REAP the Rewards with Guaranteed Energy Savings
September 15th, 2009 | Marketing
Reward Energy Analysis Program
Program Overview:
Reward Wall Systems will give you a promotional code to give EnergyWise. They will perform an energy analysis at half the normal price on the home you will build, and will GUARANTEE you an energy savings (of heating and cooling costs) of 50-70% versus a conventional stick built home. Just purchase the Energy Analysis from EnergyWise to get started and Reward Wall Systems will reimburse you for the out-of-pocket cost of the analysis upon delivery and payment of Reward Wall Systems forms to your home construction site. EnergyWise will issue and manage the energy guarantee. See energywisestructures.com for details and more information.
FAQ
Why should I do this?
This program is set up to give you information on saving energy and money, and is 100% guaranteed by EnergyWise, if program details are followed. This is virtually risk-free, as you can reduce your carbon footprint at no cost to you!
Is this just for residential building?
Yes this is only for residential single family homes using Reward ICF’s
How much will it cost up front?
It will depend on the size of the home plan, but remember you will only pay 50% of the cost up front, and Reward will reimburse the cost to you if the Reward Energy Analysis Program rules are followed. Listed below is the estimated pricing breakdowns for new houses:
| Square Footage | Normal Cost | Up Front Cost with Reward Discount * | End Cost after Reward Reimbursement** |
|---|---|---|---|
| up to 2,999 | $600 | $300 | $0 |
| 3,000 – 4,999 | $800 | $400 | $0 |
| 5,000 – 6,999 | $1000 | $500 | $0 |
| Every 2,000 after | $200 additional | $100 additional | $0 |
*Please contact EnergyWise for final pricing
**Order must be placed, delivered and payment received
How do I let EnergyWise know I get the 50% discount?
You will need to call Reward Wall Systems and we will give you an exclusive code to give to EnergyWise. By doing so they will knock 50% off the initial fee and that code usage will entitle you to full reimbursement upon placed order and payment
When will I be reimbursed?
Reward will issue a refund or a credit to your account upon delivery and payment of Reward forms to your jobsite, in the full amount paid to EnergyWise
Who administers the guarantee?
EnergyWise will issue and manage all guarantees based on their program rules.
I want 50-70% Guaranteed energy savings where do I start?
Call into Reward Wall Systems at 1-800-468-6344 to receive your promo code to get started!
Who Is EnergyWise?
In Summary EnergyWise has developed the MOST comprehensive, easy-to-understand construction plan review and modification program available anywhere. Their proprietary software was derived from the experience of NASA thermal consultants on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs. This unique tool allows them to create a detailed energy analysis report from each building plan they review. The report accurately projects the heating and cooling consumption, comparative savings, and the optimal heating and cooling system sizing for your unique home or building. Best of all, the energy usage calculations and incredible energy savings are GUARANTEED in writing!
Check them out at www.energywisestructures.com to see their program, their guarantee in writing and more information on their company.The Guaranteed energy savings is based on savings of heating and cooling costs only, which accounts for over 60% of a home’s entire energy use.
Thermal Imaging of Insulated Concrete Forms
September 8th, 2009 | From the Field
It’s one thing to say that a house built with insulating concrete forms (ICFs) is energy efficient, but it’s quite another to be able to visually prove it.
Thermal imaging is a type of infrared imaging science. Thermographic cameras detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (roughly 900–14,000 nanometers or 0.9–14 μm) and produce images of that radiation. Since all objects emit infrared radiation based on their temperatures, thermography makes it possible to “see” one’s environment with or without visible illumination. The amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature, and thermography allows one to see these temperature variations (hence the name). When viewed by a thermographic camera, the presence of heat stands out against cooler backgrounds, day or night.
A reference point, ’R’, is a temperature point on the building determined by the thermal imaging that is considered normal at the given time and conditions the image was taken. Based on the laws of physics (heat loss/flow), the reference point is then assigned a color. The change in temperature and color from the reference point indicates a thermal loss. A thermal loss of < 2° is acceptable. A thermal loss greater than 2° is unacceptable and shows some anomaly causing excess thermal loss.
