Composite foundation walls
http://www.compositepanelsystems.com/
https://nectfoundations.com/
Someone recently pointed me to these sites and asked my opinion on this composite alternative to concrete foundations. I know the topic of reducing concrete use comes up on GBA often due to its huge negative environmental impact, but I haven’t seen any mention of this type of product. On the surface, it seems like an awesome substitution as it incorporates both insulation and a vapor barrier into the design, is much lighter for transport and may potentially be less energy intensive to produce.
Being a new product with very little feedback or longterm info, I’d be concerned with sealing the panels to each other (maintaining water and vapor imperviousness) as well other degradation issues. Additionally, is there any way to compare it’s carbon footprint to concrete?
That being said, I’m interested in hearing other people’s thoughts on this.
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Hi Igrigos.
I'm going to take a closer look at the links you sent as soon as I have some time. For now, I'm giving your post a bump, hoping maybe someone else has some experience or knowledge to share.
We had a crumbling foundation and chose a composite foundation instead of concrete as a replacement. The replacement panels have been up for almost a year now and we have found our heating costs are lower, it blocks moisture and as a result, we have no mold or mildew. The step-by-step installation was meticulous and the structural strength of the composite is reinforced by concrete footings. A high performance drainage system was installed to insure that the moisture was guided away from the walls of the composite foundation. We are very happy with our decision and have pictures from day 1 to the end result. It is an amazing product and we couldn’t be happier.