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We have started developing ICF homes (foam forms with concrete in the middle). They have an R-50 rating and provide many benefits for both the homeowner and the environment such as energy efficiency and sound shielding. They also have the advantage of not having any cavity walls - this is beneficial for the resistance of bugs and rodents, mildew and mold build up.
Insulating Concrete Forms In A Nutshell
ICFs are basically forms for poured concrete walls, that stay in place as a permanent part of the wall assembly. The forms, made of foam insulation or other insulating material, are either pre-formed interlocking blocks or separate panels connected with plastic ties. The left-in-place forms not only provide a continuous insulation and sound barrier, but also a backing for drywall on the inside, and stucco, lap siding, or brick on the outside.
Within these two basic ICF types, individual systems can vary in their design. "Flat" systems yield a continuous thickness of concrete, like a conventionally poured wall. The wall produced by "grid" systems has a waffle pattern where the concrete is thicker at some points than others. "Post and beam" systems have just that – discrete horizontal and vertical columns of concrete that are completely encapsulated in foam insulation. Whatever their differences, all major ICF systems are engineer-designed, code-accepted, and field-proven.
