Mention ICE Block construction to someone and they’ll likely get a look of confusion. What? You’re building a house with ice? Is it an igloo? In
But it’s actually an acronym — ICE stands for Insulate Concrete Efficiently. It’s often also called ICF, for Insulated Concrete Forms, and is heralded by many industry experts as the new wave in building technology.
“In terms of energy efficiency, you can save from 50-75 percent over and above what you would pay in utilities on a frame house,” says Alan Hoffmann, who has been building ICE Block homes for 10 years. “Nationally, I think we’re going to see a lot of growth in this trend.”
Other benefits? Owners of ICE Block houses can also save on homeowners insurance because of the system’s storm-, fire- and sound-proofing capabilities
Here’s why: The walls of an ICE Block house are made of expanded polystyrene (foam) panels connected with galvanized steel studs. These panels — or “forms,” as they’re commonly referred to — have hollow cores that are then filled with concrete. Another 2-inch layer of foam is added inside and outside the forms for added reinforcement, and some contractors give the wall additional strength with extra steel bars. (Confused? Google “insulated concrete forms” and you’ll find loads of Web sites with diagrams and video.)
When done, the technology forms walls that are a solid 11-12 inches thick. The insulation value of such a wall has measured as high as R-32, but what is certain is that ICE Block walls far exceed the R-value of a typical frame house, which is usually between R-11 and R-19.
Translation? A very quiet, draft-free house with considerably lower utility bills. And, for people living in severe-weather climates, such as hurricane-central
Ron and Liz Knight knew they wanted to live in an ICE Block home five years ago. They drew up plans to build the house because builders who use the technology are still relatively few and far between, meaning pre-existing homes are rare.
But they had trouble locating an affordable lot, and so kept putting off their plans. They were driving around one day last year when they passed an “Open House” sign and decided to check it out. As they walked up, they noticed the sign also said “ICE Block Construction.”
“Ron nearly fell to the ground he was so excited,” Liz Knight says.
The house was built by Hoffmann (who, incidentally, maintains that the technology can be used to design homes that fit the “flavor and feel of a neighborhood”), and the Knights put a contract on it within 45 minutes of walking through the front door.
Though smaller than the home they moved from, making it difficult to do a house-to-house comparison, Ron Knight estimates they’re saving 35-40 percent on their utility bills over a similarly sized frame house.
“We’re very surprised by the utility bills,” he says. “And we’ve probably saved about $900 a year on [homeowner’s] insurance.”
Liz also likes the home’s “stillness.”
“It’s not deadly silent,” she says, “but when you walk into it, you really kind of feel like you’re very much enclosed. And it is so solid — there is absolutely no draft anywhere.”
ICE Block construction is a bit pricier. Hoffmann estimates homes built with the technology sell for about 6-10 percent more than traditional frame construction. But most advocates point out that the difference is evened out by the utility and insurance savings.
All in all, those who’ve embraced the technology say it’s a win-win situation.
“From the standpoint of what they do,” says Ron Knight, “they’re light years ahead of what traditional homes will do.”
