Insulating concrete forms – A CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE PROTECTION
What are ICF building systems?
ICFs stand for INSULATING CONCRETE FORMs, which are special formwork blocks for interior and exterior walls made of expandable polystyrene (EPS) that have EPS, plastic or metal inserts molded in as spacers or ties between the internal and external insulation. The ICF blocks are easily assembled on the building site by locking them together and then, after adding reinforcing steel, filled with concrete to European standard. When finished, the interior and exterior walls as an integral part of the structure form monolithic concrete walls with extremely good insulating properties and also act as sound insulation. Cost-saving, fast and earthquake-proof construction with very good thermal insulation is standard with ICF building systems.
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Insulated Concrete Forms
The history of ICF systems
Concrete has been successfully used in the building industry for several centuries. ICF systems were originally developed in Europe at the end of the 1960s but it was only over the past ten years that they caught on in the United States for single and multi-family homes and buildings for commercial use, such as offices, hotels, schools, hospitals, etc. Today, ICF systems from various sources are in widespread use in over 20 countries worldwide. There are some 80 different suppliers of ICF systems in the USA and around 20 in Europe.
The ICF market in North America
Various factors, such as innovations, customer satisfaction and a willingness to use new technologies, have turned ICF construction into a rapidly growing market segment in the United States and Canada. According to the Insulated Concrete Form Association (ICFA) and Portland Cement Association (PCA), the market share of ICF systems for single and multi-family homes was 8% in 2005, which corresponds to around 129,000 buildings.
What types of ICF building blocks are there?
The formwork is either available as prefabricated blocks consisting of two panels held apart with a tie system, or as a separate leaf system where the interior and exterior panels are assembled on the building site with spacers. Plastic or metal is used for the ties.
All the systems currently on the market must comply with the relevant country’s building standards.
In general 3 different types of ICFs are in use:
- Flat Wall System: the concrete core forms a homogeneous core of even thickness
- Waffle Grid System: the concrete core consists of connected horizontal carriers and vertical columns
- Post and Beam System: the concrete core forms self contained horizontal and vertical columns
Benefits and experience with ICF building systems
ICF’s success story has been shaped by many factors and has the following benefits:
Concrete has been successfully used in the building industry for several centuries. ICF systems were originally developed in Europe at the end of the 1960s but it was only over the past ten years that they caught on in the United States for single and multi-family homes and buildings for commercial use, such as offices, hotels, schools, hospitals, etc. Today, ICF systems from various sources are in widespread use in over 20 countries worldwide. There are some 80 different suppliers of ICF systems in the USA and around 20 in Europe.
The ICF market in North America
Various factors, such as innovations, customer satisfaction and a willingness to use new technologies, have turned ICF construction into a rapidly growing market segment in the United States and Canada. According to the Insulated Concrete Form Association (ICFA) and Portland Cement Association (PCA), the market share of ICF systems for single and multi-family homes was 8% in 2005, which corresponds to around 129,000 buildings.
What types of ICF building blocks are there?
The formwork is either available as prefabricated blocks consisting of two panels held apart with a tie system, or as a separate leaf system where the interior and exterior panels are assembled on the building site with spacers. Plastic or metal is used for the ties.
All the systems currently on the market must comply with the relevant country’s building standards.
In general 3 different types of ICFs are in use:
- Flat Wall System: the concrete core forms a homogeneous core of even thickness
- Waffle Grid System: the concrete core consists of connected horizontal carriers and vertical columns
- Post and Beam System: the concrete core forms self contained horizontal and vertical columns
Benefits and experience with ICF building systems
ICF’s success story has been shaped by many factors and has the following benefits:
1. Up to 75% less energy required thanks to integrated insulation (EPS) thus meeting the requirements for low and passive energy homes set by European standards. This applies in general to heating requirements in northern climates and cooling requirements in more southern climates.
2. Cost savings of at least 15% for the whole building compared with traditional construction methods are realistic. This does not include the interest saved from the huge benefits of ICF systems in terms of time. Lintels for doors and windows are easily produced with the ICFs with the result that no craning involving extra costs is required. Ring beams no longer have to be made separately.
3. Considerable reduction in building time by up to 80%. The main factors lie in the simplicity and speed of installation. Because the insulation is integrated, whole construction stages can also be omitted. Standard finishing can be used for both sides (interior and exterior walls).
4. Good sound insulation both for the outer walls and inside the house.
5. Since monolithic structures are created, the buildings can withstand many natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tornados. As a result, insurance premiums are up to 25% lower in many countries.
6. In the area of the ceiling and roof, ICF systems enable a construction method to be used that saves up to 40% in concrete, thus reducing the total building volume and consequently cutting the cost of the foundations’ structural design.
7. The concrete also cures much faster and better in the ICF system. Final curing with up to 30% higher compressive strength is realistic (B25 standard – measured at 330 kg/cm2).
8. High customer satisfaction, the feeling of safety, easy and cost-effective handling make the ICF system the construction method of the future. ICF blocks also provide for easy routing of wiring and water pipes in the insulated space.