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Think Green: insulating concrete forms save money, better for environment
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by Ronna Sweeney, KUAM News
Monday, May 05, 2008
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With the motto "We're Building A Better World", Pacific PolySteel is featuring new construction technology that's both energy efficient and environmentally responsible. In the hopes of bringing more energy efficient housing to Guam, general manager Donna Dwiggins says by building a home using PolySteel insulating concrete forms, you'll be able to see a reduction of anywhere from 50-75% on your power bill every month.
"Back in the States everybody talks about the 'R' rating for the energy efficiency. Just an example an 'R' value on a typical concrete wall would be about a '7', and that's if you put some insulation and wallboard on the inside. You'd have about an R-7. With this you're going to have an R-30," said Dwiggins.
When building with PolySteel ICFs, Dwiggins says along with saving money on power, you'll also be saving the environment since most of the materials used can be recycled. "It's considered a green building product. We have as you can see the Energy Star rating. The product itself is also made out of some recycled product," she explained.
So you may be saying to yourself, "Sure, it's great for the environment", but just how tough is PolySteel construction. Dwiggins says PolySteel homes built in New Orleans were able to withstand Hurricane Katrina. "We have pictures of the neighborhoods where the only house standing is the PolySteel house, she said. "Everything else is totally devastated. It meets all the typhoon codes on Guam, the wind loads and also the seismic codes for earthquakes."
While Dwiggins admits that currently it's a bit more expensive to build using PolySteel insulated concrete forms, she says homeowners can recoup that cash through having a more energy efficient home as well as by reducing overall construction time. "Our company is really committed to improving the quality of living environments and business environments on Guam. I want this to be something that's accessible not just to the big developers, but to the average person that's going to build a house or build onto a house," she said.
Learn more at PacificPolySteel.com
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