Almost a full year after Katrina, the ICF industry still hasn’t seen the massive growth that many expected would follow in its wake.
Steve Reiter, vice president of marketing for Greenblock Worldwide, attended a building symposium in Louisiana last month, and reports that, “The situation down there is still somewhat unclear.”
“There’s still a big clean-up process going on,” he says. “It’s going to be a huge cooperative effort over the next several years to get the region back on its feet.”
Still, he says that there was a tremendous amount of interest in building services.
“There is a lot of activity going on along the coast. We’re talking about billion-dollar, master-planned cities right along the ocean. They’re already talking about building with hurricane-proof structures, and ICFs are part of that.”
Janet Albright, accessories manager for Owens Corning, say her company has recently launched a new ad campaign in the area to increase interest for their Fold-Form ICF. “The immediate need in the hurricane zone is extreme,” she says. “There’s 160,000 homes that need to be rebuilt in Florida, and another 140,000 in Mississippi.” That’s in addition to the 150,000 Alabama and 200,000 in Louisiana that will need replacing.
Part of the problem is that the nation’s largest homebuilders, which are best suited to rebuild the region, have expressed little interest in rebuilding with anything other than conventional stick-frame construction.
“I don’t think anyone can convince the really big builders to switch to ICFs in time for reconstruction,” predicts Clint Stanley, general manager of Builders Wholesale. “For smaller custom builders that travel around building ICF homes, this is a great opportunity for them. There are some big custom homes along the coast, and hey, you know those people are going to want to rebuild with concrete. So there will be opportunities for ICFs, but it will be at that end of the spectrum.”
Still, ICF executives and cement association officials are trying to ensure that ICFs are not overlooked. The strategy is to convince code officials, insurance underwriters, and zoning commissions to mandate hurricane-proof housing. For instance, the ICFA held a series of one-day workshops in April to promote concrete construction on the Gulf Coast with builders, architects, and engineers.
ICF manufacturers are also working hard to educate contractors. Reward Wall systems is offering a $1-per-form discount to families who rebuild in the wake of hurricanes or tornados. Visit www.rewardwalls.com for details.
The insurance industry, seeking to reduce its losses after two back-to-back years of record devastation, is also starting to offer incentives.
The non-profit Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), funded by the insurance industry, is committed to promoting disaster-resistant housing through their “Fortified…for safer living” program. ICFs are a major part of that.
Chuck Vance, IBHS "Fortified" program administrator, says, "We're impressed with the superior wind-load capacity of an ICF wall and other benefits that strengthen structural integrity, including resistance to fire and fewer problems with water damage.”
“The insurance industry is saying ‘if you’ll build to our standards, we’ll certify your home as a disaster-resistant structure’,” says Lane Thompson, a Florida ICF distributor. The “Fortified” designation stays with the home. “If it’s in the database as a ‘Fortified Home’, it may reduce insurance rates and increase its resale value,” says Thompson. More information on the program is available at www.ibhs.org.
“We have a great story to tell, and we have a great product for the building industry,” says Albright. “Let’s put up homes that can withstand the weather conditions.”
In Every Issue Innovative ICF projects and solutions to common building questions are featured in each issue, along with product reviews, design tips, and industry-specific news.
