Stuart, FL (PRWEB) July 2, 2009 -- Greenblock Worldwide Corp. announced today that they have begun production of their Insulated Concrete Form wall systems at Diversifoam Products in Rockford, MN. This facility brings Greenblock's total manufacturing locations to eight.

"The addition of this new production location gives us increased capacity and will allow us to provide lower freight costs and shorter lead times to our customers in the Great Lakes/Upper Midwest regions," says Greenblock's Steve Reiter. "It's part of our continued commitment to this industry and our belief that ICF construction will play a major role in our countries move toward energy-efficient, sustainable building practices."

Greenblock, headquartered in Stuart FL, is a manufacturer, marketer and installer of high performance Insulated Concrete Form wall systems for the residential and commercial construction industry. Greenblock offers a full ICF product line including both fixed-web and assemble-on-site panel systems in 4, 6,8,10 and 12 inch core widths. Greenblock is the only ICF company to offer in-house installation services featuring trained, experienced employee crews, company owned trucks, wall alignment systems, steel rebar and concrete placement.

ICF construction offers several advantages over conventional concrete block and stick-frame building; Increased energy efficiency, protection from severe weather, healthier indoor air quality and excellent sound attenuation, to name a few. And, builders can earn substantial green building credits by using ICFs for the exterior walls of their structures.

Greenblock plans to add additional manufacturing facilities in strategic markets throughout North America to meet the ever-growing demand for its high performance, ICF building envelope solutions.

For the third straight year Greenblock will be exhibiting at the Southeast Building Conference in Orlando FL. The conference/expo will be held at the Orlando Convention Center July 30 through August 1.

The economy is down but we’re more excited than ever about the future of our industry. It’s inevitable…The built environment is going green and Insulated Concrete Forms are an excellent way to achieve your goals of energy efficient, sustainable homes and buildings.

So plan to stop by Booth # 1026 and let us show you how easy it is to get started... See you in Orlando!

For a free exhibits-only pass to the SEBC CLICK HERE.

The new Greenblock web site went live on Friday July 3rd. “Our goal was to not only give the web site an updated look reflecting our new color scheme and logo, but to also provide visitors an informative, comprehensive and easy-to-navigate place to learn more about Greenblock products and services”, says Steve Reiter, Greenblock’s vice president of marketing.

Greenblock’s award-winning site has several new and improved features including an expanded CAD detail library, an online AIA course for busy design professionals and a new Installation and Technical manual.

Other popular features include an online store where customers can place product orders and arrange shipping right from their computer, a 3 minute movie discussing the features, advantages and benefits of building with Greenblock and an extensive photo gallery filled with pictures of Greenblock residential and commercial projects from around the country.

Please take a moment to visit our new site, navigate around and let us know how you like it. We welcome and encourage your feedback so we can continue to improve the site and provide our customers with a first class product. www.greenblock.com

Pine Avenue Restoration was conceived as a vehicle for honoring the historic, "uniquely Anna Maria Island" nature of Pine Avenue while bringing forward the original vision for a vital village center in which people lived and worked. Drawing inspiration from the historic cottages that have dotted Pine Avenue since 1911, renowned architect Gene Aubrey rendered a series of "Carpenter's Houses" elevated over boutique retail/office space with a "Gulf Coast Cracker" motif.

The structures, both residential and commercial, are being built with Greenblock’s 6” core Fixed-Web system. The builder is Michael Coleman of Anna Marie Island and the installer is Insulated Concrete Walls Inc of Stuart Florida.

To see more photos of this project go to www.greenblock.com and click on “Projects”

For more information and images of the Pine Avenue Restoration project, please visit www.pineavenueinfo.com

Greenblock’s entire product line including both Fixed-Web and Assemble-on-Site panel systems are 12” high. Since most walls are between 8-12 feet in height, our 12” block equates to less cutting, less labor, faster installation and reduced jobsite waste. Additionally, architects and designers can specify rebar on 12” horizontals if their projects require it.

