Ultra-insulated homes

New subdivision using innovative building method

By NATE PARDUE
Staff Writer
ROCHESTER — Styrofoam isn’t just for keeping beer cold anymore — it’s now being used to build houses and keep them warm.

Fenton Groen of Groen Builders in Rochester demonstrates how ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms) are stacked together in order to pour walls for houses. (Mark Avery/Staff Photo)

A local contractor is using relatively new technology to build ultra-insulated homes with a combination of concrete and Styrofoam.
Using what is known as "insulated concrete form," or ICF, Fenton Groen begins by stacking interlocking Styrofoam blocks like "glorified Legos," and then filling them with concrete to frame the structure.
Even though the individual blocks can be lifted with ease, Groen said the structures he builds can handle the onslaught of a hurricane or earthquake better than most standard homes.
"This is a house that is virtually indestructible," said Groen during a tour of his latest project, an eight-lot subdivision off of Old Dover Road.
All eight homes on the site, known as Hayes Farm Meadow, will feature the use of insulated concrete forms.
Groen said he is the only general contractor in the area who uses ICF, although the technology has been used in states like Minnesota and Florida for years. The blocks themselves are attached to concrete footings and secured with steel studs.
Once the Styrofoam is in place and the concrete is poured, builders can proceed with installing electric outlets and drywall.
Heavy-duty plastic webbing inside the Styrofoam can be used to hold drywall, siding, "or anything else you want to put on," said Groen.
While a homeowner will typically pay about 10 percent more for ICF homes than for the standard "stick-built house," Groen said the ICF home has almost five times the insulating efficiency as the conventional home. Groen has done 13 other such projects using ICF in the past few years.
The home nearest completion at the Hayes Farm site stands at 3,400 square feet and is on the market for about $400,000.
For added insulation, Groen uses super-insulated doors with each of his homes.
He first learned of the ICF technology in Feb. 2001 at a homebuilders trade show in Atlanta.
In that time, Groen and his team of builders have perfected the craft to the point where they can build a full-scale home in about five months.