ICF Wall Systems
Buildings Home > Sustainable Design > ICF Wall Systems
Wall system offers energy efficiency, durability, safety—and sustainability.
Insulating concrete forms (ICFs) have been gaining steam in the residential market during the last 10 years: concrete homes currently account for about 16 percent of single family construction. Lately, more architects and builders are also exploring ICFs as an option for light commercial construction, capitalizing on the system’s energy efficiency, durability and ease of construction. Commercial structures built with ICFs are poised to reap the environmental benefits of the building system on a grand scale, creating longer-lasting, more comfortable businesses that will provide healthy environments for employees.
ICFs are stay-in-place forms for casting concrete walls. The foam forms are available in a variety of sizes and configurations, which are placed in the shape of the structure and connected with plastic ties. As the forms are placed, reinforcing steel is installed to provide additional support. Concrete is pumped into the forms and allowed to harden. The resulting wall typically has two inches of foam insulation on each side, sandwiching approximately four to six inches of concrete. The interior and exterior of these walls can be easily clad with many traditional materials.
Energy Savings Help Achieve LEED Credits
In a typical ICF home, energy savings are significant, usually in the neighborhood of 15 to 35 percent less than conventionally framed construction. The ICFs’ heavy-duty insulation and concrete’s thermal mass help even out temperature swings in even the most dramatic climates. And HVAC systems can be designed on a smaller scale, further cutting costs at the front end of construction.
Research conducted in the U.S. has shown that the bigger the ICF home, the bigger the efficiency benefit. Proponents of the system’s use in light commercial construction say there is an obvious correlation: commercial buildings stand to benefit greatly, says Ed Alsamsam, PhD, PE, SE, LEED-AP, and manager of PCA’s buildings group.
“Most commercial buildings pursue LEED certification based on at least meeting the applicable ASHRAE requirements or exceeding them. In those cases, they are mostly improving mechanical systems’ efficiency and design to achieve enhanced performance over ASHRAE,” says Alsamsam. “ICFs are a building system that can achieve similar gains in building performance and potential LEED points in the Energy and Atmosphere category,” he explains.
“As designers try to get low-rise commercial buildings LEED certified, they need to tackle the issue of energy performance,” Alsamsam continues. “They have been honing their skills in terms of mechanical, electrical and piping equipment to minimize water, heating, cooling, and lighting needs. A building designer has the ability to make the single greatest impact in making the building envelope efficient, and ICFs provide superior thermal performance.”
Durability: Buildings That Last
As the sustainable movement grows, more emphasis is placed on life cycle assessment and analysis, an examination of the long-term costs of building green compared to conventional techniques. When it comes to optimizing life cycle costs and benefits, ICFs are a great fit, providing unmatched durability that ensures the structures will last for generations. Many structures built with concrete are designed for 100 years of service or more, and ICF buildings are no exception.
In fact, the government is starting to embrace ICF technology for its durability and strength, using it to meet blast resistance requirements on projects like the Florida Armed Forces Reserve Center, a 140,000-sq-ft multi-use complex in Pinellas Park, near St. Petersburg. “Since September 11, all military buildings must have force protection built in,” explains William Murray, project architect with URS Corporation, designers of the complex. “ICF construction was the most cost-effective way to achieve that.”
Speed and Ease of Construction
On the job site, construction is quick and simple, says Joseph Lyman, executive director of the Insulating Concrete Form Association (ICFA). “For large commercial jobs, speed of construction is one of the biggest reasons for using the technology,” he says. Materials can be stored on-site during construction, and leftover forms can be used on other projects, so there is little construction waste. Fast erection times minimize truck traffic and disruption to the surrounding community.
Quality of Life
Beyond increasing energy savings or ensuring durability and safety, ICFs offer some basic benefits that boost employee productivity and enhance the health and well being of building tenants. The thermal mass of concrete walls ensures evenness of temperatures, providing a comfortable working environment no matter the season. The monolithic construction method reduces air infiltration, boosting indoor air quality. Solid concrete walls help reduce sound transfer, providing a quieter work environment. All these benefits add up to more comfortable, inviting workplaces, which help businesses attract—and retain—the best employees.
Poised for Growth
According to the ICFA approximately 22 percent of today’s ICF construction is commercial work, concentrated in markets including schools, light construction, strip malls, agricultural projects, jails and prisons, and smaller public and private office buildings.
Lyman says there is real growth potential in multi-family housing developments, retirement communities, warehousing and storage facilities, hotels and government structures. “Anything eight floors and below is prime property for ICFs,” says Lyman. “This building method is really starting to make a serious dent in the way people build commercially, and I have no doubt that in a few years, ICF commercial work will equal what’s being done in the residential market.”
Alsamsam agrees, predicting ICFs will quickly take hold in the sustainable marketplace. “The range in sustainable benefits from ICF systems is tremendous. Energy efficiency and indoor air quality are attributes that support LEED points, while durability, occupant comfort and disaster resistance are sustainable qualities that reach beyond the current LEED rating system,” he explains. “They’re going to address sick buildings, employee retention, building leasing, owning and operating in the long-term, life cycle costs and their importance to the owner and developer.”
Credit: PCA Portland Association.
No comments yet.
Subscribe to comments on this post: Click Here