Thermal Imaging of ICF vs “Stick Built” in same neighborhood.
The photos of the two houses above were taken in the same neighborhood within minutes of each other. The house on the left is wood framed, while the house on the right has exterior walls constructed with Reward ICFs. The ICF house shows less than < 2° temperature change. This indicates little to no heat loss. The yellow, orange and red colors indicate heat loss at >10° and up to 20° temperature change.
Thermographic photography provides us with visible thermal information, thus allowing us to identify distinguishing heat patterns. These heat patterns can then be measured to reveal building, equipment or environmental flaws (i.e. heat loss through the roof or windows). Ultimately, these thermal images show that an ICF structure delivers a significantly tighter enclosure than that of its wood framed counterpart.
The two photos below show the heating and cooling cost differences that can be directly attributed to the heat loss. The following pictures are merely a visual representation of heat loss. This is not scientific data
Further Thermal Imaging Comparison
| Stick Built Conventional Home | ICF Constructed Home |
|---|---|
| Shows heat loss through exterior walls | Shows NO heat loss through exterior walls |
| 800 sq ft ranch = Average heat bill $200 a month | 3,500 sq ft 2-story = Average heat bill $80 a month |
Even though the homes above are located in the same climactic region, the Reward built home (on the right), which is more than 4x bigger than the wood framed home (on the left), spends 60% less on an average heating bill.
“I have not seen any house that compares with the Reward ICF house for being thermally efficient as this one. Even the roof vents were cold when all other houses that we have inspected the roof vents were releasing heat from the attic, the ones on the ICF house were not.” ThermaScan Solutions photographer, Bryan Dring.
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
LEED v3: Regional Priority and ICF
August 25th, 2009 | Lets Get Technical!
Regional Priority: This LEED topic addresses construction waste and utilization of regional materials. The additional impact that the Reward ICF product may make regarding regional credits will vary depending on where the project is being built. The location of the project with respect to the location of where the Reward product is manufactured must be determined.
| Credit | Title | NC | Schools | CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRc2(75%) | Material and Resources: Recycle and/or Salvage 75% Construction Debris | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| MRc5(20%) | Material and Resources: Use 20% Regional Materials | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Keys to remember with Reward Insulating Concrete Forms
You can recycle EPS foam. I’ll say it again….You can recycle EPS foam! If there is any job site waste (which there should be minimal, if any, if installed correctly) there is an EPS recycling place in all 50 states.
www.epspackaging.org/info.html
For Thursday: LEED v3 Summary. One Chart. One source for a summary.
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
LEED v3: Innovation and Design with ICFs
August 20th, 2009 | Lets Get Technical!
Innovation & Design Process (ID): This LEED topic covers credits available for innovation and exceptional performance above and beyond the requirements of the program.
| Credit | Title | NC | Schools | CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ID Credit 1 | Innovation in Design | 1-5 | 1-4 | 1-5 |
Areas where the Reward walls can contribute to Innovation in Design credit include:
- Long life cycle of concrete structures
- Enhanced mold growth control
- Use of fly ash, silica fume or slag cement as a substitute for cement in the concrete mix
This is an area that will push architects and designers to a new level. Is the building designed to maximize the life cycles? Is it designed to utilize the benefits of the ICFs? ICFs are the easy part. They offer the versatility needed to do anything you want them to do. Form shapes of walls to thicknesses to accommodating different mixes and substitutes for cement.
Reward is doing the best to give designers and architects the tools they need to design with innovation in mind. We have had recent product releases of the 17 inch iForm, the NoricF4 Custom Metal ICF Frames, and publishing our ICF products as Revit objects, ready for download as BIM objects. These are things in addition to our comprehensive product manual, and on-site training to make sure the structure is designed to the specifications demanded by the owner.
All of these things can help you contribute to this LEED topic.
For Tuesday: LEED v3 Regional Materials, get bonus points for this topic.
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
LEED v3: ICFs and Materials & Resources
August 13th, 2009 | Lets Get Technical!
