Green Construction & Energy Features
ICF construction is the first step in constructing energy efficient, environmentally responsible buildings, built to withstand the tests of time and nature. These buildings conserve energy while providing peace of mind with their extreme wind load capability.
It’s also hard to imagine a wall system that is more energy efficient, since the normal escape routes energy are sealed with a nominal 11.25” “thermos bottle” type enclosure.
Now, a state of the art system like this forms the basis for everything that follows it.
To begin with, regular glass, even regular hurricane glass, won’t do. In order to stay consistent we have chosen full solar heat gain, 3/16”, vinyl, hurricane windows. These windows provide the maximum in impact resistance, energy efficiency and light retention.
Next, a regular hot water heater, using energy whether or not hot water is needed, is replaced by tankless, “on demand” systems that only use energy when the hot water tap is on. Better still, these systems don’t run out of hot water !
Of course, in a state of the art building like this, regular bat ceiling insulation must be upgraded to a spray foam process, such as “Icynene”, or other such system. This results in a sealed attic space with temperature variations of 3-5 degrees from the habitable space. A great bonus is that, being sealed, no venting is required thereby eliminating wind or rain penetration in the event of a sever storm event.
Beginning to get the picture ? These are the “foundation blocks” for a total building system that is kind to your energy bills, quiet and pollutant free to live and work in, with rock solid peace of mind regarding severe storms and hurricanes.
All things being equal, this is better.
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The
developers & partners responsible for the Pine Avenue
Project have advanced the quality and sustainability of the
overall project by choosing to build with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF’s)
provided by Greenblock of Stuart, Florida.
An insulated concrete form (ICF) wall begins with the
forms themselves, which consist of a web system tying together 2.5”
Styrofoam panels, forming blocks, which are set, like lego’s, onto the
foundation. Inside these forms is a 2’x2’ reinforced steel grid which
covers the entire wall system. This web and grid system is then poured
solid with 6” of solid concrete. The result: a fortress-like structure
able to withstand the most extreme storm conditions.
