ICF Construction (Insulated Concrete Form) - building with ICF, ICF energy efficiency, ICF cost, living in an ICF home and ICF durability. #ICF #greenhome

Any sustainability consultant will tell you that a building’s insulation is a crucial part in constructing an energy-efficient, high performance home. Choosing the right material and insulation method for a build ensures homeowners will have a sustainable building envelope for the life cycle of the home.

ICF Construction (Insulated Concrete Form) - building with ICF, ICF energy efficiency, ICF cost, living in an ICF home and ICF durability. #ICF #greenhome

ICF homes can expect the following benefits over a wood-frame home: 20 percent or more energy savings, 10-30 percent less outside air infiltration, a 4-hour fire rating, twice the strength, and three times quieter.

ICF foundation are laid using intermeshing foam bricks. The hollow polystyrene walls construct the foundation outside the form, and fortifying rebar is placed inside for additional strength. After the forms are set, the concrete mixture is poured into the center.

This house on the coast of County Waterford is built from an insulated concrete formwork shell that delivers an inherently warm and airtight construction, and easily exceeds passive house targets.

ICF Construction (Insulated Concrete Form) - building with ICF, ICF energy efficiency, ICF cost, living in an ICF home and ICF durability. #ICF #greenhome

Let's say i've set eye on 2 building methods ( sorry if my view is always toward cold climate building ..bear with me ) ICF PERSIST/REMOTE I've read discussions on this board and other websites, thought about it ..heck it was my first idea all along!!! PERSIST building method has to be the most efficient type of building for passive and or very low energy haus ( why is not everybody building that way on cold climates if it is the best method neway ??? ) But then if we introduce ICF in the discussion

Like many other natural and artificial materials, ICF walls get in the way of radio waves that carry the cellular signal. But luckily, the solution is simple — all you need is a cell signal booster.

