Morning Star is a leader in green home construction with emphasis on concrete and ICF construction and technology that delivers cost-effective, high-performance structures that are safer, quieter, more comfortable, energy efficient, structurally secure, and environmentally responsible than any building system available on the market today.
American PolySteel ICF is one of the most user-friendly building systems available. PolySteel products deliver incredible benefits to you, the homeowner. The PolySteel system uses interlocking modular forms that are dry-stacked (without mortar) and filled with concrete. The forms lock together somewhat like Lego bricks and serve to create a form for the structural walls of a building. Concrete is pumped into the cavity to form the structural element of the walls. Usually, reinforcing steel (rebar) is added before concrete placement to give the resulting walls flexural strength, similar to bridges and high-rise buildings made of concrete. After the concrete has cured, or firmed up, the forms are left in place permanently for the thermal and acoustic insulation, fire protection space to run electrical conduit and plumbing, backing for gypsum boards on the interior and allows a choice of any exterior finish, including but not limited to stucco, brick, or wood.
Perhaps the most important of all the benefits of building your home with PolySteel is the safety and security it provides your family. A PolySteel home is the safest place to protect you and everything you love from the dangers of severe weather. PolySteel has proven its resistance to tornados and hurricanes and PolySteel walls have been independently tested to withstand flying debris driven by a 250 mph wind.
PolySteel guarantees, in writing, you'll save at least 33% on energy costs over 2x6 stick frame construction with R-19 insulation! But, depending on where you live, your actual savings are likely to be 30 - 80%! PolySteel walls are more energy efficient than R-40 insulated 2x12 stick frame walls.
On average, the homeowner pays about 4% more for building a an energy efficient PolySteel home over conventional construction, these initial costs are quickly offset by the monthly energy savings and homeowners insurance. The total monthly cost for the concrete home, including mortgage payments, taxes, insurance and utitilies is usually equal to the standard wood frame home of the same size. You will appreciate that your PolySteel home will be protected from the danger and destruction of mold and termites. PolySteel has licensed patented termite-resistant technology, becoming the first major ICF manufacturer in the industry to incorporate this termite-resistant technology into its product and contain NO organic material making it mold residence.
The structural strength of PolySteel buildings comes from reinforced concrete, a product of the combination of Portland cement, sand and gravel, which the Earth has in abundant supply. Concrete construction directly reduces the use of lumber for building, thereby helping to save the world's forests. The super energy efficiency of PolySteel structures minimizes the amount of fuel burned for heat, saving our oil and gas reserves and reducing air pollution and the "greenhouse effect", the cause of global warming.
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) products DO NOT USE CFC's in their manufacture. EPS is easily recognized by its unique appearance - thousands of tiny white beads fused tightly together, as found in American PolySteel forms®. When (Chlorofluorocarbons) are used during the manufacturing process the release of those CFC's has been linked to the destruction of the Earth's protective ozone layer and an increased incidence of skin cancer (see below. PolySteel forms do not contain HCFC, formaldehyde, asbestos, or fiberglass.
In 1992 the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) began forging partnerships with manufacturers, retailers, utilities and energy-efficient technologies. American PolySteel is proud to be a partner in this program as the manufacturer of a super-energy efficient insulation product, and our PolySteel forms are labeled with the ENERGY STAR® logo, along with our own. We have long recognized the environmental benefits of building energy efficient homes and we are proud to label our Forms with this sign of federal recognition.For more information on this program, contact your PolySteel distributor or the EPA at 1-888-STAR-YES.Insulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) are stay-in-place formwork for energy-efficient, cast-in-place reinforced-concrete walls.
