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Description: Exterior concrete wall systems provide Energy StarŪ home builders with a faster, less complicated means of building high performance houses compared to conventional frame assemblies. This Tech Brief (No. 21) is designed in a single page format and written in a non-technical style intended to inform the building industry and consumers about the ways concrete home building technologies can more easily meet the exterior envelope requirements of the US Environmental Protection Agency Energy StarŪ program. The combination of continuous insulation and solid concrete create tighter, better performing exterior wall assemblies with fewer parts and pieces, and less coordination. Sold in packs of 50.
A Thermal By-Pass Checklist must be completed for all homes earning the Energy StarŪ Label. The Checklist identifies required exterior wall details homebuilders must incorporate into the homes, and that third party energy inspectors must review, to make sure the exterior envelope performs efficiently. Properly installed continuous concrete and foam wall systems, such as Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) inherently provide alignment of insulation and air barriers with no gaps, voids or compression. This can provide the homebuilder with a greatly simplified thermal assembly.
Concrete wall systems reduce the more expensive and time consuming challenges and coordination of attempting to obtain compliance with conventionally insulated frame construction. Advances in building science now demonstrate the shortcomings of traditional batt insulated frame construction. To make it work properly, extra steps, care, and time are required, adding significantly to the cost of a home. Concrete wall systems offer homebuilders a faster, simpler approach to building high performance exterior wall construction that meet Energy StarŪ insulation and air barrier installation requirements.
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