Jim Kostusik with Redstone Homes, Inc. is building one and he's going to take us through it from the foundation up. Kostusik is providing pictures and an explanation you can read below to help us better understand the benefits and differences between A 5 Star Energy home and regular construction.
Kostusik writes: The foundation is an insulated concrete form that is left in place after the concrete is poured. Some great features with a ICF home are as follows:
Arxx walls dramatically reduce drafts and “cold spots” compared to conventional basements. The two layers of Arxx foam insulation will also eliminate most basement humidity problems. The “thermal mass” of the concrete core stabilizes the temperature in your basement so that you get even comfort, all year round. That’s the real payoff of an Arxx basement. You get more, ultra-comfortable living space from the very first day your home is built.
Arxx Insulated Concrete Walls virtually eliminate the “cold spots” that often occur in old fashioned frame walls, because your home is wrapped in a continuous layer of foam insulation. An Arxx home has much less air infiltration and fewer drafts than a conventional frame house.
The solid concrete core of an Arxx wall stabilizes the temperature in your home because of its thermal mass, so you enjoy more constant temperatures, throughout the day.
With its high R-values, low air infiltration, and high thermal mass, you can save up to 50% of energy costs compared to conventional construction, and your overall operating and maintenance costs will be much lower.
Find true peace and quiet inside your home, no matter how noisy it is outside.
The massive concrete core of an Arxx wall protects your home from external noise. An Arxx wall will reduce sound transmission into your home by 75% - 85% when compared to a conventional wood frame wall. Noisy neighbors, busy streets and jarring lawn mowers are reduced to a whisper.
Arxx walls carry an impressive Sound Transmission Class (STC) of up to 50 or more. This means it’s a lot quieter inside an Arxx home. In fact, many commercial builders use Arxx walls when they are building movie theaters because Arxx provides such effective sound control, so it would be great for your home theatre.
Next to comfort, “quietness” is the benefit most often cited by families who live in ICF homes. They say that after living in a home built with insulated concrete walls, they would never live in a conventional wood frame again. An Arxx home is just so much more comfortable and quiet.
I will keep you updated as more progress is made.
Check out more photos of the ICF Foundation.