Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. Sometimes homeowners must spend money to save money.

Low interest rates are helping buyers get into new homes, but new homes are also more expensive - at least $26,300 more than the price of an existing home, according to comparisons of new and existing homes sold in 2001.

But newer building products can offset some costs, if buyers are informed that they have such choices.

Concrete form housing, for example, can do anything a stick-built home can do. It can enable homeowners to save as much as 25 percent to 50 percent in energy costs over steel or wood-frame housing. Concrete form housing is quieter, allowing one-third the outside noise to penetrate inside walls as other kinds of residential building. And they are safer in every kind of catastrophe from fires to tornadoes to flooding.

Because of its energy-saving materials, concrete form housing can even receive the coveted Energy Star label, says U.S. Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson Andrea Sarubbi.

"Energy Star-labeled homes operate at least 30 percent more efficiently and can save homeowners $200 to $400 per year in energy costs," says Sarubbi. "In addition, just one Energy Star labeled home keeps 4,500 pounds of greenhouse gases out of the air every year. Twenty percent of all air pollution is generated from the energy used in houses. Energy Star labeled homes consume less energy, so homeowners not only save money, but they also help protect the environment."

While concrete housing has seen a rise in popularity, it is still far from a mainstream building choice. Why? Most consumers don't know they exist.

Builder blocks

"The problem is change," explains Tom Evans, promotion director for the Maryland Ready Mix Concrete Association and Promotion Council, "it's a different process of building a home. When you use a form, you are putting up studding for attaching vinyl siding and insulation and structural wall all in one process, so the subtrades are looking at something new when they come to wire the house."

"It may not add as many benefits to the builder," continues Evans, "he has to teach subcontractors new things. But once they are taught, the tooling is easier."

That's one reason why concrete form homes are five to ten percent more expensive than stick-built homes.

Consumer misconceptions

Concrete form housing sounds like you're building a home with all the ambiance of a high school gymnasium, but concrete forms are far more cozy than that.

"Consumers think a concrete home will be dank and musty like a basement," says Mike Collignon, spokesperson for the Portland Cement Association. "But that's not the case, when you are walking through a finished concrete home, you can't tell any difference except for the windowsills - they are deeper."

Consumers may also be put off by the drawbacks. Concrete form homes are more difficult to remodel. A few homes have been built with some mistakes. And while they do result in lower energy bills, concrete form homes don't get much respect yet from insurers.

"Insurance companies, have not created a new category to accommodate ICFs or removable forms," says Evans, "however, we have seen some agents in the fields who will write the policies. They will classify your concrete home as a masonry home, and I have heard of savings up to 25 percent. We have had State Farm, Farmers, and recently we have made some headway with Allstate insurance, but it will depend on the field agent in the end.

"The negative side is we are becoming innocent casualties in California and Texas where many of these same major insurers have refused to write new policies because of mold. As a result the concrete homeowner has suffered," he adds

Yet, word of mouth is building, and concrete form housing is getting more support from builders and building associations.

"There are trade associations for the individual building systems where they have a member list of contractors and distributors," says Evans.

For more information, contact Concrete Homes Council, the Insulating Concrete Form Association, and the Concrete Foundation Association.