When it comes to what you are looking for in a long term home, you likely have a few things that you would like to be able to check off of your list of needs, preferences, and ideals. Every homeowner is different, so your priority list likely differs from that of your neighbor, friend, or family member. Maybe you would like a big yard or an open concept kitchen or a couple extra bedrooms for guests. Or perhaps you are focused more on the design, thinking about such things as the colors of the walls and the types of lighting fixtures. There are countless things to think about, but it is pretty safe to say that the majority of homeowners would appreciate energy efficient homes.

Insulated concrete building blocks for your high performance home

If you have the privilege of building your home rather than buying one that has had previous residents, the benefits include designing the layout and having a say in the type of structure it will be. Your home construction project will need a lot of planning and you will soon find that you have endless options when it comes to the different ways that you could choose to build your house. But one of the most important factors to consider is the use of green building materials. Green building construction materials and a structure that will function as highly energy efficient will prove to be quite beneficial to you in the long run as a homeowner, but also beneficial to the planet as a whole.

One way to go about making your home as energy efficient as possible is to use insulated concrete form, or ICF building materials. This system has been around for more than six decades, and more and more people are starting to take notice of the benefits to this type of construction.

The benefits of ICF construction

ICF construction and installation is known to result in strong, long lasting buildings. It has been estimated that ICF construction can turn out a building that is six to nine times stronger than a structure built with traditional methods. This type of construction also helps the environment as end blocks are cut to fit, which helps to cut down on the amount of waste that is created. And with a well constructed building using ICF walls, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development states that a homeowner could end up seeing savings of 20% to 25% on their yearly costs for heating and cooling.

Humans are hugely innovative and creative. Why not put all of that to good use by building structures that last, and that help the planet in the process?