Available for free. A typical 2,450 square-foot single-family house with a current design was modeled for energy consumption in twenty-five locations across the United States and Canada. Locations were selected to represent a range of climates. Energy simulation software utilizing the DOE 2.1E calculation engine was used to perform the modeling.

For purchase for $75. Fast gaining on more traditional homebuilding materials, concrete systems save builders time, money, and headaches. Offering durability, cost savings, energy efficiency, and eye-pleasing aesthetics, concrete systems now account for large shares of the walls, floors, roofs, finishes, and landscape products in small buildings in the United States. But are concrete systems right for you and your construction crew? And if so, which ones? This is the place to find out. Written by experts from the Portland Cement Association, Concrete Systems for Homes & Low-Rise Construction provides expert, straightforward answers on concrete systems. Open these pages for everything you want to know about availability of products, evaluating concrete systems for homes and low-rise buildings, requirements for application, managing projects, and much more. Based on case histories, field research, and hands-on-the-hammer experience, and with more than 325 photos and illustrations, this one-stop resource shows and tells what you want to know. It's a huge time and money saver! For each new concrete system for residences, you'll find: • Properties and advantages • Logistics of construction • Connections to other concrete systems • Materials and labor costs of installation • Code and regulatory issues • Technical and testing information • Sources of additional information

Available for $10. This report presents in-depth results of laboratory testing comparing the impact resistance of residential concrete wall construction to conventionally framed walls. The damage inflicted on ten wall specimens subjected to the impact of a 15-pound wood stud "missile" traveling at up to 109 miles per hour is described. The study compares the differences in inherent resistance to debris driven by high winds, between concrete wall systems and standard residential construction.

Free to download. This report is an update of Life Cycle Assessment of an Insulating Concrete Form House Compared to a Wood Frame House (Marceau and VanGeem 2002). It presents the results of an assessment of the environmental attributes of concrete construction compared to wood-framed construction. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on a house modeled with two types of exterior walls: a wood-framed wall and an ICF wall. The LCA was carried out according to the guidelines in International Standard ISO 14044, Environmental Management - Life Cycle Assessment - Requirements and Guidelines. The house was modeled in five cities, representing a range of U.S. climates: Miami, Phoenix, Seattle, Washington (DC), and Chicago. The 228-square meter (2450-square foot), two-story, single family house has four bedrooms and a two-car garage. The system boundary includes the inputs and outputs of energy, materials, and emissions to air, soil, and water from extraction of raw materials though construction, maintenance, and occupancy. The house energy use was modeled using DOE-2.1E and the life cycle impact assessment was modeled using SimaPro. The results show that for a given climate, the life cycle environmental impacts are greater for the wood house than for the ICF house.

Many building codes require minimum sound transmission loss values, expressed as sound transmission class (STC), of 45 to 50. Tests of sound transmission loss were made on 8-in.-thick (203-mm) concrete masonry walls and on 6- and 8-in.-thick (152- and 203-mm) cast concrete walls finished with materials intended to increase sound transmission loss. Using furring, acoustic insulation, and wallboard attachments, STC values up to 59 and 63 were obtained for the masonry and cast concrete walls, respectively. Selected STC values, reported by other investigators, for a variety of walls are included for reference.

Available for free. This document summarizes the results of laboratory testing to compare the impact resistance of residential concrete wall construction to conventionally framed walls.

Available for free. This document highlights the benefits derived from combining the mass of concrete with the insulating value of insulating forms. Together they provide a home that lessens the intrusion of outside noise, while improving the thermal performance of the home.

Free to download. The potential for moisture problems in ICF walls was investigated to determine if the walls have any inherent properties that make them susceptible to moisture problems. The investigation was conducted in several phases. In the first phase, wall sections were constructed and instrumented to determine rates of drying as affected by various combinations of exterior and interior finishes and vapor retarders. After one year of monitoring in a controlled atmosphere, the walls were carefully disassembled and examined for signs of moisture-related distress. No signs of moisture damage or distress were noted. The second phase involved analyses of the condensation potential of wall sections utilizing various interior finishes, vapor retarders, and exterior finishes. Analyses were performed for winter and summer seasons for locations throughout North America. Results of the analyses led to recommendations on vapor retarders. The final phase involved recommending standard window details to mitigate water entry at joints. Additional details were developed to address proper practices for exterior walls, from the foundation to the eave, for a variety of exterior finishes and construction types. Details were developed with the assistance of construction tradespeople to facilitate effective, yet practical, means of ICF construction.

Available for free. This document provides an overview that describes the various types and features of ICFs as well as the many benefits of building with ICFs. *Due to the setup of the PCI website, you must perform a search for this title at their bookstore.

Available for free. This document provides a comparison of the fire ratings of ICF exterior walls versus conventional residential walls.

Available for free. In this document the two types of foams used in ICFs are identified and the various physical properties of each are compared.

Available for free. This document summarizes the results of research involving the construction of three identical homes, two ICF, one wood frame.

Available for free. This document compares the cost of building with insulting concrete forms with the cost of conventional wood frame residential construction. It discusses how the cost of building with concrete declines as a crew becomes more familiar with the materials and methods. It briefly touches on the big advantages of paying slightly more for a concrete home.

Architects, engineers, and builders are becoming more proactive in assuring the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) of the buildings for which they are responsible. Concrete is the best building material for forestalling sick building syndrome. Concrete also reduces the outgassing of indoor air pollutants. Because concrete structures are more energy efficient, they lower emissions form furnaces. This document is available for free from Environmental Council of Concrete Organizations. To find this article: Follow the link provided, then click "catalog" and scroll half way down the page to find the article.

A web resource for general information on concrete homes.

Free for download. A typical 228-square-meter (2,450-square-foot) house with a contemporary design was modeled for energy consumption in five locations. Locations were selected to represent a range of climates across the United States. Energy simulation software utilizing the DOE 2.1E calculation engine was used to perform the modeling. In each location, three variations of the house were modeled. The first variation utilized conventional wood framed exterior walls constructed with typical materials. The second variation utilized insulating concrete form (ICF) walls. The third variation had non-mass exterior walls that met minimum energy code requirements. For all variations, all other assemblies such as the roof, floors, windows, and interior partitions were identical. In all locations, the house variations were insulated to meet the minimum levels required in the 1998 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Due to the inherent insulating properties of the ICFs, total energy use (including heating and cooling, cooking, laundry, and other occupant energy) for houses with ICF walls ranged from 8% to 19% below that of the houses with walls that met IECC requirements. Houses with wood frame walls constructed with standard materials also showed total energy saving over that of houses with walls that met IECC requirements. In all locations, houses with ICF walls had total energy requirements that ranged from 5% to 9% below those of houses with wood frame walls. Houses with ICF walls also showed additional savings resulting from a reduction in the required heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) system capacity. Total system capacity for houses with ICF walls ranged from 16% to 30% less than that of houses with walls meeting IECC requirements and 14% to 21% less than that of houses with wood frame walls.

This two page .pdf summarizes the credits available to designers and building owners when using high performing insulating concrete forms in wall construction. Documents available for download to ICFA members.

An industry resource website.