ICFWhat is it? Insulated Concrete Forms are like giant Legos. Forms are made of two rectangular pieces of foam held together by hard plastic. The forms are stacked into walls, rebar is laid into the forms, and concrete is poured in. The forms stay in place, helping both to cure the concrete stronger as well as offering other benefits. ICFs have been around for thirty years, and have a strong following in the Midwest U.S. as well as Canada. Recently, ICFs have begun to break through the “high-end” cost barrier and have been used to build everything from finished basements to Habitat for Humanity homes.
How does it work? ICFs work on dual principles of thermal mass and insulation. Each foam piece is approximately 2.5 inches thick, and provides an insulation buffer for the thermal mass of the concrete inside.
Why does Exup use ICFs? The original Exup model idea was built with ICFs for four reasons: Ease of transportation, speed of construction, envelope performance, and resistance to small-arms fire. Combining all of these into one package allows for reduced costs to the end-user, and higher all-around performance in demanding environments. The forms Exup uses can be folded up for easy transportation, eliminating many shipping problems and allowing the HIAC (House In A Container) concept to work. Because each form is light yet large, (one block is 12 square feet of wall area!), they can be stacked easily and quickly, even by inexperience builders. One 1200 square foot structure can go from foundation to top-plate and ready to pour in a day with only four workers. In a post-disaster environment, the rapidity of building combined with the ease of construction can help re-build a work force by providing jobs for unskilled labor. Especially in poor areas, the finished product can help occupants by minimizing utility costs, allowing income to be dedicated to essentials such as food, clean water, and clothing. In high-threat environments, having something bulletproof to hide behind can be comforting, even if it’s only a wall! Once the building is poured, and even before it is finished, it offers protection from small arms fire with its 6 “ thick concrete core. After the building is finished out, ICFs offer a base of high-performance that allows for the use of smaller, more efficient, and cheaper HVAC devices, passing on low-operating costs to the end-user. For hundreds of helpful facts and figures regarding green building, energy, and the economy, check out our GREEN FACTS page.
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