Building Green: Concrete is kind, clean and comfortable

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Making green decisions in your home is not just responsible -- it can be cleaner, more comfortable and cheaper for you too.

In fact, building technology continues to deliver environmentally friendly advancements -- and that includes a construction method that virtually eliminates drafts, cold spots and dampness throughout the house, resulting in greater energy efficiency.

"The answer is the use of concrete, not wood, for walls," says Todd Blyth at Nudura Corporation, a leading name in building systems. "Our construction method consists of stay-in-place concrete forms which, among many benefits, deliver superior insulation, reduce energy costs and eliminate the temperature variables that cause cold spots, drafts and other discomfort.

"As importantly, the Nudura pre-assembled units are preferred by builders and homeowners because they cut the building time in half. This system produces far less waste than the traditional wood-framing methods -- and the Nudura units (of reinforced concrete sandwiched between two layers of expanded polystyrene foam insulation) are now the method of choice in the construction of more efficient homes, schools, hospitals, condominiums, hotels, offices and other public buildings."

Better still, says Blyth, research shows that if the building envelope of your house is constructed with these interlocking concrete forms (nudura.com) you can save up to 70% in energy consumption in a home that is up to nine times stronger than those built with wood."