ICFs are much more energy efficient than standard construction materials. Tech Block has an ASTM-tested thermal resistance rating of approximately R-47.5, which is more than 2.5 times the insulation rating required by most state code requirements. Studies have shown that a building constructed with ICFs will cost an average of 44% less to heat and 32% less to cool than a comparable stick frame building. Depending on local climate conditions, annual energy savings on a 3,000 square foot home range from $240 in a warm climate to nearly $500 in the northern states of the US.
Tech Block provides up to 20 or more points towards LEED accreditation.
As energy costs have skyrocketed in the past 5 years, the demand for energy-efficient building materials has increased sharply. These demands have been institutionalized in the rise of interest in LEED certified buildings in both the commercial and residential sectors, and more and more local and State governments are setting mandates for new buildings in terms of their energy-efficiency ratings.