Materials and Resources (MR): This LEED topic covers recycling building materials, and reducing construction waste and using regional materials within a 500 mile radius.
| Credit | Title | NC | Schools | CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MR Credit 2 | Construction Waste Management | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| MR Credit 4 | Recycled Content | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| MR Credit 5 | Regional Materials | 1-2 | 1-2 | 1-2 |
Under the credit Construction Waste Management, Reward’s ICF product is designed so that the form reduces waste during construction. The amount of waste that is produced is often possible to recycle as the expanded polystyrene foam and the plastic ties along with the concrete and rebar are recyclable materials. Any waste that is generated is 100% recyclable. See website below for a list of all EPS recycling facilities for every state.
www.epspackaging.org/info.html
Reward’s insulating concrete form products contain recycled content and can contribute to the Recycled Content credit. The Reward plastic tie inserts are manufactured from 100% pre-consumer recycled first generation polypropylene plastic. One half (50%) of the calculated pre-consumer amount is included in the total value of recycled content for a project. The calculations and amount of recycled content that the iForm contributes is shown below.
For example, the 11” iForm tie weight is 188 grams
- 100%, (188 grams) is pre-consumer recycled content
- 1.5 ties per square foot
- 282 grams per square foot recycled content
- Foam Weight: 288 grams/square foot
- Total System: 570 grams/square foot
- Cost of System: $3.18/square foot
- Value of Recycled Content per Square Foot (282/570)($3.18)(50%) = 0.79
- % of product value recycled content $0.79/$3.18
Recycled Content of Reward Forms
| Form | Tie weight/sq ft | Foam weight/sq ft | Total Form weight/sq ft | Cost/sq ft | Value of recycled content/sq ft | % of product value recycled content |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9″ iForm | 272g | 287.6g | 560g | $3.12 | $0.76 | 24% |
| 11″ iForm | 282g | 287.6g | 570g | $3.18 | $0.79 | 25% |
| 13″ iForm | 292g | 287.6g | 580g | $3.25 | $0.82 | 25% |
| 15″ iForm | 303g | 287.6g | 591g | $3.44 | $0.88 | 26% |
| 17″ iForm | 348g | 287.6g | 636g | $3.60 | $0.98 | 27% |
The Reward ICF walls can also contribute under the Regional Materials credit. The wall consists of formwork made from expanded polystyrene foam and plastic ties filled with concrete. Reward’s formwork products are manufactured in several plants around the country. Most areas will be within a 500 mile radius. Concrete consists of cement, water, fine and course aggregates and air. The water, air and aggregates are derived locally. The total value of materials that have been extracted and manufactured within a 500 mile radius has to equal 10% for one point and 20% for 2 points.
Reward will qualify as a regional material for projects located within a 500 mile radius of each of Rewards six manufacturing locations - Post Falls, ID; Colorado Springs, CO; Nixa, MO; Becker, MN; New Brighton, PA; Orlando, FL. Depending upon the location of the project relative to the manufacturing plant, projects located in the following states covered by the circles below should qualify.
For Tuesday: Indoor Environmental Qualtiy (EQ) LEED v3 ICF Summary
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
LEED v3: ICFs & Energy and Atmosphere
August 11th, 2009 | Lets Get Technical!
Energy and Atmosphere (EA): This LEED topic covers measures to improve the energy efficiency and reductions in use of ozone depleting refrigerants and green house gases. If you give thought to your building envelope and design with Reward ICFs, it can be incredibly easier to achieve up to the maximum 21 point value.
Building the exterior walls with Reward ICFs contributes to this requirement and credit by providing superior air tightness, insulating value and thermal massing. Use of Reward Wall Systems will result in a better insulated, energy efficient exterior wall system. The continuous solid insulated concrete wall created by Reward will reduce air infiltration and provide thermal mass benefits.
