Affiliate’s Earth-friendly home is expected to lower heating and cooling costs

Upon a suggestion from her brother Paul, FSPA affiliate Peg Schumacher used insulating concrete forms to build an Earth-friendly home in Appleton, Wis. Insulating concrete forms are hollow, expanded polystyrene foam blocks that are stacked into the shape of the exterior walls of a building, reinforced with steel rebar, and then filled with concrete. Peg used BuildBlock insulating concrete forms which, with the enormous reduction in energy use, save both natural resources and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. According to buildblock.com, “BuildBlock forms contain no hydrochlorofluorocarbon, formaldehyde, asbestos or fiberglass, and no harmful chlorofluorocarbons are used in their manufacture. BuildBlock forms create a monolithic concrete wall that is 10 times stronger than a wood-frame wall.”

The home was built on Peg’s property adjacent to her house. Paul and his wife will live in the home and they expect to save at least 60 percent on heating and cooling costs. Peg welcomes anyone to contact her with questions about building with insulating concrete forms.