Insulating Concrete Forms for Residential Design and Construction

Ideal for today's housing requirements, insulating concrete forms (ICFs) are hollow units made of plastic foam, assembled into the shape of a building's exterior, and filled with reinforced concrete to create structural walls. This step-by-step guide will introduce you to the advantages of ICFs, and show you how to incorporate them successfully into your homebuilding projects. Featuring a helpful eight-page color insert, the book offers you full coverage of ICF components, design issues, engineering, assembly, and much more.

Discover the vast potential of insulating concrete forms (ICFs) for the homebuilding market. Ideal for today's housing requirements, insulating concrete froms (ICFs) are hollow units made of plastic foam, assembled into the shape of a building's exterior, and filled with reinforced concrete to create structural walls. This step-by-step guide will introduce you to the many advantages of ICFs--such as energy efficiency, design flexibility, strength, durability, and ease of construction--and show you how to design and construct houses out of them. Featuring an eight-page color insert, the book covers: components--including ICF systems and their parts and materials, including the various types of foams and their properties; design--presenting information on detailing issues, system selection, the building envelope, attachments, and cost estimation; engineering--offering guidance on structural performance and design, energy efficiency and HVAC, and future developments; assembly--explaining the construction sequence for formwork, concrete, and key components. Whether you're an architect, engineer, or contractor, this great productivity tool will enable you to capitalize on ICFs in your homebuilding projects!