Building a modern, efficient, environmentally aware home starts much like any other; with the foundation. We can all envision a typical foundation wall: Plywood forms are built, rebar is placed within these forms that are then filled with concrete, and then the forms are removed; revealing the walls that will support the tons of building material and personal belongings of the home.
Columbia City Green is taking a thoughtful, innovative approach right from the get-go. The foundation wall they have chosen to use is called an ICF (Insulated Concrete Form). Regardless of the type of ICF you are using the basic idea is the same. They are rigid forms that remain in place after being filled with concrete and serve as thermal insulation both on the inside and the outside of the foundation wall. Case Design & Project Management decided to use a product called Faswall for these homes. Faswall blocks are made of 85% mineralized wood chips from recycled wood and 15% Portland Cement and Flyash. They are strong, made of renewable, sustainable materials and use ½ the concrete of other foundation wall systems.
Concrete has an R-Value of approximately .08/inch or about 1 for the average foundation wall (the same as a single paned window). In contrast a typical Faswall foundation will have an R-Value of at 18-23 without any additional thermal barrier. It is also important to mention that concrete has extremely high embodied energy compared to other building products. Faswall blocks are made of one of the lowest embodied energy products; wood.
ICF’s and Faswall blocks in particular simply make sense. They are easily installed and are well suited to designs that require framed-in window openings and doors. Made from recycled materials and coal industry waste these ICF’s are manufactured in the Northwest.
The unsung atlas of our homes, the foundation is just what its title describes; the first in a set of building blocks that will be linked together and turn into a place that is the hub of a person’s life. On this foundation will be placed many, many different materials that we will talk about in future postings. This has obviously been a brief description of Insulated Concrete Forms and their many varieties and features. Follow the links provided and find out more, or better yet ask a question and get the conversation started. Either way let us know if this information helped. Keep checking back for updates on the progress of these two homes.
Filed under: Seattle Green Building | Tagged: Architecture + Home Design, CASE Design & Project Management, Columbia City Green, Faswall, Flyash, Insulative Concrete Form, Seattle Green Building
[...] have addressed many of the major steps and systems that make up a home. We have talked about the Foundation, the Framing, the Radiant Heat and Ventilation, the Siding, the Windows, and the Green Roofs. We [...]
[...] have addressed many of the major areas and systems that make up a home. We have talked about the Foundation, the Framing, the Radiant Heat and Ventilation, the Siding, the Windows, the Green Roofs, the [...]