Home owners   Builders   Designers   The ECO-Block ICF system combines the tremendous strength of steel-reinforced concrete with the insulating properties of expanded polystyrene to produce one of the most revolutionary building systems in home construction today. There is no limit to what can be built with the ECO-Block system. Standard single story, two story, multi-story, even curved walls can be achieved! Any conventional interior or exterior wall covering can be accommodated. ECO-Block advantages include: Cost The cost to build your ECO-Block home will be comparable to that of other structures but with the additional numerous benefits: Heating and Cooling - The minute you move into your ECO-Block home, you begin saving money. That's because ECO-Block walls are airtight and have an R-3.5 insulation value. A house using conventional construction materials would have to be insulated to a value of R-8.5 achieve similar benefits and savings. Savings of 50% (or more) on heating and cooling costs are possible. Resale Value - All the features integrated into an ECO-Block home will add value when it comes time to sell. . Energy efficient Insulated concrete forms combine close celled expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation with the terrific performance of concrete's thermal mass to give you 30-50% savings in your heating and air conditioning costs. Obviously nothing blows through reinforced concrete. Covered EPS does not settle or deteriorate. What does all this mean to you? Significant, consistent long-term savings and exceptional comfort. Resistant to bugs There is absolutely no food value for termites in an ICF wall. For every one-degree we raise the earth's temperature we double the insect population. With global warming its time to be concerned about keeping the bugs outside and consequently protecting your investment and piece of mind. Solid concrete Nothing blows through concrete. Outside winds do not effect inside comfort. Gone are those uncomfortable winter drafts and huge areas of heat loss or gain from electrical boxes. ICF structures built from footing to rafter typically have their floor joists hung by engineered systems so that you have a full height reinforced insulated concrete wall. Huge savings in heat loss are now possible by eliminating drafts that are typically found where conventional floor joists rest on foundation walls. Sound-resistant Concrete filled insulated concrete forms provide exceptional sound attenuation. ICF walls virtually make outside noise inaudible inside. From partition walls in senior complexes, to churches, to commercial structures in high traffic areas. Aircraft, train, vehicular and severe weather noises stay outside. Silence is truly golden with ICF. Superior insulation Expanded polystyrene is the premium insulation choice for your long-term comfort. You have no air borne glass fibres to breath as well as no insulation settlement to be concerned about. With ICF high fluctuations in room temperatures will become a thing of the past and consequently you and your family will experience overall comfort like never before. Fire-resistant Walls built with Insulating Concrete Forms have a three-hour plus fire rating. We use only approved raw material bead with flame-retardant agents. Since our walls are constructed with reinforced concrete it is easy to compliment them with concrete steel floor and roof systems making your structure extremely fire proof. "When seconds count", you and your family will be glad you chose ICF. Resistant to storms and high winds Protect your investment, protect your family and protect yourself. Build with ICF. Environmentally friendly One ICF home saves at least ten trees, which absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) and give us oxygen. If you can reduce your energy consumption by 30 -40% you can reduce your emissions by the same amount. Think about it. The world's most prevalent building materials are sand and gravel. ICF walls greatly reduce landfill, which generates methane. ECO-Block has the leading ICF technology as the result of the company’s research and development. The ECO-Block system is modular, with one standard size EPS side panel being used for concrete wall thickness's of 4, 6 or 8 inches (102 mm, 152 mm, or 203 mm). This saves in manufacturing costs -- both in cost of the EPS mould, and in the manufacturing cycle time (fifty-percent improvement in efficiency). It also saves in transportation costs, as the EPS side panels are shipped stacked on top of each other with almost no "dead air space" during transport. The fact that the ECO-Block ICF has sidewalls made of expanded polystyrene allows builders to pour concrete in extreme weather conditions of heat or cold… dry, arid climates or wet, rainy climates. The EPS provides an insulated environment in which the concrete "wet cures," allowing the concrete to reach maximum strength. After the concrete sets, the EPS insulation is easily cut to allow concealed