Habitant homes must be affordable to construct, using techniques that are manageable by a largely volunteer workforce, but more importantly, the homes must be simple to maintain and efficient and inexpensive to operate. Operational costs are extremely important when working affordable housing. So it is just as important to keep future operating costs to a minimum, as it is to keep first costs (of construction) within an affordable range.

Toward these sustainability, efficiency, and affordable goals, a class was set up at the University of Illinois of Architecture to examine these ideas within the context of a Habitat for Humanity home.

The major advantages of this construction are:
Superior insulation
High thermal mass
Low infiltration
Less energy to operate
Low maintenance due to it’s durability
Versatile construction
Quick paybacks in energy savings.

With the use if ICF’s there is a 25% to 50% energy savings as compared with that of wood or steel framed homes. The paybacks in energy savings are estimated to be within five years.