The system behind every Nua Living home
ICF construction, explained properly
Insulated Concrete Formwork is how we build homes that go up in days and stand for generations: a reinforced concrete core, poured on your site, wrapped in continuous insulation on both sides.
FIG. 1 — TYPICAL NUA LIVING ICF WALL SECTION, PLAN VIEW
The wall section that does the work
Concrete core. Insulation both sides. Nothing to blow away.
Most of what's marketed as a "modular home" in Ireland is a timber or steel-framed panel, built off-site and shipped in on a lorry. Nua Living homes use Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) — poured and finished on your own site by Primestructures. Two layers of insulation sandwich a reinforced concrete core, so one wall does three jobs: structure, insulation, and airtightness.
- Built to full residential standardSame Building Control, structural sign-off and BER assessment as any traditional home — not a lighter "garden building" spec.
- Ireland's nZEB minimum is BER A2Nua Living homes are designed to reach A1–A0, the new top tier introduced from 24 May 2026.
- Multi-storey capableUnlike many timber and steel systems, ICF's concrete core carries load well beyond a single storey.
Built to last, not just built fast
How ICF compares
| Feature | Nua Living (ICF) | Timber / steel modular | Traditional blockwork |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it's built | On your site, poured concrete | Off-site, shipped in panels | On your site, block by block |
| Thermal performance | Continuous insulation, high thermal mass | Good, varies widely by spec | Needs added insulation to meet nZEB |
| Multi-storey | Yes, readily | Often limited to 1–2 storeys | Yes |
| Lender familiarity | Concrete-equivalent, well understood | Improving, still inconsistent | Well understood |
| Typical turnkey price | ≈ €1,800–2,600 / m² | €800–3,500+ / m² (wide range) | ≈ €2,200–2,800 / m² |
See it priced for your garden
Every Nua Living home is custom designed and fixed-price. Check your planning position and get honest numbers for your site.
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Frequently asked questions
What is ICF construction?+
Insulated Concrete Formwork uses hollow insulated blocks that lock together like a formwork system, are reinforced with steel rebar, and are then filled with poured concrete. The insulation stays in place permanently, so a single wall provides structure, continuous insulation and airtightness in one operation.
Is ICF better than timber frame?+
They solve different problems. ICF gives you a reinforced concrete structure with high thermal mass, continuous insulation, excellent airtightness and straightforward multi-storey capability, with lender familiarity equivalent to traditional concrete builds. Timber-frame quality varies widely by manufacturer and spec.
How energy efficient is an ICF home?+
The continuous insulation and airtight concrete core give ICF homes 40–60% lower heating use than comparable timber-frame builds in published comparisons (actual results depend on design and spec). Nua Living homes are designed to reach BER A1–A0, above Ireland’s nZEB minimum of A2.
How fast is an ICF build?+
The formwork-based system is quick: Primestructures completes the on-site structural build in 5–10 days once foundations are ready, with design, planning and connections managed before that.