Foam homes facts

Monday, June 2, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

A brief history of polystyrene used in the construction of buildings:

* 1970S: The first stay-in-place polystyrene walls are developed in Europe. Various companies, employing plastic foam as a permanent part of a wall, come on line to further develop the technology.

* 1992: The National Association of Home Builders constructs the basement of a test home in Bowie, Md., using foam forms reinforced with steel and filled with concrete. Note: Although the experimental roof constructed of 52 percent recycled computer casings had to be modified, there were no problems with the foam basement.

* 1993: Austin/Cina Architects of Tacoma, Wash., builds an addition to the First Lutheran Church of Port Orchard, Wash., with polystyrene blocks.

* 1994: McLarand, Vasquez & Partners of Costa Mesa, Calif., uses stay-in-place foam forms for its New American Home Project. The foam is fabricated in part from recycled polystyrene -- old hamburger containers, coffee cups, etc. The project is featured at the NAHB show that February in Las Vegas.

* 1996: The NAHB builds four townhomes in Bowie, Md., three with basements constructed of polystyrene blocks and one built to the gable with the material. RJB Construction of Las Vegas builds the Salvation Army's 10,560-square-foot Pathways building out of steel-reinforced, concrete-filled plastic foam manufactured by American PolySteel Forms.

* 1997: RJB builds four luxury homes on Maverick Street constructed of steel-reinforced, concrete-filled foam forms.