What are Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs)?

Insulating concrete forms are an innovative forming system for concrete walls and foundations. They are the building blocks of a wall system that combine multiple steps of conventional masonry or timber frame construction, saving time and money in the construction process and yielding a building envelope that provides high energy efficiency and ongoing savings through reduced operating costs. Insulating concrete forms, also known as insulated concrete forms or ICFs are made up of two panels of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam insulation that provide the high insulation value for the wall assembly. The panels are held together by plastic or steel ties with a hollow core between the EPS panels into which the concrete is placed. The wall or foundation is built by stacking the forms, which interlock together, to the desired wall height and concrete is then placed in the core. The ICF wall assembly provides the insulation, the concrete forming system, the air, vapor and sound barriers and have attachment strips for interior and exterior finishes, eliminating the need, cost and time to add additional framing, air, vapor or sound barriers.

Why Build with ARXX Insulating Concrete Forms?

Building with ARXX insulating concrete forms is a better way to build as it provides a structurally tough building envelope, with limitless design possibilities, saves time and money in the construction process and most importantly saves the use and cost of energy to heat and cool the structure. On a square foot basis, residential dwellings represent the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions on the planet, over 39% of which comes from the energy consumption to operate the house. Institutional, commercial and industrial buildings in the United States of America alone account for 67% of electricity and 38% of carbon dioxide emissions. Regardless of whether the energy to heat and cool buildings is generated through environmentally sustainable methods such as solar power or wind, or conventional methods of power generation are used, the structure cannot be energy-efficient and environmentally responsible if the building envelope allows unwanted air infiltration and exfiltration. Building with ARXX insulating concrete forms is one of the best ways to optimize energy efficiency. The energy effectiveness of an ARXX wall is attributable to having a continuous thermal envelope on the interior and exterior of the wall, reduced air infiltration, requiring air to be constantly heated or cooled and thermal mass moderation, which reduces and delays peak loads so internal temperatures do not vary with external temperatures in the same order of magnitude or at the same time. This reduces how much energy is required to heat or cool a structure. In fact, homes built with ICFs generally require 44% less energy to heat and 32% less energy to cool.

Headquartered in Cobourg, Ontario, ARXX Corporation has a rich Canadian heritage that is reflected in the quality the ICF product lines we provide across Canada through major building materials dealers.

To learn more about ARXX insulated concrete forms and how we can help you on your next building project, contact us at 1 800 293 3210 or email us at info@arxx.com.