ICFs Are Finally Getting LOVE

Twenty-four years ago I saw ICF at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas and I thought it was “pretty cool.” At that moment, I didn’t think it would change my life. I didn’t even think it would change my business. I thought this could be another product I could sell, install, and utilize in conjunction with my real business. Despite the enthusiasm and smooth talking of the BlueMaxx/Arxx salesman, I didn’t see this product going above grade. I couldn’t see this product building high schools, movie theaters, fire stations, and definitely not 26-story hotels and apartments. But here we are.
Within 12 months of that meeting in Vegas, we were fully engaged in the industry that would change not only my business but my LIFE. Year after year I am blown away at the popularity and growth we see in Insulated Concrete Forms. Hold on. I mean, I can see why, but I should say I’m excited to see others finally seeing the advantages of ICF. I feel like year after year we continue to prove the effectiveness and positive attributes of the product for all forms of construction. As an industry, we continue to spread the word via marketing, increased distribution channels, and education. We work with trade schools, colleges, high schools, and even a few junior high schools to bring in the next generation of ICF installers and builders. All of these things continue to grow our loyal following and enlighten new folks to our ways. Still, it comes down to four crucial measures.

Resiliency
Something very topical for a lot of Americans right now is resiliency due to the horrible hurricanes and flooding that we have seen across the US in the last six months. I know I speak for a lot of people in the ICF world when I say I catch myself pulling my hair and yelling at the television, or my phone, “Why didn’t you build with ICF??” I know it’s not realistic to think that everyone can build with ICF, but it hurts to know that a lot of these tragic natural events could have a way better ending for at least some people. I was talking with a friend in the insurance business and he told me how sad it was that companies he works with are pulling out of those areas and are not going to provide homeowners insurance because they know they will just have to do it again in a few years.
I asked if they realized that people do have the option to build a house that will survive a hurricane or flood and they could make that a stipulation of rebuilding in that area. He said they are finally looking into that, but the industry is very slow-moving when it comes to adapting to new concepts. He gave the example of Uber. Ride-sharing companies have been around for almost 15 years and auto insurance companies are still barely figuring out how to insure them. I explained my frustration stems from the fact that we have the option of building a home that will require considerably less money to repair, even if it doesn’t survive in perfect shape, than a house that will be a total loss.

One of the trends we are seeing in disaster areas, including not only hurricane areas but in fire areas, are people forgoing $1,000 to $2,000 per month insurance costs and building a house that they don’t worry about replacing. One example is a house our drafting company just designed in Florida. The client decided to raise the house up and make the entire downstairs a garage that can be opened up on both ends to allow flood waters to pass through without damaging any of the valuables in the home. After the hurricane passes they will hose it out, close it back up, and wait for the next one. He will save $1,200 per month in flood Insurance.

Every year we see more destruction by fires. We saw a local ski resort get evacuated last year just 10 miles from our ICF house. There are 100 or more homes that were in the path of the fire. Thankfully the combination of a few well-timed rain storms and amazing firefighters were able to stop it before any structures were lost. But when this happens, it always makes our phone ring. People in that area realized that building with kindling in a fire area may not be the best idea.

Energy Efficiency and Building Codes
Another growing concern that builders can’t ignore is the constant increase in building codes. Most of us with long gray beards can remember the days of 2×4 exterior wall construction. In most areas of North America, we are now required to use 2×6 for exterior walls at a minimum. And beyond that, we are seeing codes requiring builders to use continuous insulation or “CI.” This basically means you must wrap the exterior with sheets of insulation to add R-value and minimize thermal bridging of the studs. Most areas require R-values of R-19, but there are already areas moving to R-23, mostly in Canada but there is some discussion in colder climates of the US as well. You can be guaranteed that these requirements will continue to climb. That being said, as a builder, you ARE going to change how you build. Whether that is how you build your stick-frame house, or just make the jump to ICF and get 10 years ahead of any foreseeable changes to the codes.

Photo courtesy of Fox Blocks

On the other hand, as a consumer and end user of the home, you have to be worried about rising heating and cooling costs. No matter how you heat or cool your home, there is an expense associated with that. It is very important to create a home that consumes as little
as possible to maintain a comfortable environment in your living area. This is not a new sales feature of ICF. We have sold on operational costs for a long time, but as costs go up, it makes it easier and easier to convert those drafty stick frames to airtight insulated concrete forms.

Innovation
A really cool reason for this popularity boom is all the innovation we are seeing in our industry. Every time you turn around you see new products related to ICF. Everything from accessories to make the install easier to partner products like fiberglass rebar and Helix Micro Rebar to new and improved ICF blocks. You know an industry is on its way up when other companies are working to get out products that work specifically into that industry. I look back to the day Simpson came out with the first ICFVL for hanging ledger boards for floor systems. I remember saying to some other OG ICF guys, “Wow….we made it…Simpson made us a hanger!” Now you have other companies out there making hangers, such as Burmon, Watkins, and Nudura, just to name a few. We are really growing up.
Nudura Western Division Key Account Manager Cameron Ware said, “We are maturing as an industry. We are past the gangly teenager stage and it’s good to see.” He also talked about 30 or more years and multiple companies that have come and gone, which worked out a lot of kinks in our industry. Sometimes it’s better to not be the first guy to do something. “A lot of times the first person that tries to swim to shore doesn’t make it,” he joked.

Education
The fourth leg of this massive table of growth for the ICF industry is education. Yes, that in its simplest form refers to training installers to execute good, straight, plumb, and square walls. We can sell all the block we can produce, but if we don’t have well-trained tradespeople to provide the labor needed to seal the deal, it’s all for not. Luckily, we have seen huge increases in attendance to trainings all over the country. We are not only allowed in but approached by trade schools and tech programs to certify students in ICF installation. But it’s not limited to that.

Probably one of the most prolific educators in the ICF world is Alfonso Nieves. Alfonso is a regional advisor for Fox Block and is well-known for packing a room for his training classes. But he is seeing some changes in his students lately. Alfonso told me, “I’m seeing more homeowners coming to my classes to learn about ICF and take that information back to their general contractor. My last class was half homeowners and those were split 50/50 between young couples and older retirees.” He also expressed his excitement that there are some other important attendees as of late. “There are a growing number of subcontractors, electricians for example, as well as building officials and inspectors. It’s not just installers anymore.”

Outside of in-person classes, a lot of manufacturers offer a form of online training via their websites or webinars. Also, you can regularly see ICF represented on TV thanks to HGTV and DIYTV. Then if you really want to go down the ICF rabbit hole, a quick search of “ICF Construction” on YouTube will provide you with pages and pages of videos, some with hundreds of thousands of views. Now let me insert a disclaimer here . . . just because someone has a video on YouTube does NOT mean they are a qualified expert on anything. Please verify the source and work with a local professional before you take on any ICF project.
If we want to see continued success in our industry everything in this article has to be conveyed to the end user, builders, engineers, architects, drafters, and building officials. If we don’t educate everyone we can about the benefits that we are so proud of, we won’t continue to see the results we are seeing. We are stoked about the growth of ICF, but this is just the beginning of what we have to offer to the building industry. We are debatably 10% of the market. That leaves us 90% yet to conquer. That is a lot of potential business for all of us. Come on! Show us the LOVE!