Passive Energy Homes and Amvic ICF
At the centre of Passive Energy design is the principle that a structure (be it a home, an office, or other insulated building) can be built to maintain an internal temperature that is comfortable to the occupants throughout the year without needing a conventional, fossil fuel based heating system.
By nature, Passive Energy design buildings should also have a zero carbon footprint, with any energy required to run the home being obtained from natural resources such as the wind and the sun. A Passive Energy home needs to be carefully designed so it can capture as much of this natural energy as it can, given its location and size, and also to use this energy as efficiently as possible. This is where the Amvic ICF system can really help.
By forming a very highly insulated and air-tight structure, Amvic minimises heat loss through the building’s external walls. High levels of air-tightness enables any heat exchanger or HVAC system to work more effectively too. Additionally, the strength of the Amvic system allows for solid concrete floors and walls to be used internally throughout the building, increasing the thermal mass of the property, another key feature of passive energy design.
Workmanship during construction is also key to the success of a Passive house project. Tolerances in construction are much smaller than conventional standards allow. To assist with this, our building division Amvic Building Solutions can construct the Amvic shell of your new Passive home, including concrete floor systems, ready for you to finish off.
So if you are considering building a low or Passive Energy home, talk to us more about the benefits of using Amvic ICF for your project. You can email us or call our technical team FREE on 0800 756 6399.