I am an architecture graduate student at the University of Oregon and am doing a research project on ICFs which involves comparing various ICF techniques/products with various alternative technologies (various stick framing, SIP?, CMU, standard concrete forming).  I am examining the following aspects: embodied energy, energy performance/savings, material consumption, waste, material cost, labor cost, durability (lifespan) and anything else that would impact overall cost or environmental impact in a life-cycle type way.

At the moment, I am trying to sort through all the various ICF products and their specific differences and pros/cons.  Ultimately, I'm looking for a representative sampling of products that exhibit variation in the following areas:
embodied energy
environmental impact of materials used (ie - recycled or non-petroleum)
energy performance
cost

Maybe a single product in each of the following categories: Lowest installation cost (easiest to work with), Best materials (lowest embodied energy, most recycled, least petroleum), Highest energy performance, any others?

I would like to pick a few products that cover the spectrum of available options without examining every single product.  I also will need to obtain (or estimate) basic data/numbers (embodied energy, cost, energy performance) to complete the comparison, so brand-new products and totally untested things are less desirable.

The overall goal of the project will be to create some basic cost/performance/energy-savings charts and graphs that incorporate life-cycle and integrated system approaches.  The ultimate product of my work will be determined based on the various data I can find.

In addition to recommendations of 'representative' products, I am also open to a specific direction to take the project or other general advice anybody has.

Thanks
Aaron

Aaron,
You are probably going to get a lot or responses to your post.. However, I don't think anyone will be able to answer your questions completely. Mainly because some of your questions will have different answers for each respondant, others will have only subjective responses, and still others have no answers because no one has ever looked for the answer. A lot of what you want can only be found by performing objective testing of products in controlled settings. More of the answers can only come after years of 'real world' testing. And still other answers will have to have methods of testing developed before your answers can be found. Finally, when all this said and done, will it have any effect on the 'real world'? Doubtful.

I have been making progress on my ICF research project and am at a point where I think I have some specific questions that people can hopefully help me with. 

Looking at this article/study: http://www.concretethinker.com/energymodels/Residential-Energy-Model-Overview.aspx
This document has the sections/details: http://www.concretethinker.com/Content%5CUpload%5C296.pdf

I'm trying to get general cost estimates for the various walls modeled in this study.  I have access to the 2009 RS Means Assemblies, though it doesn't include ICFs, Sandwich panels, 2x8 or 2x12, etc.  I am interested in the relative differences in cost of the various wall assemblies used in this study and hope that some of you with real experience can help me find basic cost / s.f. of wall so I can do an accurate cost comparison and life-cycle analysis for these various wall systems.

I would be happy to entertain a range of costs for various walls, so feel free to discuss/debate your opinions and I can sort it all out.

Thanks,
Aaron