Here I am listing several unique and innovative products or services in the green building industry that may not be very well know to most builders and consumers. I also have several ICF specific products listed. If you know of any I haven't listed that you believe are worthy of inclusion on this list, please e-mail me to let me know of them! Any wall finish you desire can be used with ICF walls; including: Siding, Brick, Stone, Stucco, etc. Siding, including vinyl, aluminum, fiber cement, board and batten, and steel are screwed or nailed directly to the studs of the ICF. I highly recommend the use of an air nailer if you choose to use nails. Ring shank nails are nice, but not necessary. If you decide to use screws, make certian to use coarse thread screws. Real cedar shakes cannot be fastened directly to the wall, as the vertical studs are only every 6" to 12", depending upon the form chosen. In this case, I recommend either using the fiber cement or vinyl shakes, or if you must use the real thing, then fasten some horizontal strips of cedar to the wall at the necessary elevations before installing the shakes. Real brick and stone are constructed normally on a brickledge formed into the wall. "Lick and stick" stone is installed by fastening the steel mesh directly to the studs with no preparation to the wall needed. There is nothing that can rot behind it. Wall coatings such as stucco or EIFS/TAFS are placed directly over the foam. It is not necessary to add sheets of foam over the wall as it is for framed construction; reducing the cost of these systems relative to framed walls. Below I have listed a few of the different exterior finish systems I have found. Some of these systems can very convincingly duplicate the look of stone, brick, limestone, etc. Flex-C-Ment is a stampable vertical overlay to duplicate the look of stone, brick, log, etc. Fossilcrete is a stampable vertical overlay which can be molded into whatever your imagination desires. Gigacrete Can be put over the ICF without drywall for interior applications. Marbelite Is a high-strength cement/polymer blend for application over ICF forms. ORO coatings is a Textured Acrylic Finish System specifically designed for ICF's. What makes them unique is their claim that their coating can be applied over multiple substrates without cracking. For instance, the same coating can transition from the EPS foam of the wall to the vinyl or wood of a window buck. This important detail could save a lot of effort. Permacrete Claims to be the strongest (9000 psi) coating available for ICF's. Sto Ex is a Textured Acrylic Finish System (TAFS). When not over an ICF, it's called an EIFS. More information Please understand that I have not and cannot personally review and wholeheartedly endorse all of these links, but a cursory review of them piqued my interest! The following links are listed in alphabetical order. Dawn Solar is a solar hot water system that install beneath exterior wall coverings or beneath roofing. This makes a product which some consider to be an eyesore; invisible. It may also help those who want a solar hot water system but find themselves building in associations or communities with bylaws against them! ICFA has a (non comprehensive) database of ICF homes constructed by its members. This information is accessible for potential homebuyers to learn the details of the ICF home they are considering purchasing, including what form system is used, who installed the ICF's, what type of windows are installed, and many other construction details. This information is also helpful to obtain a lower insurance rate. Freewatt is a "furnace" that also produces electricity. It appears to be an excellent idea! Friends of water Products and information to filter and save water in our environment, health, home and garden. Listed Green is a website that lists independantly verified green homes for sale. It is an MLS of green homes. This is the place to go to buy or sell your green home. They are clear from the beginning that not just anybody who says they have a green home can list on their site. Each submission is reviewed and verified before it is allowed on the list. Green Homes for Sale is another website that carries listings of green homes. Zero Footprint Energy's website claims to offer a free upgrade to geothermal heating and cooling for homeowners and builders. It sounds like they have received a large grant to reduce the use of fossil fuels. They say that they will pay the difference of cost between the geothermal system and a conventional heat source. It sound too good to be true, but it's probably worth investigating. If anyone has looked into this further than I have, I would greatly appreciate your comments on it! |
