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February 2, 2005 - Jobwerx News - Concrete forms used to build external walls for residential and commercial buildings use expandable polystyrene foam panels molded together with steel or polypropylene form ties offering superior thermal insulation properties.

BASF's Styropor expandable polystyrene (EPS) is the material of choice of American PolySteel, LLC, Albuquerque, N.M., to produce foam for its PolySteel(R) and PolyPro(TM) lines of insulating concrete forms (ICFs) used to build external walls for residential and commercial buildings.

The patent pending PolySteel and PolyPro ICFs consist of two Styropor EPS foam panels molded together with steel or polypropylene form ties, which have integrated furring strips. These forms are interconnected to build a wall. Concrete is then poured to fill the area in between the panels to create a very strong unit with superior thermal insulation properties. The furring strips are recessed one-half inch below the wall surface and enable stucco lath, brick ties or siding to be mechanically attached directly to the insulated concrete wall.

"PolySteel and PolyPro ICFs combine the high R-Value of thermal insulation from BASF's Styropor EPS foam and the intrinsic strength and thermal mass of concrete walls, saving homeowners approximately 50 to 80 percent on energy costs and about 15 to 25 percent on insurance premiums," said Patrick Murphy, President of American PolySteel. "Compared to wood-frame walls, the thermal stability of PolySteel and PolyPro ICFs reduces the temperature fluctuations and, consequently, the heat load requirement necessary for wood. In addition, air leakage or infiltration can account for 20 to 40 percent of the heat load requirements of a wood-framed building. PolySteel and PolyPro ICFs can reduce this air infiltration by 75 percent."

Although PolySteel and PolyPro ICFs are used in the full gamut of construction projects from affordable housing to large commercial buildings, the technology's energy advantages really hit home in small to mid-range houses because it impacts those who would most benefit from the cost savings they generate, said Murphy.

"Besides location, most people purchase homes the same way as they would buy a car - basing their decision on how much they can afford to pay each month," Murphy said. "But they often don't factor in how much they'll need to pay in utilities to heat and cool their homes each month because they're more concerned about the more visible fixtures and features inside the house instead of what is used in the walls and ceilings for insulation. Informed consumers insisting on ICF systems in new buildings or pre-owned homes can expect the house to last a lot longer and have lower utility bills, which positively impacts their monthly budget."

In addition to economic advantages, families benefit from the PolySteel and PolyPro ICFs building envelope protecting them from natural disasters and fire significantly better than conventional construction methods, Murphy said.

Murphy said the consistency of BASF's Styropor EPS resins greatly contribute to the high quality performance of PolySteel and PolyPro ICFs. "We've been processing EPS foam throughout our 27-year history, and the Styropor BFL 327 and 422 EPS grade resins provide superior performance in the production of our products because they deliver faster cycle times, consistent fusion and density to produce a uniformly solid panel, and the finished appearance features we require. We also consider BASF to be very responsive to our needs and in the vanguard of developing enhanced EPS resins that precisely meet our requirements," he said.

"BASF is committed to offering material solutions to our valued customer, American PolySteel, that bring performance, environmental and health benefits to the homes and commercial structures they build," said Gene Zimmermann, Director of BASF's Styropor EPS business in North America. He added that Styropor EPS foam recently received the GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® designation from Air Quality Sciences, Inc., as a low-emitting material that helps manufacturers create healthier and safer indoor environments.

American PolySteel, LLC
6808 Academy Parkway East
NE, Bldg. C
Albuquerque, NM 87109
1-800-977-3676
505-345-8153


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