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Question

If you were to build a new home, would you use SIPs (structurally insulated panels) or ICFs (insulated concrete forms) in construction of the exterior walls?– Jay, New Paltz, N.Y.

Answer

From Batya Metalitz, U.S. Green Building Council, Residential Program Coordinator.

One way to reduce the carbon footprint of your home during construction is to use efficient framing materials in order to minimize the amount of excess materials wasted during construction. Several possible strategies for reducing framing material use are explained in the LEED for Homes Rating System under Materials & Resources Credit 1: Material Efficient Framing. Prefabricated framing is one strategy employed to save on building materials and to ensure a level of consistency in the dimensions of each wall. Several points are available for structurally insulated panels (SIPs) and other prefabricated framing techniques. LEED for Homes, created by a consensus-based process with input from U.S. Green Building Council members from throughout the building industry, does not award points for material-efficient framing for insulated concrete forms (ICFs) because of their higher level of embodied energy. However, SIPs, ICFs and other prefabricated framing techniques can improve a home’s rating in the Energy and Atmosphere section of the rating system, leading to additional points in this section.