Introducing New Industry Organization WICFA

WICFA?? What’s WICFA??
I have heard that a few times over the last couple of months. In this article, I will explain.
For years, those of us who have been in the trenches — builders, manufacturers, engineers, distributors, and advocates — have known what ICF can do. We’ve seen it firsthand: stronger homes, safer communities, dramatically better energy performance, and real resilience against fire, wind, and extreme weather. We’ve watched homeowners become believers after living in an ICF home for just one season. And yet, despite all of that, the industry is still not where it should be. ICF is still too often misunderstood. Too often overlooked. Too often left out of the conversation when decisions are being made about building codes, insurance risk, disaster mitigation, and long-term housing policy.

That’s exactly why a group of industry professionals launched the World Insulated Concrete Form Association (WICFA).

Why WICFA Exists
WICFA was created to do one simple but powerful thing: bring the entire ICF industry together under one unified LOUD voice.
Not fragmented. Not competing for attention. Not trolling each other in online chats.

Unified and playing in the same sandbox. Because here’s the hard truth: ICF doesn’t have a product problem — it has a visibility and positioning problem. We’re not losing because the solution isn’t good enough. We’re losing ground because we haven’t told our story loudly enough, clearly enough, or consistently enough to the people who matter most: Builders outside our niche, code officials, insurance carriers, policymakers, and ultimately, home buyers.

Raising the Tide for the Entire Industry
You’ve probably heard the phrase “a rising tide lifts all boats.”
That is a nice saying, but it is also the entire strategy behind WICFA. We’re not trying to put one brand against another or trying to help one system get more market share. We’re doing this so we can expand the entire pie. A bigger pie, with bigger slices of the pie, is better for all of us.

When more people understand ICF… When more builders feel confident using it… When more engineers specify it… When more insurers recognize its risk-reduction benefits… Everybody wins. Manufacturers sell more product. Builders win more jobs. Distributors move more material. And homeowners get better, safer, more efficient homes. That’s what WICFA is built to do.

WICFA’s Core Focus Areas
WICFA is focused on four key pillars:

1. Public Relations
   We need to control the narrative. Right now, most of the building world is still dominated by outdated assumptions — especially around wood framing (firewood). Meanwhile, ICF’s advantages often go underreported or misunderstood.
   WICFA is actively working to change that by working with other large trade organizations like the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the National Ready Mix Concrete Association (NRMCA), and the Insulated Concrete Form Manufacturer Association (ICFMA). And that’s just the beginning. Our plan includes getting ICF featured in mainstream construction media and highlighting real-world success stories. We also plan to promote data-driven performance results to positioning ICF as a modern solution, not a niche alternative. This is about making ICF part of the everyday construction conversation.
2. Advocacy
   Advocacy is the active support, pleading, or arguing in favor of a specific cause, policy, or person to influence decisions or create change.  I put the definition there because I didn’t really know what it meant until years ago, when I began to get very involved at the NAHB. A better definition I got from a guy a lot more like me said, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” We WILL put ICF at the table!
   Building codes, zoning policies, and government incentives are constantly evolving—and they directly impact how and what gets built.
   WICFA is stepping up to the table to engage with policymakers at the local, state, national, and international level, advocate for resilient building standards, support code inclusion and fair treatment of ICF systems, and ensure our industry has a voice when decisions are made.
   Because the future of construction is being shaped right now—and we intend to be part of that process.
3. Awareness & Education
   There are still too many people who either don’t know what ICF is or think it’s too complicated, too expensive, or too niche. That’s a problem, but it’s fixable.
   WICFA is focused on builder education and training, engineer outreach and specification support, consumer-facing awareness campaigns, clear, simple messaging that makes ICF easy to understand. No more shotgun effect, we will be snipers hitting targets that will get results.
4. Industry Unity
   This might be the most important piece. For too long, parts of the ICF industry have operated independently — each doing good work, but not always aligned.
   WICFA is bringing everyone together including manufacturers, installers, builders, engineers, and distributors
   Because when we move together, we move faster and we go further.

Why This Moment Matters
Look around. Wildfires are reshaping entire regions. Insurance companies are pulling out of high-risk markets. Energy costs continue to rise. Homeowners are demanding better performance, not just lower upfront cost. The traditional way of building is being questioned — and in many cases, it’s being exposed.
This is the moment ICF has been waiting for. Fire resistance. Structural strength. Energy efficiency. Durability. We don’t need to stretch the truth, we just need to make sure the truth is heard. But moments like this don’t last forever, so we need to take action now. If we don’t step up and lead the conversation now, someone else will. And it won’t be in our favor.

This Isn’t a Spectator Sport
We’re not inviting you to stand back and read about WICFA or sit back and watch the press releases go out. We’re inviting you to participate. If you’re in this industry at any level, you have a role to play:

• Share the message
• Talk to your network
• Educate your clients
• Support the movement
• And yes, become a member
  Because this only works if we build momentum. And momentum comes from a unified industry pushing in the same direction.

Looking Ahead
This column, which I’m calling What’s Up @ WICFA?, is just getting started. In future issues, we’re going to pull back the curtain and show you exactly what WICFA is doing, including advocacy efforts and policy engagement, and PR campaigns and media placements. We’re also developing industry partnerships and education initiatives, and real progress is being made behind the scenes.

Final Thought
I’ve been in this industry long enough to know one thing for certain: ICF is not the future of construction. ICF is the present. It’s ready now, it’s just waiting to be fully recognized. WICFA was created to accelerate that recognition. But we can’t do it alone.
So if you believe in what ICF can do — if you’ve seen it, built with it, or benefited from it — now’s the time to step up.
Join us! Support the mission and help us raise the tide for this entire industry. Because when we get this right, the impact goes far beyond our businesses. It changes how the world builds. Build Stronger, Build Smarter, Build With ICF! Join at www.wicfa.org.