Energy Savings

Nudura ICF walls consist of two layers of EPS which provide two continuous barriers of insulation with a combined R-value of 24 (The R-value measures the resistance a material has to heat transfer). The center cavity is filled with concrete, forming a solid monolithic structure from the footings to the roof. From a whole-wall perspective, an ICF wall lives up to the advertised R-values because thermal bridging is absent.

A drafty home is one of the biggest sources of energy loss. It accounts for up to 40% of your heating and cooling bills. In a wood-built house, energy escapes through the framing of the ceiling, walls, and floor.  Wood studs and beams warp, twist, and shrink over time causing gaps to increase in size. With an ICF-built home, you don’t experience the shrinkage that causes drafts and decreased R-value.

A Nudura ICF building is draft-free because its two layers of continuous foam insulation and a solid mass of concrete from the foundation up to the roof prevent air infiltration.

Healthier Living

Conventionally built homes and buildings typically have an indoor air quality 20% more polluted than the air outside( this can be attributed to the building products used that commonly contain formaldehyde, asbestos, fiberglass, or give off a gas that is harmful to humans and pets). Homes built with Nudura’s ICFs that have a properly installed air exchanger offer a superior clean indoor environment - reducing the infiltration of air-born allergens. ICFs do not support the growth of mold, mildew, or other harmful microorganisms. ICF foam is also non-toxic, free of formaldehyde, asbestos, fiberglass, and will not give off any volatile organic compounds.

Nearly 1 in 3 homes have levels of radioactive gas, Radon, that can cause health problems (including cancer).  This gas penetrates the home through the basement - a problem that can be avoided with a properly installed Nudura ICF foundation and walls.

Greater Comfort and Quiet

Cold drafts and excessive outdoor noise are the highest reported benefits of ICF-built homes, even topping the energy-saving benefits. Homes built with Nudura ICFs are proven to keep a level temperature throughout the home, with little to no drafts. The barrier formed by the foam-and-concrete decreases air infiltration by as much as 75% when compared with a typical wood-frame house. The high thermal mass of the concrete also buffers the home's interior from extreme outdoor temperatures, while the continuous layer of foam insulation minimizes temperature fluctuations inside the home by eliminating the cold spots that commonly occur in frame walls along the studs or at gaps in the insulation.

Nudura walls are equally effective at keeping out loud noises. The greater mass of concrete walls can reduce sound penetrating through a wall by more than 80% when compared to wood-built homes. Although some sound will still penetrate the windows, a concrete home is often two-thirds quieter than a wood-frame home. An ICF wall has a sound transmission coefficient of STC  50+.

Pest proof

A common issue with wood-built homes is pests. Pests like termites, carpenter ants, and rodents often eat through the wood - Nudura ICFs and concrete are a much less appealing food source for those pests. Also, because of the continuous barrier of concrete from the basement up to the roof, insects and mice cannot penetrate and live inside the walls. 

Fire Resistant

Insurance companies recognize concrete as being safer than any other form of construction when fire threatens a home because it is naturally fire-resistant. In fire-wall tests, ICF concrete walls withstood continuous exposure to intense flames and temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees F for as long as 4 hours without structural failure, compared with wood-frame walls that collapsed within an hour.

Longevity

Wood buildings rot, decay, suffer from mold and termite infestations, and with time are extremely susceptible to being damaged or destroyed by natural disasters. Nudura ICF walls use concrete which requires little or no maintenance and stands up to most natural disasters including fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes.

Security and Safety

Being on the coast, builders and homeowners have to worry about hurricanes and tornadoes. Nudura ICFs are a superior concrete building material, perfect for coastal regions that are prone to natural disasters. Tests have shown that ICF walls can withstand flying debris from tornadoes and hurricanes with wind speeds of up to 250 mph. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) even recommends ICF construction for building tornado-resistant safe rooms. Nudura walls are bullet-proof, taking the term safe-room to a whole new level - safe-HOME!

Environmental

Energy savings, longevity, and the use of recycled materials help to make ICF construction a more environmentally friendly choice. Nudura uses recycled material and is considered a “Green Building Product.”  Building with Nudura can contribute in numerous categories within the LEED rating system for both commercial and residential construction. A study published by the Portland Cement Association show that over the life span of a house, ICF has a reduced CO2 burden vs. wood-frame construction, by 220,460 lbs.

All-Season Construction

Due to the fact that an ICF form is insulated, cold weather construction is not hampered by the same limitations or special needs of conventional concrete forming. After any concrete wall is poured, there is a curing process that needs to occur. Without adequate curing conditions, the concrete wall weakens and is prone to cracking and even shifting. With Nudura ICF, you can say goodbye to seasonal construction and hello to all-season construction.