The progress of Pensmore Owner Steve Huff gives inside look at mansion’s movement. Pensmore’s guest wing, left, includes about 20,000 square feet of living space, with an extra 2,000 square feet for the garage. Steve Huff gives inside look at mansion’s movement. The guest wing kitchen exemplifies Pensmore’s style of energy-efficient appliances and precast concrete that contributes to its nearly energy-neutral ambition. The progress of Pensmore as Of 05-02-14 This is Buddy Huggins, Can I put these two together? Let's see if I can pull this one of. Solar Roadways installs energy harvesting parking lot About 8 years ago, an electrical engineer and his counselor wife started throwing around an idea to replace asphalt on highways and byways throughout the US with electricity-producing solar panels that were tough enough to be driven upon. The idea blossomed into a project, where the panels featured built-in LEDs that could “paint the road” with markings and warnings, and could be heated to prevent snow and ice build up. The US Federal Highway Administration paid for the couple to produce a working prototype, which they did, and then again to expand the concept into an operational parking lot setup. As the latter contract comes to an end, the Solar Roadways project has released photos of the (almost) completed installation at its Idaho electronics lab. Now the team is dipping into crowd-funding waters with a campaign to raise funds for the move into commercial production. Many roads, highways, parking lots or driveways can spend much their daytime unused. Sunlight can even break through gridlock to the road below. In 2006, Scott and Julie Brusaw hatched a plan to make use of all that untapped energy by replacing asphalt with toughened PV panels that would also include embedded lighting to act as road markings and driver alerts, as well as communication and power cables to replace overhead lines. The project received funding from the US Dept of Transportation to the tune of US$100,000 in August 2009, and work began on the first proof-of-concept prototype. After entertaining the world media circus for a while, and traveling around the country to deliver talks on the project, funding was secured in June of 2011 for the second phase of development – to create fully functional parking lot. READ MORE: http://themindunleashed.org/2014/04/solar-roadways-installs-energy-harvesting-parking-lot.html https://www.facebook.com/solarroadways Solar Roadways website Pensmore, The 72,000-square-foot Ultimate Tornado-Proof Home under construction in Highlandville, Missouri In the Midwest, Steve Huff is aiming to build the ultimate tornado-proof home. Mr. Huff, a software entrepreneur, is building a 70,000-square-foot reinforced-concrete, chateau-style home in rural Christian County, Mo. The home, known as Pensmore, has 12-inch-thick walls and ballistic-proof windows that have been tested to withstand the equivalent of a two-by-four board traveling at 40 miles an hour, mimicking the speed at which debris can be hurtled during a big storm. "If a tornado came up, you'd be foolish to leave this house," Mr. Huff says. Mr. Huff, who is an investor in a concrete company, says that the home will also be resistant to intruders: "It would be like trying to drill your way through a bank vault." When it is completed in early 2014, it will be one of the largest private homes in America. Mr. Huff says he plans to have lots of extended family stay with him, as well as visiting writers, scientists and other students who may want to study the safety and environmentally sustainable technologies used to construct the home. With its turrets and picturesque setting in the Ozark mountains, this house should be like a fairy-tale castle. But this vast 72,000 square-foot gothic château has been drawing bemused comments from across the U.S. The private home in southwest Missouri being made from concrete and will be one of the largest in the country when it is completed. It is the brainchild of millionaire concrete company chairman Steven T.Huff. Setting: The southwest Missouri home sits on 500 acres of land and will have 13 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a billiard room, a home theatre, a music room and a 1,600 square-foot library There is another 23,020 square-feet of space in the basement and the garage is 4,000 square-feet. Luke Pinkerton who is working on the building said the idea was to create a home that uses very low energy, as well as having strong resistance to tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, fire, flood and insect damage. The home is less than 90 miles from Joplin, which was devastated when it was hit by a tornado that killed 159 people in May. 'What we're able to do is develop a home that has very, very good insulating properties for heating and cooling,' he said. 'It's very robust and strong.' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Turrets: The monstrous home has been drawing planning complaints from across the country He is building the home using materials manufactured by his Wisconsin-based company TF Concrete Forming Systems. The local planning office has been fielding calls from all corners of the country about the massive construction. 'It's got to the point where it's capturing national attention,' said Todd Wiesehan, planning and zoning administrator for Christian County. Called Pensmore, the home includes two elevators, 13 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a billiard room, a home theatre, a music room and a 1,600 square-foot library. Blueprints submitted in 2007 show the main level and second story span 44,641 square-feet. Concrete jungle: The so-called château is being built for Steven Huff, the chairman of Wisconsin-based TF Concrete Forming Systems Under construction: The house will have 13 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a billiard room, a home theatre, a music room and 1,600 square-foot library Tornado proof: The home, which has been under construction since 2007, is close to Joplin, has been built to resist extreme weather conditions Environmentally friendly: The house uses very low energy because of its insulating concrete Concrete entrepreneur: Steven Huff is making the massive mansion from concrete manufactured by his firm How it will look: These grand plans show how the finished product will look, but the giant project is expected to be completed within the next two years Expensive: Just the building materials alone for the house are costing nearly $7 million A building permit shows that the cost of just the materials being used to build the home is $6.89 million. Pensmore, which sits on 500 acres of land, has been in construction since 2007, said Mr Wiesehan. He estimates it's another year or two away from completion. Steven T. Huff Family LLC applied for the permit in March 2008, just days before the county's new planning and zoning regulations took effect. The property is grandfathered in. “We have not completed any inspections on the actual structure. We don't have that ability,” Atchley said. The project manager -- Steven's brother, Joe Huff -- did invite county workers to the site. “It's our understanding it is an ICF -- basically an insulated concrete form structure,” Atchley said. The family may be protecting the construction itself. They could be interested in trying to keep it confidential for a possible patent. Steve Huff stands in front of Pensmore, the 72,000-square-foot chateau-style mansion he says will demonstrate durable, energy-neutral technology. No matter why the property owners are private, the structure stands out in the rolling hills of the Ozarks. The blueprints show two elevators, 15 bedrooms, a 1,600-square-foot library, and a nearly 1,300-square-foot master bedroom. Steven Huff is reportedly an engineer and chief technology officer of Overwatch Systems, Ltd. According to the company’s website, it delivers multi-source intelligence to the defense department. The permit for the Highlandville structure requires that one family live in it at one time. It also states the owners cannot rent, lease or sell any rooms. Blueprints show the 23,000-square-foot basement will be used mostly for "storage." It will also include a billiard room, exercise room and home theater. Huff stands next to a large window inside the property. Steve Huff shows a handful of the tiny PolyTorx double-helix fibers, which he says dramatically improve structure durability. The Pensmore mansion will be complete in a couple years, owner Steve Huff says. The hilltop mansion features a panoramic view of the Ozarks. The mansion’s main wing will include a basement, two living floors and an attic. Steve Huff, left, smiles for a photo with 92-year-old Ed Underhill and his son, Clark. Ed Underhill was the first mayor of Highlandville. Steve Huff provides a tour to Ed Underhill, the first mayor of Highlandville, and his son, Clark Underhill. Steve Huff provides a tour to Ed Underhill, the first mayor of Highlandville, and his son, Clark Underhill. Introduction to TF System, the only maker of vertical insulated concrete forms, a superior method of construction for homes and other structures. Welcome to the VerticalForm Installation video. Please use this as an initial tool to become familiar with VerticalForm and the installation process. Then, call us to learn more. 800-360-4634 At the date posted this video had 35 views. Contact Us Today! 800-360-4634 Are you looking for a better way to build? Would you like to learn how to install Insulating Concrete Forms by TF Forming Systems? Learn why more contractors, builders, architects and engineers are turning to TF Forming Systems to make their insulated concrete structures a success. We offer installation seminars and AIA CE presentations throughout the year, across the nation. For more information, please fill out the form below or contact us by emailing [email protected]. Offices are located in Green Bay, WI and Ozark, MO Headquarters Midwest Office 3030C Holmgren Way Green Bay, WI 54304 800-360-4634 Tell them Buddy Huggins, told you to call. Follow Buddy's board Pensmore, The Ultimate Tornado-Proof Home on Pinterest. ////////

Learn more on the In's & Out's on ICF home design

ICF Construction (Insulated Concrete Form) - building with ICF, ICF energy efficiency, ICF cost, living in an ICF home and ICF durability. #ICF #greenhome

Discover how Micheal McKeon chose to build his home in Co Longford out of Insulating Concrete Formwork, or ICF.

Are you thinking of building your own house? This week we poured the concrete for a new home foundation. Get more tips for owner builders!

BuildBlock ICF forms combine the standard features you’ve come to expect in a quality ICF. BuildBlock is built for speed with the least waste and many unique benefits you’ll find in no other block.

ICF Insulated Concrete Forms - The Good * The Bad * AND the Ugly! Article that discusses the problems with this form of foundation construction. Issues with crack repair, Leaks and voids and general problems.

ICF Construction (Insulated Concrete Form) - building with ICF, ICF energy efficiency, ICF cost, living in an ICF home and ICF durability. #ICF #greenhome

When looking at building a new home there are lots of different types of technology to consider. Insulting Concrete Forms (ICFs) are one of the fastest growing segments of the […]