City of Austin - Green Building Program | Factsheet: Insulated Concrete Forms

City of Austin - Green Building Program | Factsheet: Insulated Concrete Forms: "Things to think about when planning an ICF house or building:

1. Use non ozone-depleting foam ? all expanded polystyrene foams are now produced without ozone-depleting chemicals, the same cannot be said of all extruded polystyrene foams.
2. Plan for future expansions/additions?because they are filled with concrete, making a doorway out of an existing window or wall for an addition or expansion requires the use of a jackhammer. Planning ahead and creating knock-outs in the walls can save time and money and add long-lived versatility to a building.
3. The cost of concrete?all of these products must be filled with concrete, check the price of concrete before settling on ICF's as your building system. Though most are efficient with their concrete requirements, systems vary, and recent increases in the price of concrete have added substantially to the cost of an ICF house.
4. Roof connections?how your roof connects to the hurricane and tornado resistant walls is important. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and ensuring your roof is properly tied to these walls is part of the process of creating a wind resistant building.
5. Excellent product support--is the manufacturer willing to come out to your site and help train you or your contractor?
6. Properly size your air-conditioning system?because many ICF's help reduce the cooling load, a smaller air conditioner may be appropriate. The Portland Cement Association has several technical guides for right-sizing the A/C system in ICF houses."