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FAQ

So, the interior wall is also concrete; does that mean there is no framing or drywall on the interior?

It depends. The interior side of the exterior shell walls will be of concrete. You can furr it out if you want and install drywall, but this is a completely unnecessary cost. The interior wall is concrete and it receives a fine plaster coat (plaster is basically a very smooth form of concrete). Almost all homes in Europe have plastered interior walls. No, our interior finish is not as flat as drywall - the best comparison is a lath and plaster wall in an old house.

How do I hang a picture on the wall if it is made of concrete?

You would use a small masonry drill bit, make a hole and then insert a plastic screw receptacle. You then insert the small screw, and easily hang the picture. To cover the hole later, just use plaster-patching compound, available at any Lowe's or Home Depot.

Aren't concrete walls cold?

Actually, the interior concrete wall, being completely sealed off from the exterior weather, tends to stabilize the interior temperature. Concrete stores heat and cold efficiently and gives it off slowly into the room. This causes a wonderful thermal "lag time" - meaning that the heat absorbed into the wall during the day is then released into the room at night when the air temperature cools. By the early morning, the concrete has cooled to just above whatever the interior ambient night temperature was, and as the morning warms into the heat of the afternoon, the wall again gives off coolness into the room that it gained during the night. This thermal lag stabilizes the room temperature - especially in the summer - and prevents "spikes" in temperature, which keeps cooling bills lower in summer and winter.

Where is the wiring and plumbing?

After the panels have been secured to the slab/footer and to each other, we spray paint color-coded lines for plumbing and wiring channels. We then use a propane torch to melt back a shallow channel in the EPS foam, under the mesh. Conduit (or Pex pipe) is then fished through the channels and secured to the foam. The shotcrete is then applied and the plumbing and wiring is entombed in concrete. The wiring, being in conduit, can be changed or expanded as needed.

Can you make floors with this system?

Absolutely. The roofs are the key to truly hurricane proof construction. They are more expensive than roof truss, but they allow you to fully utilize your attic space and are infinitely more energy efficient. The floors are very strong and can be used very well with radiant floor heating, which is one of the most efficient and comfortable types of heat available. We can span up to 36 feet with no support posts or beams.

How does this compare to concrete block, insulated concrete forms and concrete tilt-up panels?

Alas, although we have an affinity for our brethren in other concrete wall systems, we must nevertheless report that for most applications, none of these can compare. Here is the breakdown:

Tilt-up panels: They can be insulated, sandwiched panels, but we have yet to find somebody who can do anything thicker than a 4" foam core. Furthermore, they require a large crane for erection, which can be very difficult on some job sites. Curved panels are virtually impossible. The joints are susceptible to failure and are unattractive. The panels are poured in standard sized molds, which impose design limitations. "Off-sized" panels require the contractor to create a new form, which is time-consuming and expensive. They are used mostly for commercial buildings, and cost about $25 per square foot of wall.

Block: This option is very labor intensive, and in turn expensive. Shortage of good brick masons (at least ones who are legal citizens), requires a lot of rebar in order to be strong, and is water permeable. They offer no insulation unless you frame-out the inside and then add insulation and drywall, which all leads to higher expenses.

Insulated concrete forms: This option is stronger and better than block in many ways, but is nonetheless backwards from our panel system. Concrete in the middle is sandwiched by foam on both sides, so you still have to add drywall on the inside and put some kind of attractive exterior over the exterior foam (brick, Hardiplank, etc), It is the most expensive of all options.

How does the Envirolast system cost compare to other masonry/concrete products?

When compared apples to apples, the Envirolast system can be 15%-25% less than other masonry/concrete systems.

How does the Envirolast system cost compare to wood frame construction?

When one takes into account the trade replacements of framers, insulation, wrap, stucco with all its process needs and drywallers, our system is competitively priced. This is especially true for the regulations in hurricane prone areas not including our insurance and HVAC savings!

We enjoy meeting and talking with new customers, and learning more about their unique applications. Give us a call today at 803-409-8111 to find out more about us, and let us show you how easy and affordable a new Envirolast structure can be.