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Concrete Homes Newsletter
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Concrete Homes Newsletter > 2005 > November/December
November/December 2005
Market Share Maintains Positive Trend
Portland Cement Association recently released the above-grade, single-family
detached concrete wall market share numbers. Based on data provided by NAHB,
concrete’s share of the homebuilding market increased to 16.3% in 2004.
While the 0.2% increase pales in comparison to the 2% increase seen in 2003,
it continues the streak of positive market share gains that have occurred
every year since tracking started in 1993.
For individual concrete building systems, results were mixed. Masonry saw
a 0.7% decrease in market share, but still remains the most widely used concrete
homebuilding system, with a 9.2% share. ICFs saw a strong gain, surging up
0.7% to an overall share of 4.7%. AAC held steady at 0.2%. The “Other” category,
which includes removable forms and precast, jumped to 2.2%, an increase of
0.2%.
"These numbers will, by and large, not contain any of the rebuilding
needed in Florida after the four hurricanes of 2004," said Craig Schulz,
market director of PCA. "We should start to see those numbers reflected
in the 2005 market share."
Jason Kruger, co-chairman of the ICF committee for the Aggregates
and Ready Mix Association of Minnesota (ARM), shared this perspective on
Minneapolis-St. Paul. “The ICF home market increased roughly 20–25%
in the Twin Cities area from 2003 to 2004. Initial indications are that a
similar increase could occur from 2004 to 2005.”
Kruger, who is also a market manager for Holcim, said, “Promotion
is being done by form manufacturers and distributors, ready mix producers
and, here in Minnesota, ARM. These combined efforts have not only increased
consumer awareness, but also the interest of wood-frame homebuilders.”
He feels there are two key market factors in the Twin Cities. “Demand
for new traditional homes may be down by as much as 20% in this area,
so wood-frame builders are finding more time to train their crews in
a new construction
method.” However, Kruger says there is no problem with the strength
of the concrete homebuilding market. “Homebuyer demand for concrete
homes is already there, and if home heating costs increase by the 70%
figure predicted by energy experts, this will increase
concrete home demand even more.”
Over the past 10 years, concrete home market share has increased over 1%
on average every year. Concrete homes only made up 3.5% of the single-family
detached market in 1994.
Concrete Home Stands Up to Tornado
Stoughton, Wisconsin, residents picked up the pieces after a tornado recently
leveled most homes in the area. One home is still standing amidst the rubble:
a concrete home, currently under construction in an upscale Stoughton neighborhood,
built with insulating concrete forms (ICFs) from Reward.
When the F-3 tornado tore through town, the home was only partially constructed.
The structure was under roof, with windows installed, and brick cladding
had begun. First reports were that the only damage the home sustained was
to the garage roof. It was stated later that the screened-in porch was lost,
and all windows were broken.
These reports were confirmed when Boyd Coleman, a structural engineer, was
called in to inspect the damage. “Although I’m familiar with
ICF construction, this was the first I had seen of an ICF building that had
gone through something like this.” Coleman added, “I was surprised
to see so much debris stuck in the foam.”
Coleman found that the ICF walls did not move. There was damage to the top
plate where the garage roof was blown off, but none to the concrete. Where
Simpson hurricane clips were used, the roof trusses were intact.
Debris from the storm was found 75 miles east in Milwaukee. (Flying debris
is the primary cause of injuries and fatalities during tornadoes and hurricanes.)
Meteorologists believe 26 tornadoes touched down in a 100-mile-long area.
Wisconsin typically has 21 tornadoes in an average year.
Construction resumed on the 3-story, almost 5,000 square foot house. The
roof and porch were replaced, and the entire roof had to be reshingled. Windows
and doors also needed replacement, but construction was set to be back to
pre-storm progress two to four weeks after the event. According to the builder,
Randy Settersten, “I’d really like to get these folks into their
home before Christmas.”
Twin Cities Fall Parade of Homes Featured Concrete
Three ICF homes were featured by three different builders in the Twin Cities
Parade of Homes. The homes by Vogue Homes, Brandl Anderson, and Family Homes,
Inc., were available for show on the parade.
The Vogue Homes’ entry was awarded the prestigious Reggie Award by
the Builders Association of the Twin Cities. The Reggie Awards recognize
outstanding achievement by member builders in the design, quality and value
of their homes.
By using hollow core planks in the garage, the size of the home was increased
by almost 750 square feet, offering livable space under the garage area.
Colored and stamped concrete was used for the driveway, patio and 2 upper
decks off the back of the home. Not only is the home constructed with ICFs,
but it is also equipped with in-floor radiant heat and uses geothermal technology.
Due to the ICFs and geothermal, the homebuilder expects annual heating and
cooling costs for this 4,500-square-foot home to be no higher than $550 per
year.
