STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
Forming an opinion
Chris Stride at ICFA discusses why self-builders, particularly those looking to maximise energy efficiency, should consider building with Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF)
I
f you’ve been researching your new build project recently you will notice that the spotlight is currently on the building industry to help tackle the global climate crisis. When you consider that heating and powering buildings currently account for 40 per cent of the UK’s total energy usage, it is easy to see why improving energy performance within the home has become such an important issue.
Responding to the 2019 consultation on Future Homes Standards, the Government has recently proposed changes to Part L (conservation of fuel and power) of the Building Regulations. This will ensure that by 2025 all newly built homes will be zero carbon ready and produce at least 75 per cent fewer carbon emissions than those built to current energy efficient standards.
FABRIC FIRST The new performance standards and measures will look to adopt what is called a ‘Fabric First’ approach. Buildings designed and constructed using this approach aim to maximise the energy efficiency of the building through high- quality insulation to achieve low U-values and increase airtightness.
The upcoming changes in standards issue 02 2021
and specifications can seem a daunting prospect for self-builders but there are solutions on the market, such as Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF), where energy performance is ‘built in.’ Quick to construct with high levels of performance and durability, ICF has been gaining popularity in the UK for some time. The method combines the insulating material of a hollow formwork or block which is then filled with concrete to create a solid, monolithic core that is incredibly energy efficient. The most common ICF systems supplied in the UK are made with either Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) or woodcrete, a recycled wood fibre bonded with cement. The easy-to-handle blocks are stacked, initially to first floor height, and interlock without the need for an intermediate bedding material, such as mortar, before concrete is poured into the cavity. This process continues until full building height is achieved.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT U-VALUES With ICF systems the formwork stays in place providing thermal insulation on both sides of the building envelope. Combined with the strength of the concrete core homeowners can achieve U-values as low as 0.10 W/m2 Of course, achieving the target
.K.
Building with ICF is a proven way of creating an energy
efficient building that is impact and weather resistant, and requires little maintenance
U-values and creating an energy efficient home is not only about the level of insulation used. Solid concrete wall construction of this type also ensures good levels of airtightness – as low as 0.33 m³/hr.m² or 0.18 ACH – and superior thermal bridging performance. This results in even temperatures throughout the structure with reduced draughts and
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