Most building techniques that improve quality or save
energy also increase construction costs. But the frostprotected
shallow foundation (FPS foundation) is an exception:
If you build in an area where frost heaves can cause trouble,
frost-protected shallow foundations enable you to build a higher-
quality, more energy-efficient building for less money than
the traditional deep footing. Now that the technique is being
accepted by the major model codes, it's time for builders to
take a good look at FPS foundations.
How an FPS Foundation Works
The FPS foundation concept is so simple it's surprising
that it hasn't caught on sooner in the United States. Rather
than install our footings below the frostline