As more Virginians take interest in resilient, energy-efficient housing, the company has begun offering simplified floor ...

New building methods deliver durability, speed, and efficiency while eliminating many of the old drawbacks of concrete ...

The Mullendore home is made of a concrete-polystyrene combination, or ICF, for “insulated concrete form.” The Mullendores chose it because of its anticipated energy savings, quality and strength.

Currently an ICF house costs 1 to 4 percent more to build than a traditional wood-framed home. This cost is expected to drop as more houses are built. ———- Write to Tim Carter, c/o The ...

In addition, ICF homes absorb sound, so the homes are quieter. "Very little outside sound gets through," said Horobin. Many ICF builders also claim lower insurance costs.

Fireproof home? ICF technology offers solution to California's destructive wildfires ICF technology is not new, but it is not commonly used yet. Many people don't even know it's an option.

Homes built with ICF have a core temperature that fluctuates less than homes built the traditional way, and need furnaces and air conditioning units that are much smaller, the builders said.

Innovations have reduced manufacturing costs, and ICF-trained builders have made labor costs more efficient, enabling builders to use ICFs for mid- and low-priced homes.

The home was built with ICF or insulating concrete forms, which are hollow foam blocks, reinforced with rebar and filled with concrete to form walls.