Designing Your Home with Enhanced Energy Efficiency in Mind
Brought to you by Nudura
Creating your own R-Value
It's been proven: an ICF wall provides greater energy efficiency than a wood-framed wall in terms of R-value. According to Energy Star, R-value is an important measure of the insulation's ability to resist heat traveling through it.
In fact, a recent test conducted by CLEB Laboratories determined at -31 degrees, the overall R-value of a typical Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) wall is R-24.1, nearly 60 percent higher than a standard wood-framed wall built with no continuous insulation (R-15.2).Despite this clear test data and modern building codes that require greater energy efficiency, achieving proper insulation has still been a challenge in traditional wood-framed construction.
Homeowners looking to build a new home should be aware that the latest regulations require wall assemblies to perform at R-24.1 or greater. While it's unlikely you'll be building in the extreme temperatures of the CLEB test, advanced wall and insulation technologies like ICF offer performance characteristics beyond what wood can provide. In addition, ICF meets and in some cases exceeds building codes, creating a comfortable, more energy efficient home for you and your family.
For current homeowners who have a traditional wood-framed home, improving R-value simply requires an ICF Retrofit insulation panel. Installation is fast and effortless, compared to conventional multi-step methods. This technology will increase the interior insulation of a traditional wood-framed home without requiring extensive site work.
Today's ICF panels are available in a number of different thicknesses, depending on how much insulation your home requires, and can be combined with ¬traditional wood-framed construction methods to improve energy efficiency.
A home which performs well above current code standards and provides your family with comfort and long-term cost savings can be a great benefit. ICF technology has the performance data to back it up. The only thing left for you to do is to make your dream home come true!