Most of our competitors blocks are between 16 and 18” high which typically results in more cutting, increased labor and more jobsite waste. And project specs that call for 12” horizontal reinforcement are not possible.

12” blocks also create walls that are more durable and “forgiving” during and after concrete placement. Higher pour heights are achievable. Bulging and deformation is virtually eliminated since there is less unsupported surface area between vertical seams.

Greenblock ICFs require no gluing, strapping or zip ties between courses so our walls go up fast; Plumb, Level and Square.

Check back next issue for more Greenblock product design benefits.

Prior to setting the first course of Greenblock, the installer should double check the layout dimensions and snap chalk lines on the footing or slab. If working on a slab and prior to laying the first course of Greenblock, installers often stand any specified door bucks in position, plumb and secure.

The next action is to determine where to begin laying the Greenblock. If you have step footings and they were designed and poured to Greenblock dimensions then you will normally begin at the lowest elevation and work up.

Sometimes when footing steps are not compatible with Greenblock dimensions the installer will need to determine which elevation is best to begin laying block on. If you begin on the wrong step you might end up trimming the block laid on the next steps or for the majority of the project. Instead, you may want to lay block on the main level and work backwards calculating each step down to the lowest level. In this manner you will know what shimming will be required at each level to make the main level interlock. Then lay block at the lowest level and come back up the steps bringing all stepped levels up to the main elevation. The installer should attempt to keep block cutting to a minimum reducing waste and labor.

Another way to handle steps that aren’t compatible with Greenblock’s height dimensions is to run vertical seams as required.

Installers generally begin by laying block on the slab/footing from the corners to a location in the wall where you will perform a splice. Since both the block and the slab/ footing are fixed dimensions most walls will have a splice area.

Alignment of the block to the snapped chalk lines on the footing or slab is usually maintained with glue, kick plates, metal channeling or the most common, compatible foam spray.

At the first corner on the chosen level, place a right corner. At the second corner - place a left corner. Cutting corner blocks is not recommended, cuts should be performed, as often as possible, on standard blocks. If corner block cutting is required, additional bracing/gluing may be required. Continue alternating left and right corners placing a left or right block at each corner. This assures an even number of lefts and rights are used when building each course so you have the correct amount of each necessary for the top course. When the corners are in place, begin laying blocks in-between. Beginning at one corner - lay one block at a time. Place each block over the footing/slab dowels. Continue laying blocks towards the splice area. Where the block comes together, be sure it is aligned along the snapped chalk line(s) before scribing a piece to fill in.

If using the overlapping splice pattern be sure to cut on a cut line. Mark the block with cut lines and webs and install. If using the vertical seam you may cut off the cut lines. This will be the splice area for that wall. Most walls have one (1) splice area. Splice areas should be arranged at door openings, under and above window openings, behind shower walls, in utility/mechanical rooms, at interior intersecting wall areas or slightly away from a corner if possible. When you reach the area where the block comes together, be sure it is aligned along the snapped chalk line(s) before scribing a piece to fill in.

Cut the forms as needed when coming to a door or window. Cut lines are nice guides around these openings, but you do not need to cut on them exactly around windows and doors. Do not cut the block tight against the bucking. Leave approximately ⅛” to ¼” so the bucks can be adjusted. (You can foam prior to pour to fill the gap. Foaming will also help hold window bucks and block around the windows as a solid unit.)

New study illustrates the significant role of EPS insulation in providing significant lifetime energy savings in homes and buildings.

According to a new study sponsored by the EPS Molders Association (EPSMA), expanded polystyrene foam (EPS), the same material used to make Greenblock ICFs, is one of the most sustainable building products in the world.

The study, titled Energy and Greenhouse Gas Savings for EPS Foam Insulation Applied to Exterior Walls of Single Family Residential Housing in the U.S. and Canada, found that the energy expended to produce and ship EPS is far outweighed by the environmental benefits of its insulation. EPS insulation can return up to 200 times the amount of energy required to produce it, and can reduce emissions by up to 100 times when compared to the emissions produced during the manufacturing process.

