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Concrete Homes Newsletter
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Concrete Homes Newsletter > 2004 > March/April
March/April 2004
NAHB Concrete Home Building Council
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has approved the formation
of the NAHB Concrete Home Building Council, effective January 1, 2004.
The new Council will become a resource for NAHB’s membership covering
all cement-based products for the housing industry. Because of this, the
scope and depth of our industry’s offerings are greater than any
other NAHB Council. Cement-based materials are key components to NAHB’s
builder membership. In addition to our ability to educate and train builders
about concrete building systems and concrete product applications, our
technical resources will prove invaluable to their membership.
NAHB is a politically active organization and often recognized as one of
the top 15 most influential lobbying groups in the United States. Becoming
active participants of NAHB at the Council level provides our industry the
opportunity to partner on issues important to us. A search was recently initiated
for a full-time Manager hired by NAHB to head up the newly formed Council.
Having a staff person aware of our interests within NAHB’s offices
will provide us with unique opportunities.
The NAHB Concrete Home Building Council falls under NAHB’s Building
Systems Council (BSC), with funding from PCA and industry “seed” money.
The BSC comprises the Log Homes Council, Panelized Council, Modular Homes
Council, Associates Council (manufacturers of cement-based materials fall
into this category), Systems Builders Council (builders who build with the
aforementioned systems including concrete), and the newly formed Concrete
Home Building Council.
For more information about the NAHB Concrete Home Building Council or to
join, contact Michael H. Weber, Director, Residential, for the Portland
Cement Association at mweber@cement.org or
847.972.9106.
Weber Elected as Trustee for NCHI
During the National Council of the Housing Industry’s (NCHI) General
Membership meeting held during the NAHB International Builders’ Show
in Las Vegas, Nevada, Michael H. Weber, Director of Residential for the Portland
Cement Association, was elected to a one-year term as Trustee. Having served
as an Alternate Trustee for the last two years, Weber is excited about this
new responsibility.
Established in 1964, NCHI is designed to serve all associate members of
the National Association of Home Builders who supply products or services
on a regional or national basis. From Fortune 500 companies to smaller organizations,
NCHI members include a variety of suppliers—manufacturers, distributors,
industry association, and service providers. In addition, the board of trustees
is also composed of builder and remodeler members.
ICFA Successfully Defeats Proposed ICF Rule Change in Minnesota Building
Code
The Insulating Concrete Form Association (ICFA), its members and allies,
the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) and Aggregate & Ready-Mixed
Association of Minnesota (ARM), successfully defeated a proposed rule change
that could have significantly altered the way the industry does business.
Recently, a proposed rule change was submitted to the Minnesota Building
Codes and Standards Division calling for two "view ports," a piece
of PVC pipe with a glass or plastic lens on the end, to be field installed
on every 4-foot section of ICF block and panel. At $3 each, the view ports
would have increased the cost of ICFs and job site labor dramatically. "With
many ICF projects using hundreds and even thousands of blocks and panels,
this could have seriously affected the price of using ICFs. The proposed
rule change would have effectively meant the end of the ICF industry," says
Joseph Lyman, Executive Director of ICFA.
The idea for the view ports came from an architect in northern Minnesota
who recently experienced a poor ICF installation of a 400-square-foot
addition. Although no specifics about the job were revealed during
the Minnesota hearing,
it is known that the contractor failed to use proper methods of consolidating
the concrete in the wall and, potentially, the wrong mix design.
Stephen Szoke, Portland Cement Association's Director of Codes and
Standards, commends the industry for fighting a proposal that would have
required an unrealistic and impractical method for assuring that ICF forms
are properly filled with concrete. "The industry has many methods to
assure that ICF forms are filled and there are methods to determine if voids
have occurred and, if necessary, make repairs," said Szoke. He added "PCA
is prepared to work with ICFA and others to oppose such proposals to the
national model building codes and will work with allied industry groups to
develop appropriate methods to assure voids are not present in ICF walls."
Although potentially harmful to the industry, the proposal did give
the ready-mixed concrete and ICF industries the opportunity to expand on
a newly formed relationship. "ARM was pleased with the industry effort
to respond to this unnecessary proposal," said Fred Corrigan, Executive
Director of ARM (Aggregate and Ready Mix Association of Minnesota). Corrigan
added, "The cooperation of the national ICF association was critical
to the success of this effort. Testimony from Minnesota ICF distributors
and ready-mix producers was also important to the success of this effort." Defeating
the proposal was critical, as ICF concrete homes continue to gain market
share in Minnesota, and passage of the proposal would have been devastating
to ARM's promotional efforts.
For their continued support in this effort, ICFA personally thanks
its members in the Minneapolis area, ARM and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters,
for attending the meeting and showing their support for defeating the proposal.
For more information on this subject, please contact Joe Lyman at jlyman@forms.org.
Article courtesy of ICFA Informer, March 5,
2004
ICFA to Celebrate its 10th Anniversary at ICFA Spring Meeting and Expo
From code advancements to product innovations, the Insulating Concrete Form
Association (ICFA) will highlight accomplishments the industry has achieved
over the past decade to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Held at the Toronto
Marriott Eaton Centre April 26–28, 2004, the ICFA Spring Meeting and
Expo will be filled with educational sessions and networking opportunities
to help you succeed.
Mr. Dana Bres, P.E., Acting Director, Office of Policy Development & Research,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as the keynote luncheon
speaker, will review the housing market and HUD advancements.
The featured general session is titled "The Customer Is Always Right...Wrong...But
They Are Always the Customer." Using numerous real examples and practical
principles, Dr. John Powers demonstrates that you can instill within each
customer a feeling of trust by simply caring, using common sense, effective
communications, and creative solutions. Trust is the soul of customer loyalty.
Powers earned a Ph.D. degree in Communications from Northwestern University
and was a professor of Speech & Performing Arts at Northeastern Illinois
University. In addition to his speaking career, Dr. Powers has written four
best selling books, and has received two Emmy awards for his work in television.
To learn more about the 2004 Spring Meeting and Expo and to view a
detailed schedule of events, please visit www.forms.org/calendar/icfa_events2.html
Article courtesy of ICFA Informer, March 5, 2004
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