placement of plumbing and electrical lines. Any standard exterior or interior finish can be applied to the EPS…from panel and lap siding, to brick, stone or stucco. The special alignment features of the associated bracing system ensure a true and smooth wall finish. Only basic hand tools are needed to position and secure the lightweight blocks. The high-density webs, integral to ECO-Block forms, provide furring strips for any standard wall-finishing product. The high-density plastic webs are also recessed ¼ inch providing a uniform exterior surface of EPS on which cement based stucco can be applied. Having such a uniform surface gives the stucco superior adhesion and crack resistance. Radius walls and angled walls (other than 90 degrees) can also be constructed with ease using simple mitering techniques. Advantages of building with ECO-Block include: Versatility of the ECO-Block System Using a combination of the various size ECO-Block dimensions, multi-story buildings can be completed with ease. Using one side panel, tilt-up walls can be constructed that have insulation and furring on one side with no additional work   picture       Footings up to 600 mm can easily be constructed on site. ICFs are light, requiring less effort to lift and carry. Crews maintain their strength throughout the day and go home less tired. ICFs are easy to cut, shape and make unconventional wall shapes manageabl Labour savings An experienced ICF crew can often complete the foundation and/or walls of a typical home in a matter of days, rather than the weeks it might take conventional framers. In addition, it only takes one crew to do the foundation, above-grade exterior walls, and framing of interior walls and roof. This reduces the coordination involved and miscues between crews, and ramps up the structure's quality. Satisfaction of building better Many builders that realize the value of ICFs refuse to build with any other material. They want the satisfaction of knowing that they are doing their part in building the absolute best structure for their customers. Further advantages include Professional Installers of ECO-Block are available in many areas across the country.  No surface prep needed to apply interior and exterior finishes. Easy installation of utilities. Prefab corners that cut construction time. Easily maintained, clean, quiet job sites. Lightweight forms reduce risk of worker injuries. Wall thickness's from 100 mm to 600 mm ECO-Block offers designers unparalleled flexibility when it comes to design a residential or commercial building. Some of the advantages to designers when designing using ICFs include Design Flexibility ICFs are extremely flexible in design. Curved, square, plumb and straight walls are all easily obtainable. Exterior and interior coverings are easily attached to the ICF wall system, dramatically improving structures' appearances. ICFs have superior engineered spanning capabilities, making them ideal for long insulated window and door lintels, as well as for poor grade beam applications. High Performance Sustainable development has become a current architectural responsibility. ICF structures have fantastic energy performance and consequent emission reductions. Engineers have professional obligations to approve engineered systems that protect human life. With international building codes being ramped up due to severe weather loadings, ICF are the responsible answer. With R3.5 plus, 3-hour-plus fire and 50-plus STC ratings, it's no wonder professionals are choosing high-performing ICF wall systems. Construction Versatility ICF polypropylene webs allow for accurate placement for reinforcing bars so that steel stays properly located before and after concrete pours. ICFs have the highest form capacity strength in the industry. Pours go smoothly without undue risk of wall failure and possible worker injury. ICFs are simple to cut for a variety of difference openings from simple to intricate architectural building designs, including tall gable ends. Green Building Our world's number one environmental challenge is to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) we are releasing into our atmosphere. The earth's relatively sudden warming and consequent grave effects on our weather are directly related to these carbon dioxide emissions. One ICF home saves at least 10-plus tress. Trees absorb CO2 and give us oxygen. Deforestation worldwide adds 1 to 2 billion metric tons of carbon to the atmosphere each year! 40% reduction in energy consumption = 40% reduction in emissions. ICFs generate less than 1% construction waste, which generates methane. One ton of methane generates 20 tons of carbon. ICFs generate over 50% less construction waste than other competing ICF. Small 2-inch form segments can be reused elsewhere in the wall system. Sustainable homes Eco block is fast becaming  known for its qualitiy and longer lasting homes . The qualitiy of concrete homes has been around for many genarations and will here in many more.