Deanna Harms
Greteman Group
316.263.1004, ext. 111
dharms@gretemangroup.com
Jari Vuorensivu
ECO-Block, LLC
Regional Manager
604.618.9112
jari@eco-block.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ECO-Block ICFs build Canada's first insulated concrete home for home
show
Vancouver, British Columbia - This week's BC Home & Garden Show
is breaking ground by raising the roof of a concrete home - the Home
in the Dome.
The Home in the Dome is a one-story, 1300-square-foot home built exclusively
for the upcoming home show. Constructed with ECO-Block, one of the nation's
most sought-after insulating concrete forms (ICFs), the home resides
inside the BC Place Stadium. The show runs February 19-23, 2003.
"This is the first time an insulated concrete home has been offered
at a home show in Canada," said Jari Vuorensivu, ECO-Block Regional
Manager. "Eighty thousand people are expected to attend the event.
We hope to expose all of them to the benefits of concrete construction
and the variety of usage in residential buildings."
In addition to the ECO-Block ICF system, the Home in the Dome incorporates
concrete features from floor to ceiling. This includes the roof, countertops,
etched floors, sinks, windowsills, a waterfall and sidewalks.
"The Home in the Dome showcases a number of concrete products,"
said Irv Lenz, manager of Rempel Bros., an ECO-Block distributor. "A
lot of people think that concrete is cold and blah, so we've designed
this holistic home to show them the reality. Concrete displays a natural,
timeless beauty that can be molded and finished to suit almost any taste
or need."
ECO-Block offers a cost-effective solution for building energy-efficient
housing that also has
the advantages of unsurpassed protection from extreme weather, exceptional
insulating values (making it up to eight-times quieter) and maximum
durability. The energy efficiency can result in monthly savings of up
to 50% for homeowners.
ICFs are made of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and are used to build reinforced
concrete walls for both residential and commercial buildings. Once the
forms are in place, concrete is poured in. The end results are strong
concrete walls with excellent insulation built right in.
In 1998, 20,000 new homes benefited from ICFs. And industry projections
for 2003 estimate that approximately 100,000 homes will take advantage
of ICF technology.
The BC Home & Garden Show opens Wednesday, February 19, at the BC
Place Stadium, 777 Pacific Blvd., and runs through Sunday, February
23. Hours are 4 p.m. - 10 p.m., Wednesday; noon to 10 p.m. Thursday
and Friday; 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, and to see live footage of the Home in the Dome
from the Dowco Construction cam, visit http://www.insinc.com/homeandgarden/.
ECO-Block LLC is one of the world's most innovative and experienced
providers of insulating concrete form (ICF) technology. The Florida-based
company manufactures and supplies the most versatile and technologically
advanced ICF systems available for both commercial and residential construction.
Use of ECO-Block's ICF technology creates super-insulated, monolithic
concrete walls that save energy, keep noise out and improve air quality.
Building owners can enjoy energy savings of 30-50% a year. Greater fire,
wind and weather resistance also help make ECO-Block homes more durable
and secure than those using conventional construction methods. The use
of renewable resources in ECO-Block ICF systems reduces reliance on
wood products, helping protect our threatened forests. ICF technology
is rapidly integrating into mainstream commercial and residential construction.
In 1998, 20,000 new homes benefited from ICFs. Industry projections
for 2003 estimate that approximately 100,000 homes will take advantage
of ICF technology.