Energy Efficient “Insulated Concrete Forms” (ICF)

Polystyrene foam foundation blocks

I took this funny photo today of one of my concrete guys from Bear Creek Construction. I call him The Warrior.

Energy Efficient, Polystyrene Foundation Blocks

I figured I’d describe the green technique/material they’re using which I use on almost all my custom homes in Bend.

Polystyrene foundation blocks, also called ICF block (Insulated Concrete Forms) are really energy efficient and add lots of insulation value to a home. It’s more expensive than normal concrete foundation walls but is quicker. The foam blocks are 24 inches long, 16 inches tall and hook together like Legos. When used for an entire house, foundation and vertical exterior walls it really gives a solid, well insulated house.

If you’re interested, you can read more about our sustainable practices in our blog post about green building practices.