It's no secret Vogue Homes has elected to build their homes with ICFs and
concrete to gain all available benefits, especially energy efficiency. “I’m
finding that concrete homes are the answer for those who want cheap heating
and cooling bills and a draft-free, quiet living environment,” says
John Vogstrom of Vogue Homes. “After 30 years of building homes, I’ve
learned to ask my customers what they’re looking for in a house, rather
than just assuming I know.”
Vogstrom also says the difference in price between a concrete home and a
wood-frame home is minimal. “I can build these ICF homes for roughly
the same, or just a few percent more, than stick homes if I educate my electrical
and plumbing subs in advance.”
Brandl Anderson is a new home builder in Minnesota and Wisconsin. They've
been in business for about ten years and have built 1,000 homes, but this
was their first ICF home. They formed a partnership with Cemstone, a ready
mix producer, and Reward, an ICF manufacturer. The model home will be the
residence of the company owner, Chris Brandl. Energy efficient ICF construction
combined with state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling technology
will make this home comfortable and affordable for a very long time.
Brandl Anderson realizes that the products and craftsmanship put into a
home are important. Therefore, they don’t sacrifice quality for price,
ensuring that every component used in construction has a proven reputation
for quality.
Every house built by Family Homes follows a systematic approach designed
to shelter and nurture the family while reflecting their values and lifestyle.
Central to this approach is their commitment to ICF construction. Family
Homes utilizes this higher quality building technique because they feel it
results in increased energy efficiency and healthier indoor air quality.
Thanks to ARM for this article.
ICFA Fall Meeting and Expo Sets Record Attendance
The Insulating Concrete Form Association’s 2005 Fall Meeting and Expo
was filled with energy and renewed enthusiasm as over 300 participants networked
and attended education sessions. With batteries recharged, those eager individuals
returned to work ready to promote the use of ICFs and increase awareness
about the considerable benefits of the energy efficient, storm resistant
building system.
The meeting, the largest in ICFA's history, was attended in balanced proportion
by ICF manufacturers, molders, ancillary product suppliers, distributors,
contractors and design professionals. However, the large turnout wasn't the
only record set. Distributors and contractors attended the meeting in record
numbers, which added to the sense of industry unity at the meeting. “What
ICFA meetings have grown to is unbelievable. It really was a fantastic meeting,” says
Steve Paske of EZ Floors, Inc.
Networking, a popular benefit of industry gatherings, garnered rave reviews
at the Fall Meeting. "If you want to network and learn from your peers,
ICFA Meetings and Expos are the best opportunity to do so," says Joseph
Lyman, executive director of ICFA. The association's staff is now assessing
how to maximize networking opportunities even more at its next show in Norfolk,
Virginia, next spring.
Thanks to ICFA for this article.
ICF Industry, Habitat Continue Partnership
The Hamilton County chapter of Habitat for Humanity, the Insulating Concrete
Form Association (ICFA), and the Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association
(IRMCA) recently joined forces to build the nonprofit group's first house
using ICFs.
In addition to serving as the centerpiece of ICFA's 2005 Fall Meeting and
Expo in Indianapolis, the project demonstrated the benefits of ICFs for the
local building community. Habitat volunteers began stacking the ICF forms
on September 10. Workers pumped concrete into the walls on September 16 at
a demonstration covered by two area television stations and two local newspapers.
American Polysteel donated the ICF forms, and IRMCA members provided the
concrete for the 1,050-square-foot home, which will become the new residence
for Gene and Erin Giacoma and their two children.
ICFA Finds Niehoff in Good Form
The Insulating Concrete Form Association honored PCA residential manager
Jim Niehoff with the 2005 Excellence Award at its Fall Meeting and
Expo last month in Indianapolis. The award recognizes Niehoff’s outstanding
service and contributions to the ICF industry. Niehoff has served as
the chairman
of the ICFA Public Affairs Committee since April 2004 and was elected
to its Board of Directors in September of that year.
Multiple Concrete Courses Available Through NAHB's Univ. of Housing
The
NAHB’s University of Housing is making it more convenient to receive
residential concrete training. Upcoming courses are listed below: November 9, 2005 – Louisville, KY – “Cast-in-Place Concrete
Foundations”
November 10, 2005 – Louisville, KY – “Building with Insulating
Concrete Forms”
January 11, 2006 – Orlando, FL – “Building with Insulating
Concrete Forms”
For more information, or to register, please click
here.
PCA LEEDs the Way at Greenbuild 2005
Let PCA be your guide to the latest “Concrete Thinking” at USGBC’s
Greenbuild 2005 International Show and Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, November
9–11, 2005 (Booth #647).
As host of the Concrete Solutions Pavilion at Greenbuild, we invite you
to visit the PCA booth to learn about the array of concrete solutions for
environmentally responsible building and design on display at the Show.
Even if you are not planning to attend Greenbuild, visit www.concretethinker.com for case studies, information and resources about sustainable development.
You may also share your ideas about responsible building for the future at
this website.
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