Insulating Concrete Forms

• Insulating concrete forms are plastic foam forms that surround concrete as it hardens and remains around that concrete to act as insulation. It takes the place of any wood or metal frames that are typically used in concrete walls. They are still lightweight, durable and have a higher insulating quotient than wood materials. While they are slightly more expensive to install than wood or metal framed concrete walls, this additional expenditure will be made up in lower energy spending. Other benefits of this material are that it is easier and faster to install than other concrete walls and the foam has both wind and seismic resistance.
  
  

Cellulose

• Cellulose is a highly energy efficient material made from recycled wood fiber. It takes a low amount of energy to make and is an environmentally friendly material. It is often compared with fiberglass, which is the more commonly used material applied in a similar fashion, which involves spraying the fine components of each material onto walls in order to fill in cracks. Cellulose components are much finer than fiberglass, which allows the material to better insulate a home and prevent heat from escaping.
  
  

Interior Storm Windows

• Interior storm windows can be used if a certain outside aesthetic wants to be created with other windows. While these windows are not always the best looking, they can be installed behind windows in order to reduce the energy loss associated with most windows. They allow for a tighter seal around the window without compromising aesthetics. In addition, these windows make for great building materials because they reduce condensation in addition to being insulating.
  
  

Roofing Materials

• Choosing the right roofing material is very important to maintaining energy-efficiency in the home. Those materials that absorb more solar energy will make a home hotter, leading to an increase in energy use. Light colored materials absorb much less heat and should be chosen over dark materials. Tiles, shakes and pebbles will also be cooler than materials like asphalt shingles because they have more exposed surface area, which allows heat to spread out and dissipate.