Green
Combined with other components like energy efficient glazing and window units, well insulated roof assemblies, and design strategies like effective solar orientation, Reward can contribute to a project qualifying for minimum energy performance under EA Prerequisite 2, and for additional credits for energy performance beyond the minimum ASHRAE energy code requirements, under the Optimized Energy Performance credit.
| Credit | Title | NC | Schools | CS |
| EA Prerequisite 2 | Minimum Energy Performance | R | R | R |
| EA Credit 1 | Optimize Energy Performance | 1 – 19 | 1 – 19 | 3 – 21 |
Optimized Energy Performance
| New Buildings | Existing Renovation | Points (NC & Schools) | Points (CS) |
| 12% | 8% | 1 | 3 |
| 14% | 10% | 2 | 4 |
| 16% | 12% | 3 | 5 |
| 18% | 14% | 4 | 6 |
| 0% | 16% | 5 | 7 |
| 22% | 18% | 6 | 8 |
| 24% | 20% | 7 | 9 |
| 46% | 42% | 18 | 20 |
| 48% | 44% | 19 | 21 |
EA Prerequisite 2: Reward can contribute to the required prerequisite compliance with meeting the minimum performance standards of ASHRAE 90.1-2007 energy code
Credit is obtained for performance improvements beyond the minimum ASRAE 90.1 energy code requirements (up to 19 points).
For Thursday: Materials and Resources (MR) LEED v3 ICF Summary
Here we will talk about the recycled content of our forms and their ties as well as showing you our Regional Materials Map.
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
LEED v3: ICFs Sustainable Sites Summary
August 6th, 2009 | Lets Get Technical!
Sustainable Sites (SS): This LEED topic covers Site Development issues.
Credits are obtained for:
- Proper site selection
- Use of an urban site
- A Brownfield site
- Providing alternative transportation to reduce dependence on single passenger vehicles
- Reducing amount of site disturbed with structure and roads
- Effective storm water management or treatment
- Impact of parking areas and roof areas to heat island effect
- Light pollution reduction.
| Credit | Title | NC | Schools | CS |
| SS Credit 5.2 | Site Development – Maximize Open Space | 1 | 1 | 1 |
By utilizing the Reward ICF walls below grade it provides a basement that can be occupied to maximize open space, and limiting the disturbance of the surrounding area. This will allow contribution to the credit Site Development.
Reward Wall System can contribute towards 1 credit and 1 point toward LEED certification within this topic.
This was quick post, as the decision in the building design, when using ICFs, can contribute to this section, the use of ICF’s does not directly mean this credit will be attained. This will be a potential point based on the design from the architect.
For Tuesday: Energy and Atmosphere LEED v3 ICF Summary
This is where your potential for massive points come in.
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
USGBC and LEED v3: ICF series
August 4th, 2009 | Lets Get Technical!
Hello everyone – Reward has worked diligently to summarize the LEED requirements for the new LEED v3 which is in effect. I will be rolling out each of the 7 topics per post, giving you a quick summary of what the topic is as a whole and where Reward Insulating Concrete Forms can contribute.
When Reward Wall Systems’ ICF products are incorporated into the exterior envelope of a building the energy efficiency, material properties and the inherent characteristics of concrete of insulated concrete forms can help contribute in 6 of the 7 topics for LEED v3—New Construction, Schools or Core and Shell categories. Summarized in the next few blogs are the topics and how Reward Wall Systems’ ICFs can contribute towards a LEED certified building.
LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a green building rating system created by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). This system is designed to incorporate energy efficient, sustainable and environmental friendly buildings from the design to the construction and occupancy stages. LEED-NC is used for new construction of offices, institutional buildings (libraries, museums, churches, etc.), hotels and multi-family (4 or more stories). LEED-Schools is used for all types of educational facilities. LEED-Core and Shell is used for commercial office buildings, medical office buildings, retail, warehouse, and lab facilities.
The Seven Topics are
| Sustainable Sites |
| Water Efficiency |
| Energy & Atmosphere |
| Materials & Resource |
| Indoor Environmental Quality |
| Innovation & Design |
| Regional Priority |
| Total Points |
Insulated concrete forms are a sure-fire way to reach your LEED goal because they offer so much in the energy component of the structure, and the new version of LEED made the energy requirements a heavier weight so your potential is even greater! As you see below these are the new breakdowns for certification.
