From the Las Vegas Business Press: Two public projects in Las Vegas are catching the LEED-certification wave by using insulated concrete forms that save 45% to 50% in energy costs and provide a fire resistance rating of two to four hours, the building contractor said.

Fire stations are being built with a product called Fox Blocks for exterior walls.

The bulk environmental footprint of a fire station is the energy consumed to heat and cool the structure. Insulated concrete walls reduce heating and cooling loads by 46 percent every month for the lifetime of the building, he said.