QUESTION: I am looking at various construction options for our new house. I like concrete for its strength, efficiency and abundant materials. What are some of the common ways concrete can be used for homes?ANSWER: For all of the reasons you mentioned, concrete is perhaps the best of all building materials for homes. You have probably seen many homes with a basic concrete construction, but did not notice them.Other than the fact they will still be standing after a tornado or hurricane, they look like any other stick-built home.People don't often think of concrete as being energy efficient, but concrete homes are some of the most efficient. The concrete itself provides the airtightness and rigidity for the structure. Exterior insulation, usually rigid foam, provides the efficient thermal barrier.With the heavy mass of the concrete, these homes are comfortable and quiet to live in. Quite a few options are available for residential concrete construction.Concrete panels have been used in Europe for many years and are becoming more popular here. Large wall panels, with the windows and door openings, form the exterior envelop of the house. The insulation is usually fixed to the exterior of the walls and the interior is finished conventionally.The panels can be manufactured to your building plans in a factory and shipped by truck to your building site. Another option is to first pour the foundation and slab at your building site. The wall forms are placed on the slab and the concrete wall panels are cast right there.With either method, it requires a crane to lift the wall panels into place.Another panel option uses a thick foam panel with a wire mesh attached to the sides. Concrete is sprayed (called shotcrete) over the wire mesh to create a solid wall. Depending upon the thickness of the foam in the center, the wall insulation R-value can be as high as you like. This method allows for the most design flexibility and smooth, unique wall curves and contours.A newer option uses autoclaved aerated concrete blocks. The concrete is made using fine aggregate cement and an expansion material. Through the use of heat, the material expands to create tiny air cells as it cures.As much as 80 percent of the block is air, which is a good insulator.The blocks are assembled with mortar similarly to any concrete block wall.The insulated concrete form method is very popular now. This uses hollow foam insulation blocks which are stacked together or large foam panels with ties between them. Using a pump truck, the cement is poured into the top of the blocks or panels and it fills the interior. When it sets, the insulated walls have a seamless, strong concrete core.The following companies offer concrete construction systems: Aercon Florida, (863) 422-6360, www.aerconfl.com; American Insulock, (602) 309-1177, www.insulock.com; Impac International, (800) 227-9591, www.impac-international.com; Perma-Crete, (800) 607-3762 www.permacrete.com; and Tierra Concrete Homes, (800-373-9930, www.tierraconcretehomes.com.Send inquiries to James Dulley, Butler Eagle, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.

QUESTION: I just bought an older all-electric home which has an electric furnace and central air-conditioning. Is it possible to convert the house to use gas or oil for heating and is this a good idea?ANSWER: Sure, it can be done. If your house has an electric furnace and air-conditioning, then it has ductwork which is required for a gas or oil furnace. Using gas or oil will lower your heating bills.Plan on spending several thousand dollars to install the new furnace. Be sure to have your contractor do a payback analysis. If you also have to replace an old central air-conditioner, consider staying all-electric and installing a geothermal heat pump.