The Abode at White Rock in Dallas, Texas, was the MultiFamily Low-Rise 1st Runner Up and the winner of the People’s Choice Award in the 2026 ICF Builder Awards. This residential community of eight single-family homes boasts several sustainable features including cisterns for water collection, solar, and EV chargers.

When Hoffmann Homes and 4Tree Development LLC broke ground on a narrow infill site in east Dallas, they had a vision for single-family detached homes organized around a shared central green space known as a “pocket park,” built entirely with Fox Blocks by Airlite Plastics ICFs and designed to achieve Net Zero Ready performance. The resulting Abode at White Rock project sold seven of its eight homes before construction wrapped. Hoffmann Homes has more than 30 years of ICF construction experience. “The contractor has worked with the builders and developer for over 20 years,” said Mike Kennaw, the Fox Blocks representative on the project. “The decision was made due to this long-existing relationship.”

Construction and Site Challenges
Abode at White Rock occupies an infill site under a unique Dallas zoning designation called a Shared Access Development, which allows increased density without requiring city council approval. “As this type of development is still relatively uncommon in Dallas, the project team encountered a number of hurdles working with various city departments that were not fully familiar with its requirements,” said Kennaw. Several homes sold directly from plans, with buyers confident in the quality demonstrated by the first completed model home. Four of the first five builds sold before construction even started.

Drainage and grading presented the most demanding site-specific challenge. The city required stormwater flow to be redirected and building pads on the eastern portion of the site to be elevated. “Although this added complexity during development, it ultimately led to an unexpected benefit: improved rainwater collection,” said Kennaw. “With elevated rooflines on that portion of the site, the team was able to capture runoff from three homes into a shared 20,000-gallon above-ground cistern. This system now provides irrigation for the community landscaping, supporting both environmental sustainability and long-term cost savings for residents.”

Kennaw went on to say that the builder and developer viewed this project as a chance to integrate many years of experience in ICF construction into a forward-thinking, high-performance residential community.
ICF installation was completed in just 14 days over two pours, with structural inspections between pours. While the team notes that ICFs did not necessarily save construction time in this case, they represent a clear improvement over other masonry systems, and a dramatic improvement in thermal, acoustic, and structural performance.

Architecture and Design
The eight homes at Abode at White Rock are arranged in a “Mews” configuration in which all homes face inward toward a central green space called a pocket park. This orientation creates a sense of a neighborhood while still allowing each home to have a substantial private yard, large enough to accommodate a pool. Two homes feature built-in pools.
All floor plans have large south-facing windows that maximize natural light and optimize solar gain. “On the north side, strategically placed obscured glass preserves privacy between homes—achieving greater privacy on narrow lots than is typically found in wider lot subdivisions,” said Kennaw.

All homes feature open-concept layouts and place the primary bedroom on the main floor (with one exception), with additional bedrooms that flex as guest rooms or home offices. Aging-in-place principles are used throughout the interior design.

Each home also includes a dual-purpose ICF saferoom and pantry. Having a safe room is a feature that homeowners have identified as one of the most appreciated in the community. “Homeowners express a strong sense of security knowing their homes are built to withstand both environmental and structural challenges,” said Kennaw.

Sustainability and Energy Performance
Abode at White Rock was designed from the ground up as a Net Zero Ready community, and several homes have already achieved full Net Zero. One recently completed home features a 32 kW solar array paired with 45 kWh of iron phosphate battery storage. Before solar, it earned a HERS score of 46 and holds Energy Star, DOE Net Zero Ready, and Energy Star Indoor airPLUS certifications. Another completed home achieved equivalent certifications without solar. “Two homes have fully offset their electrical consumption through solar and battery storage, achieving true Net Zero performance,” said Kennaw.

The 20,000-gallon cistern captures rainwater from three rooftops to irrigate shared landscaping, offsetting municipal water use and managing stormwater runoff. Every home is wired with a Level 2 EV charger, and one home includes a complete battery backup system independent of solar.

Hoffmann Homes has built exclusively with ICFs for more than 30 years. The firm’s principal, Alan Hoffmann, is a past president of the Dallas Builders Association and a Life Director and member of both the Texas Association of Builders and NAHB. The project was launched through Zillow and direct outreach to East Dallas realtors, with on-site tours to introduce the community concept. It was selected for inclusion in the Dallas Builders Association Parade of Homes, where it drew strong interest from industry professionals and the public. Multiple local broadcast news stories covered the development’s innovative design and sustainability focus.

Residents consistently cite the quiet comfort of ICF construction, the resilience of their homes in severe weather, low energy costs, and the safety provided by the ICF safe room as the features they most love about their homes.
“From the outset, there was never any consideration of using an alternative building system,” said Kennaw. “Their long-standing commitment to ICF construction is rooted in its proven performance, energy efficiency, durability, and safety. Hoffmann Homes remains fully dedicated to using ICFs as the foundation for all of its residential projects, reflecting a consistent philosophy of building better, stronger, and more sustainable homes.”