you in touch with Tritek and arrange for your affiliate to get a similar deal.

Click here to see the pictures of this house.

Click here to read an article about building with ICFs in general.

(8/12/08)