Today, given the frequency of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, earthquakes, and floods, it's a "must" to build the most durable homes possible. Wood-framed walls, for example, are not always reliable, whereas walls constructed with reinforced concrete have proven to withstand some of Mother Nature's worst performances.

"Building with concrete, or more specifically with preassembled, insulated concrete forms known as ICFs, has been protecting houses from various disasters for more than a decade now," says Todd Blyth at Nudura, a leading name in this field. It also delivers superior energy efficiency to lower heating and cooling costs substantially."

Once built, a concrete home withstands high winds, fire and flash floods, but it also withstands the test of time, says Blyth.

"These rock solid walls deliver impact-resistance from wind as high as 402 kilometers per hour. This comes from a steel reinforced core, ranging from 10 to 28 centimeters of concrete to stand between you and the elements.

"The superior insulation property of concrete is giving homeowners up to 70 percent savings on monthly energy bills," he continues. "The rock solid core vastly reduces air infiltration, delivering efficiency ratings as high as R-50 due to the thermal mass of the concrete, compared to an average R-20 in wood structures. You can also add optional inserts to the ICF forms to improve this efficiency even more."

Concrete is responsible. This building system is based on sustainable and recycled materials, reducing the need for trees. In addition, the construction process creates less waste than traditional methods and the occupants use fewer fossil fuels for a much smaller carbon footprint.

But even with this commitment to responsibility, there is no trade-off on any of the beauty aspects and aesthetics, says Blyth.

"Your home can have all of the creative architectural shapes, like arches and bay windows, and high ceilings can be achieved," says Blyth. "Outdoors, the home can be finished with attractive brick, or with stone, stucco, wood, or vinyl siding."

More information is available online at nudura.com.

-MetroCreative Connection