Great Green: ICFs Seal this Home for Energy Efficiency

This air-tight home looks like a traditional home but reaches far beyond. Photo: Excalibur Builders It's the construction methods, particularly the use of insulated concrete forms (ICFs), that help make this 4,200-square foot-home in the Foxbury Hills subdivision in Slinger, Wis., a solid example of green.

Excalibur Builders' owner Dave Hamilton says ICF construction not only provides strength but also conserves trees because the structure needs significantly less lumber. In addition, a combination of ICF construction and Icynene insulation used in the home creates an extremely tight building envelope that provides significant HVAC energy savings for the home's owner.

This home also holds a green certificate from the Madison, Wis.-based Green Built Home. That green certification is achieved by earning points in the following categories: setting and land use; landscape; energy efficiency; materials; indoor air quality; plumbing and water conservation; waste reduction; recycling and disposal; builder options; and efficient use of space.