As insulating concrete forms coast toward mainstream building, foam fabricators, block/panel distributors, ready mixed producers and other ICF method stakeholders can look back on 2003 as a year when the technical and marketing factors that drive market acceptance converged.

Standardization and market development hurdles often mean long acceptance periods for building technologies. The ICF method is no exception. It has been the subject of local and regional promotion efforts — touting the product's potential in above-grade residential walls — for more than a decade. In that time, promotion-savvy ready mixed producers (Wisconsin's Alby Materials, Minnesota's Cemstone Products, Washington's Glacier Northwest, and California's Livingston's Concrete Service) have advanced the cause by becoming ICF distributors and approaching the business with a long-term view.

Demonstration ICF homes and related promotion by these and many other producers and their state organizations have progressed alongside the Insulating Concrete Form Association's 1994 chartering; ICF fabrication business maturation; formwork harmonization with truss, electrical and other stock building components; and systems' gradual acceptance in residential building codes. These have set the stage for a flourish of positive activity moving into 2004:

ASTM International. As noted on page 6, ASTM Committee E06 on Performance of Buildings has enlisted ICF manufacturers, code officials, material suppliers, installers and distributors in a task group charged with developing a standard specification. It will provide requirements ICF systems need to perform in residential and commercial construction. An E06 subcommittee initiated the task group to define a consistent product for inclusion in residential and commercial codes.

Construction Specifications Institute. CSI, whose MasterFormat reference is to commercial construction products what American Concrete Institute Committee reports are to slab and structure contract language, is finalizing an ICF draft document in advance of an April meeting. It will become a MasterFormat Division 3 (Concrete) reference — a move ICFA assures will bring more credibility to construction professionals who write insulating forms into project specifications.

Concrete Home Building Council. ICF stakeholders and those behind competing concrete methods applicable to above-grade residential walls took a step forward in late December, when the National Association of Home Builders announced the addition of CHBC to its Building Systems Council. With six sub-councils, the BSC is described as “An association of log, modular and panel manufacturers, associate suppliers and builders who promote the building systems process and address today's housing needs.”

The 220,000-member, Washington, D.C.-based NAHB will add a full-time staffer dedicated to CHBC. That position has been created with seed money from charter council members, who in addition to ICFA and Portland Cement Association are Concrete Foundations Association/Concrete Home Council and Precast/ Prestressed Concrete Institute. PCA worked on the CHBC creation through a former National Ready Mixed Concrete Association manager, Mark Pursell, now NAHB senior staff vice president of marketing. The CHBC will coordinate promotion and educational projects during four meetings throughout the year, and have three BSC trustees (one PCA, two rotating from other groups).

2004 New American Home. Balancing interests of its member groups, the CHBC will promote projects like the one covered on page 72, combining ICF, premium concrete masonry and architectural flatwork. This year's New American Home is the first in 10 years to have concrete walls. CHBC members' product development and promotion since 1994 should ensure that the door to the above-grade residential wall market will open wider for concrete.

e-mail: dmarsh@primediabusiness.com