Q. Why did you choose insulated concrete as your preferred construction method?
A. Because of all the advantages it offers. It is vastly superior to traditional construction methods in terms of strength, durability, comfort, efficiency and environmental factors.

Q. How much can I expect to save on heating costs?
A. This has a lot to do with the size of your building, number of windows and doors and many other factors, but you can count on saving 40 - 70%.

Q. Why did you choose Amvic as your supplier of insulated concrete forms?
A. Amvic is the leader in this industry. They produce the strongest, highest quality forms on the market. Their forms are also environmentally friendly and are available in a variety of thicknesses and shapes.

Q. Why do you use vinyl windows?
A. Vinyl is an excellent performer. It does not conduct heat and cold like aluminum, and it does not warp or rot like wood. Color is impregnated into the vinyl making it maintenance-free.

Q. What's the advantage of radiant heat over forced air?
A. We use a proven system from Rehau that circulates warm water through a network of pipes placed in the floor. Heat is gently radiated upward, warming the objects in the room rather than the air, which means thermostats can be set as much as 4 degrees lower for the same comfort level. There are no fans, no ductwork, no air moving through the room. Floors are always warm. Also, zoning is easier; rooms can be controlled individually so heat is put only where it is needed.

Q. If there is no ductwork, how do you cool it?
A. We use a high-velocity air conditioning system from Unico. Because the air is moving at a higher rate of speed, traditional ducting is not necessary. PVC tubing with small vent openings is all that is necessary.

Q. Doesn't the air get stale in a tight house with no air movement?
A. It can. We recommend an air-to-air exchanger, which is a device that sends stale air out and brings filtered fresh air in. The system is built to exchange the heat from the stale air to the fresh air so it is not bringing cold air into the house. Our system is from Guardian.

Q. What about plumbing?
A. The system we provide also comes from Rehau, the leader in PEX-based systems. PEX tubing is flexible, which means less fittings are required, and has low heat loss compared to copper. Typically, individual lines are run to each fixture directly from the source, so it's easy to balance the supply everywhere its needed.

Q. What about the cost of A Premium Structure?
A. It depends on which cost you are looking at. A short-sided view looks only at construction costs, which can be up to 10% higher with A Premium Structure. But a more realistic view, which takes into account the monthly cost of living in the home (mortgage plus insurance, heating and cooling) will show that it can be up to 70% less costly, so any additional construction cost is offset quickly. From there, its money in your pocket every month. That's not to mention all the benefits in comfort and security that come from A Premium Structure.

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