Quad-Lock Building Systems Ltd. has released Extra Panel, a new insulation panel. As concerns about energy supplies and global warming continue to be debated, one idea remains clear: The best way to conserve energy is not to use it.

Because buildings are responsible for about half of our total annual energy consumption, it only makes sense to design and build them with a lower appetite for energy in the first place. Quad-Lock's new Extra Panel is designed to provide even more insulation value to concrete walls, even as high as R-84.

With Extra Panel, builders of insulating concrete forms (ICF) homes can magnify the best features of ICF construction by:

1. Increasing the continuous, unbroken layer of insulation surrounding the structure, which protects from the elements

2. Optimization of the thermal mass of a concrete wall by placing a thicker layer of insulation on the outside of the concrete wall

Building envelope scientists agree that our old assumptions about how our buildings perform do not work as we move forward into an era where consumption is replaced by conservation.

Both the concept and the application of Extra Panel are simple: The Extra Panel (R-16) is added in one or more layers behind the exterior panel of any standard Quad-Lock ICF wall during construction. Extra Panels are specially molded to integrate with all other Quad-Lock components, but cannot be mistaken for standard panels.

Extra Panels are reversible (in all directions) to make installation fast and easy. Longer Quad-Lock standard ties (or ones extended with Quad-Lock Extender Ties) accommodate the added thickness of the insulation, without sacrificing the cavity width for concrete. This need has created the added bonus of a new addition to the Quad-Lock product offering, a 14-inch standard tie. (14-inch nominal cavity when used with two 2¼-inch Regular Panels). The new 14-inch tie accommodates both the Extra Panel and a wider range of wall sizes.

Reinforced concrete walls capable of the highest structural loading capacities can be built to yield insulation values ranging from R-22 to R-38, using standard Quad-Lock panels, and from R-38 to R-84 by incorporating the Extra Panel into the wall assembly.

Applications for the Extra Panel are becoming more apparent. For example, the Passivhaus (or net zero energy building) concepts that originated in Germany are gaining popularity worldwide. These structures are built to standards far higher than most building codes in order to consume as little energy as possible for heating, cooling, hot water and lighting.

It was the Passivhaus concept that first introduced the idea of "super-insulation" to the building trades. Extra Panel is designed specifically to fit the Passivhaus, or net zero energy building, models. Other parts of the world are now recognizing that higher levels of insulation than previously thought are necessary to combat severe climatic conditions.

For more information, call 888-711-5625, e-mail or see quadlock.com.