LEED v3 Levels of Certification
| Level | LEED |
| Certified | 40-49 |
| Silver | 50-59 |
| Gold | 60-79 |
| Platinum | 80+ |
Reward Insulating Concrete Forms can Contribute up to 36 points in 6 of the 7 topics!
green
For Thursday- Reward ICFs and Sustainable Sites LEED v3 Summary
Green
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
Insulating Concrete Forms and Energy Tax Credits
July 21st, 2009 | From the Field
We field numerous questions everyday on the array of benefits by building an Insulating Concrete Form house or building. Besides the tangible benefits of the building owner- like the 50%- 80% energy savings, protection from natural disasters, etc -there are some other benefits to building green. There are a lot of misconceptions on the government’s ARRA program and how it applies to ICFs. We reference numerous documents and articles when responding to direct inquiries, also which has been determined by our Insulating Concrete Form Association and a lot has been written on it as well. aBlog will just highlight some key things we hear everyday and see if some of the confusion can be lifted. Feel free to stop me and ask questions.
There are different types of tax benefits for building green, including building with Insulating Concrete Forms. I’ll break them down for two sets of people: the owner (homeowner) and the builder. The key is to have a measurable green standard for your building, such as the Energy Star for Homes. Having that rating will open up the possibilities for discounts, rebates, and tax incentives.
- Reward Wall Systems can help your new home earn the ENERGY STAR rating by providing solid monolithic insulated concrete exterior walls that have a high steady state R-22 R-value, thermal mass that moderates the temperatures from the exterior and interior, and a virtually air tight wall that keeps hot and cold air from entering your home. Our insulating concrete form (ICF) walls will help contribute to significant reduction of heating and cooling loads leading to an energy efficient Energy Star home.
Builder: For an Energy Star rated home, the builder is eligible for $2,000 tax credit for building the home.
Homeowner: There isn’t a clear cut answer for the homeowner as some states will offer an incentive or tax credit for the homeowner, but generally there isn’t a large program in place to do so yet.
Also depending on where you live, look into your local utility company for programs to entice owners and builders to build green and more energy efficient buildings. It has been reported of rebates of $150- $1,500 to the homeowner and/or builder for hitting the energy savings requirement set in place by the utility company.
Trade associations also may have incentives to building green. An article from BuilderOnline.com states an example of the PCA giving $1,000 for one home and $20,000 for 10 homes built to a specific standard using concrete for your sustainable structure (Progressive Incentive Program).
Probably the most common question we receive is if insulating concrete forms can qualify for the energy tax credits from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Regretfully, the answer is no- for now. That primary focus is based on existing residential home with upgrades and additions to roofing and insulation, HVAC units, Geothermal Heat pumps, water heaters, photovoltaic (Solar power), wind turbines, and fuel cells. Those credits will be most common this year, filed under form 5695 with the IRS.
Now directly dealing with insulated concrete forms, there are some specifics we should pass along as there are benefits for owners and builders. Our ICFA was so kind to compile this info into a document for us, which we have published on our website. Feel free to read Energy Tax Provisions for ICFs in full, otherwise proceed reading for a super quick summary.
Residential contractors can earn a $2,000 tax credit for homes built to save 50% energy over code.
“Residential contractors may earn a federal tax credit of $2,000 for homes that reduce energy use for heating and cooling only (hot water excluded) by 50 percent compared to the stated national model energy code, the 2004 Supplement to the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code. A further stipulation is a minimum performance level for SEER-13 for air conditioners and heat pumps. Furthermore, improvements to the building envelope must account for at least 1/5 of such 50 percent, which is clearly achievable with ICF construction.”
Commercial property owners can earn a $1.80 / ft² tax deduction for a 50% energy cost reduction
“Business taxpayers (ie the building owner) can earn a deduction of $1.80 per square foot for commercial buildings that achieve a 50 percent reduction in annual energy costs, compared to a base building defined by the industry standard ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-2001. Energy costs refer only to heating, cooling, lighting and water heating, since only these uses are within the control of the building designer.”
So this aspect of green building and tax credits etc is still in a development stage, as we would hope and expect that broader ranges of benefits will be able to be passed along to the owner and building of the superior building envelope.
