Styrostones (stones made of Styrofoam (EPS) or better: Neopor)
or
PIF (Permanent Insulating Formwork)
or
ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms)
EPS is expanded polystyrene, commonly known as styrofoam as in styrofoam cup
Many people are now becoming more and more aware of this construction system being used to build super energy efficient buildings, passive, active or intelligent houses. However when first looking into the viability of using this method as their preferred construction route , people are often deterred by the minefield of information that they are faced with.
If an architect they are using is unfamiliar with this type of system,the architect may try to persuade the client to go for a more conventional system. This site explores the reasons why , what, where, who and which system to use.
Hopefully everything will become clear to the researcher. As a virgin to ICF/PIF/StyroStones this site should provide all the answers
This type of construction system consists of an internal and external sleeve
of Styrofoam or Neopor linked together by ties to form a building block. more
Concrete exists for more than 2000 years.
It is the material used to form the mass core of the resulting wall and can withstand floodings, earthquakes and tornados
better than all other material. more
Concrete is one of the most robust construction materials however it may require
reinforcement
more
Safety and local authority building control regulations will dictate that you must have a
structural calculations for your home, whatever the construction material. What's special about this system?
more
Depending on the design there a load bearing and non load
bearing walls in your house. How do this material fit for those internal walls? more
Radius walls and arcs can be a very appealing visual architectural feature.
Easy to form with a handsaw
more
You want as much light as possible? Windows have a
physical limit to insulation. The best r-value is only appr. 2 more
If normal rendering is not the choice for your home:
There are a number of options available to give your home a traditional brickwork or stone work facade more
A superior architectural design pays considerable attention to the facade.
What rendering
can be applied to ICF/PIF/Styrostone and how is it applied?
How to timber clad a facade? more
The insulation of the whole shell begins with the foundation.
Using XPS-boards
the integration of a floor heating is easy to install. more
Your mortgage advisor will quote a figure of £100K, £200K or £5000K as affordable.
THIS IS WRONG! because this is not all you will probably be financing!
The cost is your monthly mortgage, maintenance and heating!
more
Insulating the walls of a building but not insulating the roof makes no sense at all. Whether it is a flat, pitched or
hipped roof, the insulation should be at least the same as the walls. This is how it can be achieved. more
Thermally insulated walls will not suffice to save energy. To achieve
high insulation levels one needs to ensure your home is air tight more
Is ventilation a necessity or simply an added comfort to an energy efficient
home?
more
Central vacuum cleaners are the best and healthiest way to clean and maintain a house.
Solutions to install central vacuum cleaners more
Being able to control your home from anywhere is very convenient
and may even help you to save energy.
more
(EPCs) are part of the HIPs (Home Informations Packs) from
August 2007 and needed to determine the A to G Scale for each building. How is the rating for buildings with
ICF/PIF/Styrostones?
more
You need to think about the best methods to protect your valuables without too much fuss. Good planning and installing a wall deposit box is a very economic way of doing that. more
EPS is Expanded PolyStyrene
XPS is eXtruded PolyStyrene
Neopor
you don't need to understand the chemical formula, you need to know, what's important.
more
This is probably the fastest way to set up the shell for a massive and solid house
construction, energy efficient and smart
more
A typical stone weighs approx. 1kg. It really is child's play to build using this
system.
Just like Lego.
more ICF on this web-site refers to Insulated Concrete Forms, also known as PIF Permanent Insulating Formwork or Styrostones only
If you google ICF, a lot of different hits come up, such as:
International Coach Federation
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health
International Christian Fellowship
International Canoe Federation.
These are valid hits, but have got nothing to do with construction.