Amvic combines the best of ICF building with tilt-up technology to create the EnerTILT system

The copious advantages of building with concrete are already well established. Concrete is impervious to the destruction caused to wood framed homes by rodents and insects. Mould and mildew also hold no sway and concrete structures are known for their resilience to extremes in inclement weather. Earthquake and fire resistant, concrete structures enjoy lower insurance premiums than their wood framed counterparts. Concrete walls offer increased noise reduction and lower heating and cooling costs. Read more

55% of greenhouse gas emissions in the city of Vancouver are created by buildings. In an effort to reduce emissions, Vancity and the City of Vancouver are joining forces to offer BC homeowners a HELPing hand. HELP (the Home Energy Loan Program) will provide low interest, long-term loans to homeowners who wish to make their homes more efficient. The loan scheme will not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, it will also improve the environment while providing economic stimulus and creating green collar jobs. Read more

Net-zero and energy efficient homes are finally accessible to all

Energy efficient and net zero homes have, for the longest time, been out of reach for many homeowners as banks declined to finance the higher price tags associated with green building practices. The trend to greener, more energy efficient building has finally nudged the Canadian financial institutions to cater to the needs of mortgage owners.

These ‘green mortgages’ serve the more environmentally minded who can also save a great deal on the running costs of an energy efficient home. The green mortgages cover both the construction of new net zero or energy efficient homes, as well as retrofitting existing structures. Read more

Each year, fire claims more Canadian lives than all other natural disasters combined. Fires cause billions of dollars in property damage and destroys vital natural areas. To combat loss of life and property, building techniques have been developed to protect your family, home and belongings from fire damage. ICFs are the leading materials in fire safety technology. ICFs block wall systems provide solid concrete, reinforced exteriors that have a 3 to 4 hour fire rating. The exterior Styrofoam insulation simply melts off the walls rather than combusting. A study conducted by the Southwest Pacific Research Institute found the emissions from burning the insulating foam on ICFs “no more toxic” than smoke from wood frame housing. Read more