I am wondering if anyone has used a masonry heater or a russian stove for heat.  I am trying to find a course to take learning either and would like to know if anyone has used one with ICF and with what results.  I'd also love to hear peoples thoughts on why north american construction hardly uses this technology anymore? 

where I live there is a local mason group that has placed a lot of Russian stoves. They work great, a very hot flash fire very clean burn, and the masonry mass radiates heat for 12+ hours. Very cost effective. These stoves also have things like bread or Pizza ovens built in place. I have installed several radiant floor systems around these units. Local Seattle code will not permit wood as primary heat source, When coupled with in floor radiant a copper coil can be added in a sand bed captured in the masonry above the burn chamber, I have used a Johnson set point control to trigger a pump at 110 then fluid is moved to the boiler room and placed in the low temp secondary loop. This is specific to a larger home or rambler type where the heat from the stove can not reach all corners/floors of the house, thermostats still are working to spread heat through the in floor system and also bank heat in the light weight cement or gypecreat of the house. A preheat coil can also be placed for domestic h20, We have done this with convection by having the water heater above the cooper loop (second floor). Russian stoves are a great way to heat, drawback is they are costly and occupy a large area. But if you are into wood heat, it is a good choice.
Dan

It is a shame more people don't put Masonry Heaters into their homes! These fireplaces are flat amazing. They are completely green in every aspect: high efficiency, 100% renewable resource usage, and gentle, radiant heating! I would recommend not trying to build a Masonry Heater yourself unless you have extensively researched them and also have experience behind the trowel. If not, hire a Masonry Heater professional!

Mastercraft Masonry
Professional Masonry Since 1974

Builditsolar.com has masonry heater links that will keep you occupied for many nights http://builditsolar.com/Projects/BioFuel/biofuels.htm week. In particular, Hearth.com is the place to take wood burning questions. My quest is to connect a wood stove backboiler to a radiant slab via thermosiphon and indirect tank. (Gonna have plenty of mass in my passive solar house without building a russian stove.) The goal would the same happy combination of hot, efficient burns and lingering heat. Alas, the Internet only tantalizes. There are literally hundreds of these stove sold in Europe, but no one has sought EPA certification for them here. Arghh!

I live in NJ and I am building a masonry heater in my home. The project is underway.
Check out
http://mainewoodheat.com/
they sell all the pieces that one would need to build one. They have a crew that builds them also.
here is the first base course of brick for the masonry heater. the project has been on hold for a week or 2 because some pay jobs came in.