Green Landscaping
The H-Forms system requires a fraction of resources used on conventional Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) landscape wall construction, and virtually eliminates waste.
H-Forms are manufactured with expanded polystyrene (EPS), a closed-cell, lightweight rigid-foam made from by-products of the refining of crude oil. EPS does not contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or formaldehyde. Easily recycled, EPS is a commodity of high value for producers of recycled plastic. They are manufactured under strict EPA guidelines and tested periodically by UL.
H-Forms blocks have 1/3 to 1/4 of the embodied energy (required to mine, harvest, grow, manufacture, ship and unload material to a building site) of concrete masonry units (CMUs).
Additional Environmental Benefits:
H-Forms are made of 100% recyclable material
Compared to forms, which are 15% recyclable
Lower freight fuel consumption
H-Forms ship at a fraction of the weight of CMU
A truckload of H-Forms = 3,500 lbs.
A truckload of CMU = 224,000 lbs.
Apart from the cement (+/- 15% by volume) and concrete (+/- 85%), the H-Forms system is mostly a local resource (sand, lime, aggregate, etc.)
Near zero site waste (recyclable or reusable)
Manufacturing out-gassing gets recycled as fuel for furnace
Micro rebar is 90% recycled from auto scrap
Lower placement costs after disaster (concrete structure is left standing)
Reduced manual handling and injury
Less site-related injuries = Less workers comp. insurance
Fire resistant
The ICFs are EPS (Expanded Polystyrene), NOT Extruded Polystyrene (XPS)
XPS contains CFCs, H-Forms does not
Maintain our forests (save 50 trees on average for a 270 ft. x 6 ft. high sound wall)
1/3 to 1/4 of the “embodied energy” of CMU