EXPERTISE, QUALITY, & CERTAINTY
ICF Expertise
We use a super structure building technology that originated in Switzerland. This technology evolved to have built-in insulation and was introduced into Canada thirty-five years ago to address their leaky building issues. Then the technology was adopted in the United States and is now known as Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) construction. It has been used in New Zealand for fifteen years, is fully compliant with New Zealand Building Standards, and often exceeds minimums required by code.
ICFs are hollow EPS (Polystyrene) forms that are erected at the construction site, and then filled with five to seven inches of reinforced concrete. Unlike traditional concrete forms, which are removed after the concrete cures, ICFs are left in place.
Our construction team is specially trained in ICF construction. In addition, due to our continuous improvement methodology, we have proprietary practices that optimises the construction process for quality and efficiency (in both time and cost), which means we are able to create high quality homes at an affordable price. Our experience with this construction method is our secret sauce.
Quality
ICFs give you all the benefits that have made concrete the material of choice for home building worldwide: Solid, lasting construction that resists the ravages of fire, wind, and time. But ICFs do plain concrete one better – or rather, two better – by giving you two built-in layers of foam insulation. This gives an ICF building some sizeable advantages over traditional building methods: greater energy efficiency, and more peace & quiet. More sheer day-to-day living comfort. All wrapped up in a solid, high-quality building package that gives an ICF home an utterly remarkable feel that really has to be experienced to be believed.
As soon as you step inside, you can tell that an ICF building is extraordinary. Being inside an ICF apartment feels like being in a recording studio. Leaning against a wall in the winter, it feels warm, even without heating on. It's not just beautiful, comfortable and quiet. You can feel that it's solid, and built to last.
Certainty
Our production line approach is industry leading. We apply Lean, Agile, and Process Engineering principles to the building process so that over time the schedule gets shorter and more predictable.
Presently, the time from breaking ground on a new build to handing over keys is under six months, for an eleven-apartment, three-storey apartment building.
Financial certainty is also essential. Most lenders require a 50% pre-sell before they will advance funds for construction. This however means the developer may have unsold apartments at the end of the build, and thus is incentivised to push up margins due to that risk. Our approach is to require 100% pre-sell, which guarantees completion and reduces the required margin, which means that our team get get right on with building the next apartment block - making the next build efficient and affordable - and so on.