Expect more on this topic in the near future as more benefits become available and be sure either as a builder or homeowner continue to do research on how building with Reward Insulating Concrete Forms can increase your bottom line.
The New Standard of Sustainability. Tell the World.
For more resources go to Energy Tax Incentives official Website
Energy Star Rated Parade of Homes
July 16th, 2009 | Project Showcase
In June Reward Wall Systems had a couple houses featured in the Lancaster County Parade of Homes, built by Providence Homes and Neighborhoods and supplied by Construction Supply Centers of New Holland. One of the homes was built for Mr. Gerhart, near Denver, PA. The house was built with a superior “envelope” by using Reward insulating concrete form walls and a closed attic system, using spray foam to complete the enclosure. What the owner, as well as the attendees of the Parade of Homes, got was an incredibly “tight”, energy efficient home which could easily become a model for all future custom homes built in the future. In fact the home won the Best in Show Prize for their Category, among other awards for the Parade as well.
Providence Homes was referred to Reward and our unique in-person training, from their spray-in insulation company, Foam-Tech who is an avid proponent of our Insulating Concrete Forms. Scott, seeing the knowledge and commitment our company dedicated to his project, he was able to present the idea to Mr. Gerhart, who is a professional contractor himself, and was instantly sold on the idea.
Over the next months of building and pouring concrete, what unfolded for the public to see was a custom home that was designed around the principle of securing the building envelope, and experiencing the efficiencies of doing so.
The house is 4,458 square foot ranch style sitting on a 3.5 acre lot, with a slope that affords a lower walkout level. The main floor is 2,548 sq ft of finished space and features a side load 3-car garage and a hexagonal shaped library as well. Windows on each floor are southern facing window groupings, which will absorb the sun in the winter months, and the thermal mass of the ICF walls and footings will keep the interior temperatures even through the year.
The rear covered deck has tile flooring and a handsome wood burning fireplace finished with Eldorado Stone. The lower level has 1,910 sq. ft. of finished space and is accessed by stairs and an elevator. It has in-law quarters with a full handicapped bath on one end and a kitchen in the middle living area, as well as an additional two bedrooms and a full bath on the other end of the basement. It also walks out onto a spacious patio.
Here’s the cool part of it. By now if you’ve read aBlog by Reward HOPEFULLY you’ve read a little on our product. One key measurement of the building envelope is the air change per hour, or ACH- the number of times the home’s air is replaced by outside air in an hour. Normally in the ICF industry you’ll see numbers from .04 to .09 advertised which is extremely good. By comparison from Wikipedia, the average ACH for an average American home is 1.0 and 2.0 per hour, and newly constructed “tight” homes are around .35 – .25 ACH.
However, they were able to test the home to certify through Energy Star, and Mr. Gerhart’s house came in at 0.04 and 0.03 ACH for heating and cooling respectively. That is TEN times more tight than the average “tight” American home.
What does this mean? It means we don’t lie.
It means:
Reward ICFs can get an ACH rating of .03
Less air infiltration gives you control on the outside air coming in, thus being able to reduce allergens
Comfortable even temperatures- there aren’t cold or hot spots in the house
Less Warm air leaks out when you want your house cozy, reducing energy use of your furnace
Less Warm air leaks in when you want your house cool, reducing energy use from your A/C
Energy Use
Speaking of less energy use, here’s the finale for Mr. Gerhart’s home. By using Reward Insulating Concrete Forms and partnering with Foam-Tech for the spray-in attic insulation and sealing window openings to secure a tight envelope the Gerhart house will:
1. Use 55 mmBTU/year vs. 204 mmBTU/year for the average American home
2. Cost an average of $53 a month on Heating and Cooling costs- that’s 1.2 cents a square foot!
3. Use 62% less energy for heating and 36% less energy for cooling than a similar home
4. Reduce CO2 consumption by a total of 55% LESS pounds per year than a similar home
These numbers are staggering.
We want to congratulate Mr. Gerhart, Providence Homes, Construction Supply Center of New Holland, and Foam-Tech on your Energy Star Rated home and being able to show Lancaster County Parade of Homes The New Standard of Sustainability.