They offer both home buyers and home builders a superior alternative to wood frame walls. The workers then fill the center with reinforced concrete to create the structure. There are over 20 brands of ICFs in North America, each with some variations in design and materials. Houses built with ICF walls have a much more even temperature throughout the day and night. The rigidity of concrete construction reduces the flex in floors and cuts shifting and vibration from the force of the wind or the slamming of a door.
Concrete houses survive high-force winds like hurricanes far better than wood homes.
And when properly reinforced, they should also withstand earthquakes well. About one-sixth as much sound gets through an ICF wall compared with an ordinary frame wall. This sharply cuts the intrusion of noise from outside. In addition, it allows the installation of smaller heating and cooling equipment. That can reduce the initial cost of a house by over a thousand dollars.