Insulating Concrete Forms

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What is an Insulating Concrete Form?

Like Structural Insulated Panels, Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) serve as both structure and insulation. Basically, Insulating Concrete Forms are poured concrete walls that stay in place as a permanent part of the wall assembly or foundation.

The Insulating Concrete Forms are made of foam insulation and 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.

Although all Insulating Concrete Forms are identical in principle, the various brands differ widely in the details of their shapes, cavities, and component parts.

Insulating Concrete Forms can cost up to 4% more than standard wood framing. However, houses built with Insulating Concrete Form exterior walls require an estimated 44% less energy to heat and 32% less energy to cool than comparable frame houses.

What are Structural Insulated Panels?

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are prefabricated insulated structural elements for use in building walls, ceilings, floors, and roofs. They provide superior and uniform insulation compared to more traditional construction methods (stud or "stick frame"), offering energy savings of 12%–14%. When installed properly, SIPs also provide a more airtight dwelling, which makes a house more comfortable and quieter.

Structural Insulated Panels not only have high R-values but also high strength-to-weight ratios. An SIP typically consists of 4- to 8-inch thick foam board insulation sandwiched between two oriented strand boards (OSB) or other structural facing materials. Manufacturers usually can customize the exterior and interior sheathing materials according to customer requirements. The facing is glued to the foam core. The panel is then either pressed or placed in a vacuum to bond the sheathing and core together.

Structural Insulated Panels can be produced in various sizes or dimensions. Some manufacturers can make panels as large as 81×281 inches (1.06×7.14 m), which require a crane to erect.

The quality of SIPs' manufacturing is very important to ensure a long life and performance. The panels must be glued, pressed, and cured properly to ensure that they don't delaminate. The panels also must have smooth surfaces and edges to prevent gaps from occurring when they're connected at the job site. Before purchasing Structural Insulated Panels, ask the manufacturer about their quality control and testing procedures. Read and compare warranties carefully.

Types of Structural Insulated Panels

The most common types of SIPs use insulation made from expanded polystyrene or polyisocyanurate, a polyurethane derivative. You can also find SIPs with a compressed, insulating straw core.

Some manufacturers are examining ways of using cementitious and rigid fibrous insulating materials.

Expanded Polystyrene Insulated Panels

The majority of Structural Insulated Panels are manufactured with expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam board or beadboard insulation. There are two types: molded expanded polystyrene (MEPS) and extruded expanded polystyrene (XEPS) foam board. This type of SIP has a nominal R-value of about 4 per inch (2.5 cm) to 5 per inch of thickness.

Standard thicknesses for either type range from 3.5 to 7.5 inches (89–190 mm) for wall panels and 5.5–11.5 inches (140–292 mm) for ceiling panels. They are available in almost any size; however, common wall panels are 41×81 inches (1.04×1.06 meters) and weigh 110 pounds (50 kilograms [kg]).

Polyisocyanurate and Polyurethane Insulated Panels

Some manufacturers choose to use polyisocyanurate or polyurethane as the insulating material. Foam board or liquid foam can be used to manufacture an SIP. Liquid foam can be injected between two wood skins under considerable pressure. When hardened, the foam produces a strong bond between the foam and the skins.

Polyurethane and polyisocyanurate SIPs have a nominal R-value of around R-6 to R-7 per inch (2.5 cm) of thickness. Liquid foams contain a blowing agent (an HCFC gas), some of which escapes over time, reducing the initial R-value of the SIP from about R-9 to R-7.

Wall panels made of polyisocyanurate or polyurethane are typically 3.5 (89 mm) thick. Ceiling panels are up to 7.5 inches (190 mm) thick. These panels, although more expensive, are more fire and water vapor-diffusion resistant than EPS. They also insulate 30%–40% better per given thickness.

Compressed Straw Core Insulated Panels

Structural Insulated Panels made from straw are more environmentally friendly than the other types because they're made from renewable, recycled waste agricultural straw. However, straw Structural Insulated Panels offer less insulation per inch of thickness, and they are considerably heavier.

Installation

Structural Insulated Panels are made in a factory and shipped to job sites. Builders then connect them together to construct a house. The speed of construction when using SIPs is much faster than other types of residential construction, especially if the builder is familiar with them. Shells can be erected quickly, saving labor time and money, without compromising quality. These savings can help compensate for the fact that SIPs usually cost more than other construction systems.

Many SIP manufacturers also offer "panelized housing kits." The builder needs only to assemble the pre-cut pieces. Additional openings for doors and windows can be cut with standard tools at the construction site.

When installed according to manufacturers' recommendations, SIPs meet all building codes and pass the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards of safety. In buildings constructed of SIPs, fire investigators have found that the panels held up well. For example, in one case where the structure exceeded 1,000°F (538°C) in the ceiling areas and 200°F (93°C) near the floors, most wall panels and much of the ceiling remained intact. An examination of the wall panels revealed that the foam core had neither melted nor delaminated from the skins. In similar cases, a lack of oxygen seemingly caused the fire to extinguish itself. The air supply in a structural insulated panel home can be quickly consumed in a fire.

Areas of Concern

Fire safety is a common concern about many Structural Insulated Panels - except ours! Our patented SIP technology incorporates 1 inch of concrete that is sprayed over the outside of the SIP panel, as well as the interior of the SIP panel, that encloses our SIP in concrete, making our technology virtually fireproof!

Other SIP manufacturers may cover their exposed SIPs with a fire-rated material, such as gypsum board, which then affords some fire protection of the SIP facing and the foam, long enough to give building occupants a good measure of escape time.

Insects such as termites and rodents can become a problem for homes and commercial buildings built from ordinary SIPs - like almost any other home or commercial building. Again, however, our SIPs are encapsulated with 1 inch of concrete on the interior and exterior of our SIPs making them virtually impervious to termites, insects and rodents, unlike many other manufacturers of SIPs. This is because the foam insulation from other Structural Insulated Panel manufacturers can provide a good environment, and in fact, a "breeding ground" for these pests to dwell and multiply.

A few cases have been noted where insects and rodents have tunneled throughout some SIPs made by other companies.

Other SIP manufacturers have issued guidelines for preventing these problems, including the following (again, we don't require the following as we have a patented process that encapsulates our SIPs in 1 inch of concrete for the exterior and interior of our SIPs, which is applied during the construction phase)

Guidelines for many other SIP manufacturers requires applying insecticides to the structural insulated panels, as well as the following:

Treating the ground with insecticides both before and after initial construction and backfilling

Maintaining indoor humidity levels below 50%

Locating outdoor plantings at least two feet (0.6 meters) away from the walls

Trimming any over-hanging tree limbs.

Boric acid-treated insulation panels are also available. These panels keep insects away while remaining relatively harmless to humans and pets.

Also, the airtightness of a well-built SIP structure requires controlled fresh-air ventilation for safety, health, and performance, and to meet many building codes. A well-designed, installed, and properly operated mechanical ventilation system can also help prevent indoor moisture problems, which is important for achieving the energy-saving benefits of an SIP structure.

Some of the above from the Department of Energy with permission.

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