Green Building

About Green Building

When it comes to green building, the most important decisions made on a building project concern the shell’s energy efficiency. The primary determinants of efficiency are insulation and air infiltration. In both cases, insulated concrete is vastly superior to stick-built homes.

Which materials used in construction can be harmful to my family? Common building materials like wood adhesives, treated lumber and carpets can off-gas toxic VOCs in the short term, and ultimately can create an environment where moisture can give rise to mold and mildew. Not poured concrete! It off-gases nothing, and never lets allergy-causing fungi to breed. One of the highest R-value (a measure of insulation) walls available today is made using ICFs or ‘Insulated Concrete Forms’. Think of them as giant insulated Legos, filled with poured concrete. Among their advantages over conventional wood-frame construction are low air infiltration, high thermal mass, high strength and fire resistance and good sound-deadening qualities. ICFs have much higher insulating values than traditional wood framing and standard masonry construction. They can be used to form basement walls alone or for an entire wall system, including above-grade walls.