Description of Manufactured Building Materials

There are quite a few systems of building that are based on special manufactured products. These systems could be considered "alternative" since they do not represent typical, mainstream building techniques. While dreamgreenhomes.com is mostly interested in promoting ways of building that utilize natural materials that require little industrial processing and transportation, it is recognized that not everybody wants a house that is made of dirt, straw, field stones, curved tree parts, etc.

	Image courtesy of Polysteel

It is a fact that many of the manufactured systems, once the house has been created, provide an excellent, durable, energy-efficient domicile. Even though the house may be constructed of considerable steel, cement, synthetic insulation, or other materials that are high in "embodied energy," over the lifetime of the house the energy saved in comparison to more conventional construction may be considerable. For this reason, I have included many plans that utilize a variety of these manufactured systems. I am not promoting any particular one, nor do I receive any money from any of the manufacturers of these products for including them here. I believe in being fully informed about all possible ways of building.

	Image courtesy of Sipsco

The main categories of manufactured products for building that you will find here are: Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC), Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF's), Structural Insulated Panels (SIP's), Shotcrete, and Steel. For more information about these various products go the specific pages that describe them.

	Image courtesy of Sipcrete

	Image courtesy of www.onestopdesignbuild.com