The energy savings for heating and cooling component of the study was based on the thermal performance of a stick frame wall with the addition of EPS insulation and did not take into consideration the thermal mass of concrete and absence of air infiltration found in an ICF wall. These two additional factors provide even greater R-values and energy savings than those resulting from the EPSMA study.

Additionally, the life cycle study concluded the savings from adding EPS insulation are both substantial and rapid, providing a 100% payback anywhere in North America in less than two years. It also provides significant energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions over the long-term.

Homes and buildings constructed with EPS Insulated Concrete Forms will save energy throughout their useful life of 100 years or more, thus reducing the effects of global warming. Architects, designers, material specifiers and builders can be confident in the fact that they are making an environmentally responsible choice when selecting ICFs for their construction projects.

For more information go to: www.epsmolders.org

Recycled content of Greenblock ICFs

A Greenblock ICF is composed of 2 EPS foam panels held together by 8 Polypropylene web ties. EPS foam is 100% recyclable. The web ties are produced with 100% post-industrial polypropylene waste material. Post industrial waste is waste that is generated from industrial production of other products.

The post-industrial recycled content, by weight, in a Greenblock ICF varies from 40% to 53% depending on the product type:

Greenblock Fixed Web System-
6 inch core: 53%
8 inch core: 51%

Greenblock Gblox Panel System-
6 inch core: 40%
8 inch core: 44%
10 inch core: 46%
12 inch core: 50%

Greenblock 2-4-2 Panel System-
4 inch core: 51%

Post recycling:

Greenblock ICFs, both the EPS foam and the Polypropylene webs, are 100% recyclable (BASF Plastics Technical Information 28689 1994).

If you have further questions please contact us at (800) 216-1820

Mark your calendars for November 11-13 and join us at Greenbuild 2009 in Phoenix Arizona. Greenbuild is the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. Thousands of building professionals from all over the world come together at Greenbuild for three days of outstanding educational sessions, renowned speakers, green building tours, special seminars, and networking events

If you missed Greenblock at Boston in 2008 you missed a remarkable display of revolutionary green. More than 28,000 attendees came to Boston to partake in this momentous event. We had attendees representing all 50 states, 85 countries and 6 continents. This reflects a 25% increase in the number of attendees from Greenbuild 2007. Even though times were tough and organizations in all industries were cutting back, Greenbuild 2008 was a testament to this industry's commitment to transforming the built environment.

So come visit us at Booth 4432 at the Phoenix Convention Center. Find out how you can begin building safe, strong, energy efficient and sustainable. Greenblock can show you how!

For more Expo information go their website:
http://www.greenbuildexpo.com

The original Federal Energy Policy Act (H.R.6), which was signed into law in 2005 had been extended once, but was due to expire at the end of 2008. The Insulated Concrete Form Association joined forces with lobbying groups to seek an additional extension. In the end, the two measures of interest to us were addended to the bailout bill, and signed into law on Oct 3, 2008. The energy efficient new home tax credit has been extended through 2009 and the energy-efficient buildings deduction through 2013. The procedures and benchmarks outlined in the original 2005 law remain the same.

Did you know that in 2007, an estimated 23,702 homes were certified? ICF builders need to take advantage of this. The $2,000 credit can offset the costs of the energy rater needed to assess the house (cost $400 - $600) and provide for some of the extra effort. An ICF home should have no problem hitting the 50% energy savings bench mark. In fact, the net zero target also got a bit closer. In a cooling climate, where the utility costs are primarily electric driven by air conditioning, an energy efficient design using ICFs can greatly reduce the cooling costs and electric needs. This means fewer solar panels needed to meet the remaining power needs. The new code provision continues to offer a 30% tax credit for qualified photovoltaic property, while removing the previous $2,000 cap. This credit goes to the homeowner.

An energy rater can help provide valuable information to build a better house. For a list of raters, log on to www.natresnet.org.

CLICK HERE for a more in-depth look at the tax credits available for ICF construction.