Reply to How come more new builds don't use all concrete?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]concrete walls have an r value of around .1 per inch, so basically a thermal conductive highway. [/quote]

What are you talking about? You think that is the only calculation for efficiency?

[/quote]

"What am I talking about?" I'm talking about putting in a concrete wall for a single or two story house that has a wide profile for the wall assembly with almost no insulating value. So then you have to add significant width with a framed wall and insulation on the interior, or layers of XPS, EPS, or polyiso on the exterior. What is the point of that significant inefficient wall assembly with an enormous carbon footprint?[/quote]

You aren't comparing apples to apples or considering the whole picture.  You can't compare 1" of concrete to 3/4" sheathing.  We have 4" and 6" prestressed concrete walls.  And then we have continuous insulation behind thermally broken metals studs.  So the efficiency is better than sheathing with studs and insulation between the studs.  Not to mention the continuity of concrete vs the seams/joints of a stick built house.
As far as the carbon footprint, our 11k sf house was, foundation set, "framed" (walls, interior perimeter and 40% of interior walls studded & insulated, 3 floors ready "framed" for wood flooring), exterior finish complete, roof sheathed in 3 days.  And completely enclosed in 7 days.   
Think about all of the labor, equipment, deliveries going to and from a traditional stick built site to accomplish that over weeks or months.

Plus there is a lot more room for efficiency error in a traditional stick built house.   [/quote]

I don't want anyone with an 11K SF house lecturing me about efficiency or sustainability!

Listen, I'm happy that you're happy with your house. But if you're coming here expecting affirmation for being eco-conscious, economical and just generally smart for building your concrete house, you've come to the wrong place. And while you've clearly absorbed all of the marketing information from the ICf people, your ignorance of building science and construction in general is kind of painful.

You apparently don't know that the IRC -- the International Residential Code, the building code in effect in DC and environs -- now requires continuous insultation on a wood-framed house. That's code-minimum -- the worst house you can legally build. You still haven't told us what the R-value of your miracle house is, but no matter what it is I'm sure there are wood-framed houses being built that would put it to shame. Google "Pretty Good House" for examples. It's probably not that much more -- if anything -- than code minimum.

If speed of assembly is important to you, check out panelized or modular construction. There's an outfit in Baltimore called Blueprint Robotics that builds custom houses as big as yours in a CNC factory, then ships them in pieces for on-site assembly. They stand up a house as big as yours in one day. With continuous insulation and air sealing all around.

Again, if you really want to get the lowdown, go to a site that specializes in building science. I recommend GreenBuildingAdvisor.com. They'll set you straight. [/quote]

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