My previous article, "An Architects Perspective" (April/May 2011, available online at www.icfmag.com), has generated a substantial amount of response, some positive, some negative. Either way it is always nice to know that my articles are read, and it's exciting to see the devotion from the members of this industry.
That article was intended to be an informational article about how sales teams should approach an architect when presenting their system. I wanted to present the thoughts many design professionals are either asking themselves or their associates.
In this story, I want to point out that architects and designers also have significant responsibilities. When it comes to integrating ICF systems into their designs, improper follow-through by the architect can be just as deadly, and often can be more destructive than a distributor's failure to adequately support their product.
Education is Crucial
The design team needs to be committed to an ICF system early on, from conceptual design through the final construction documents. It doesn't matter if the owner and/or contractor want ICFs, if the design team is not on board, it will either never make it onto the plans or it will be the first thing to be removed during cost cutting.
The key is helping the architect truly understand ICFs; both how they're built and how they function. This education is not just from a "lunch-and-learn", opening a book or a little research online – it must come from those that have experience designing or installing ICFs. My best feedback comes from the field as it relates to what works, what doesn't work and what is most cost effective. This feedback can then be integrated into the plans for less waste, into the details for clearer construction methods, and ultimately building continuity between the design and building teams.
However, the architect does not need just to be educated; they must also be the educator. Internally, the design and management staff must train the support staff. Drafting personnel need to understand what they are drawing and clerical personnel need to understand what is being specified in order to field questions when they come in. Similarly, the design staff needs to be able to understand the different sizes, heights, widths and capabilities of the ICF systems on the market so their designs can be accommodating to each. Also, those designs sometimes change from one ICF system to another after bidding. Are those nuances taken into account?
Design professionals need to know the intricacies of an ICF system in order to integrate the best ICF block for the design. Less waste is paramount to today's sustainable design requirements. Wanting a 9' ceiling from a 16" tall block doesn't work well without waste – but an 18" tall block would. Also, block options such as 'T' walls, curves, angles, reversible, etc. can be very important. Availability is also a key in the selection. How far does the block have to travel to get to the site and what are those costs?
Consultants are Key
The design professional must ensure the consultants he deals with also understand how ICFs work. Structural engineers often make or break a project's budget. They also play a major role in how easily the job can be built. For instance, a cluster of six #5 rebars installed vertically in a 4" core ICF is easy to specify, but in the field it just won't work. But I have seen it on drawings.
The mechanical, plumbing and electrical design team also need to be trained. Mechanical systems must be designed with the R-Value and thermal mass taken into consideration. The architect and the plumbing designer need to work together to determine locations of waste and vent piping. A 4" waste pipe just doesn't fit into 2½" EPS, but a 1½" vent works fine. That 4" pipe could be in a stud wall adjacent to the ICF wall, or the wall could be furred out to accommodate it.
Electrical systems have their own challenges. I recently had an electrician who complained to the GC that he was spending too much time installing the wiring in the ICF walls and was going to have to charge extra. I met him at the site and noticed that he was removing the EPS by hand. He would score it with a chisel and remove it with pliers. I asked him if he had a hot knife and he said yes. However, he thought it only worked for the "stucco foam" and didn't think it would work on the "concrete foam". I assured him it would be fine. Three days later he called me and asked to bid on my next ICF project. Some would argue that wasn't my job, but an hour of my time saved my client money and kept some harmony on the jobsite.
Follow-Through
Design professionals must follow through from concept to construction. ICFs are no different than any other building component; when designed correctly, they work correctly. The first few projects take a little extra T.L.C.
I have seen many plans that specify ICFs but show a CMU type wall in the plans. An 8" CMU wall can not be represented as a 6" core ICF (usually about 11" total thickness). It is confusing to the engineering team, the trades and the municipalities.
I was brought in as a consultant for one project after it was well underway with this exact scenario. The structural engineer had steel lintels over the "masonry openings" and the mechanical engineer calculated the HVAC as CMU – plus many other issues. The root cause was that the architect had never properly conveyed the ICF information to the consultants, verbally or graphically. They ended up having to re-engineer the building and the architect had to absorb the cost of that change.
Value Engineering
Designers should understand value engineering, and use it on all their ICF projects. Simply put, value engineering is the process of saving money for the client once the design is complete.
Many aspects of a project can be over designed, and proper understanding of the ICF system will identify these points during the VE process and reduce or eliminate them.
For example, a 2,500 sq. ft. home I was involved with was originally specc'd with a 6-ton HVAC system. This meant 2 A/C units which pushed the electrical requirement to a 400 amp service. We ran the calculations again, and found that thanks to ICF's insulation value, the building needed only a 3.5-ton unit and a 200 amp service. This simple step saved the client about $15,000 and didn't change the building design at all.
As design professionals, our clients trust our guidance. Remember, happy clients are return clients.
Keep it Simple
The old acronym – KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) works
well here. While the design does not have to be simple, the processes should be. The easier we make it for those that come into contact with our drawings, the easier their understanding is and the smoother the process works. When you have a smooth design and construction process you have less call-backs, Requests
For Information (RFIs), inspector issues and in many cases, liability. These things mean fewer costs for the designer, and larger
potential profits.
As with anything, there are many more areas of education, training and coordination. Plus each design project is unique. Improper design understanding in the beginning can make a project fail long before the pen hits the paper. Architects are the first line of defense when issues arise and by understanding the systems, it creates peace of mind with the contractors, owners and municipalities. Making sure a project runs smooth for all parties involved will make them more likely to want to do it again – this is the Architects' Responsibility.
Robert J. Klob is President of Robert Klob Designs, Inc., a full service residential design firm specializing in ICF design. He can be reached at www.rkdzns.com, 866-584-2474 or robk@rkdzns.com.
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