Reduce overall energy consumption and lower EUI (Energy Use Intensity) by building High-Performance Schools.
BuildBlock Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) help achieve high performance by offering a tight building envelope with greater insulation, less air infiltration, and create a better learning environment for students by improving comfort and eliminating outside distractions.
Build High Performance Schools in your district!
Reduce overall energy consumption and lower EUI (Energy Use Intensity) by building a High Performance School.
BuildBlock’s High-Performance ICF School Design webinar discusses the cost-effectiveness of building high-performance and net zero schools as well as strategies on how to achieve it using ICFs.
BuildBlock Webinar: High-Performance ICF School Design
What is a High-Performance Building?
A High-Performance Building uses active strategies to reduce overall energy consumption, while often employing technology to produce energy onsite to offset consumption.
What are tangible benefits to High-Performance Buildings?
School facilities that are built to be high-performance offer great benefits for learning and help improve school budgets.
Students need buildings that are welcoming and offer a positive impact on student psychology. School buildings need to function for current needs but also have adaptability for future needs. In addition, districts benefit from buildings that require less time and money to maintain, high-performance buildings keep maintenance minimal while having a smaller operational cost which allows budgets to focus more on student and teacher needs.
The Benefits of Using BuildBlock ICF Construction
Energy-Efficient
ICFs use dense EPS foam insulation around a solid structural concrete wall. This dense insulation, combined with concrete’s reluctance to change temperature means the interior of your home or building is stable not wasting energy combating the extremes outside.
Comfort
ICF walls are stable and resist the rapidly changing environment outside. They’re air tight preventing drafts and protect you from heat and cold, noise, pollution, and mother nature herself.
This keeps what’s outside where it belongs, leaving you comfortable, quiet and secure no matter the threat.
Quietness
In every-day life noisy neighbors, busy streets, trains, planes, and other annoyances stop at the walls leaving you in peace.
ICFs have an STC rating of 54 which means shouting and other disturbances outside the walls cannot be heard.
Disaster Resilience
The core of ICF walls is reinforced concrete. This provides extremely strong walls to support almost any concept or design and will withstand more than 200mph winds, impacts from debris, and other challenges life may throw at your home.
Life Safety & Security
BuildBlock ICF walls are strong and solid. They will withstand more than 200mph winds by default and can be made even stronger.
Strong reinforced concrete delivers safety in high-seismic zones, in coastal areas, performs well in flood prone areas, provides a 4-hour fire rating, and creates a home that is resilient most anything mother nature can think of.
Solid Strong Walls
ICF walls are solid structural air-tight reinforced concrete. They are all poured at once and as one solid piece and resist all the challenges Mother Nature has to offer.
Combined with the EPS foam insulation and the embedded insulated plastic studs this structure will stay strong and secure for more than a lifetime.
Green Construction & Low Waste
ICFs are a green product. Not only on the energy-efficiency and disaster resilience, but in manufacturing too.
EPS bead is expanded using steam in special molds to create the different shapes and sizes of ICF blocks.
When installed, filled with concrete and finished inside and out the EPS foam will not degrade or decay. It doesn’t compact or lose its insulation value and will keep insulating for hundreds of years.
Lowest Waste Product
BuildBlock ICFs especially are designed with a 1″ repeating interlock pattern, so during the ICF construction, the least waste possible is created. It also makes it easier to recycle any scrap.
Any portion of BuildBlock ICFs with at least 1 web, can be filled in to a part of another wall, further reducing waste.
Healthier Home / Less Dirt & Dust
Dust, dirt, pollen, etc. all filter in through conventionally built homes; it’s just their nature.
ICF walls are air tight keeping dust, dirt, allergens, and more outside where they belong.
Air Tight Walls
ICF homes don’t suffer from drafts and cold spots. that keeps heating & cooling inside where you want it.
Just one more way to keep you and your utility bills comfortable.
Learn more about how BuildBlock ICFs are used for schools
Perkins Safe Room - Part 1
Educare a day care and after school program in the rural community of Perkins, OK doesn’t have a safe room. BuildBlock gets involved along with local businesses to help them build a safe place for their students and staff.
See ICFs in action & learn more about building with icfs!
Perkins Safe Room - Part 2
The Educare safe room is coming along. Jay Ladwig, of Ladwig Construction, a BuildBlock Distributor and project lead discussed the design of the shelter which will also be used year-round as a multimedia room for students and staff.
Hilldale Elementary School Safe Room
Hilldale Elementary School is building an 11-classroom safe room addition to provide additional classroom space and protect all of its students, teachers and staff during severe weather or a tornado.