ICFs are often used for buildings in areas prone to tornadoes and hurricanes. The forms are made of expanded polystyrene (EPS), a material that has high insulating qualities. The stay-in-place EPS forms are filled with concrete, creating a monolithic structure that forms a complete building envelope. Courtesy of IntegraSpec
On May 4, 2007 95% of the homes in Greensburg, KS were destroyed by a massive EF5 tornado. the city council approved a resolution that all city building projects would be built to LEED Platinum level standards. Courtesy of IntegraSpec
The Greensburg planning board is being encouraged by architects to use ICFs on the majority of the projects for the energy efficiency and high strength. The use of ICFs would allow the new buildings to withstand damage from flying debris due to tornadoes. Courtesy of IntegraSpec
In lab tests, a 2 x 4 stud was propelled at 100 miles per hour at various walls. The wood framed walls failed to stop penetration of the wood stud, while the insulated concrete forms successfully demonstrated the strength to resist impact. Courtesy of IntegraSpec
IntegraSpec, an award winning ICF company, partnered with ACH Foam Technologies to mold the ICFs that were used in Greensburg to rebuild the town. ACH Foam Technologies' manufactured IntegraSpec ICFs at its new state-of-the-art facility in McCarran, Nevada.