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Concrete Homes Newsletter
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Concrete Homes Newsletter > 2007 > May/June
May/June 2007
Florida Developers in Fine Form
Ken Krantz, the owner of Orange Park–based cast-in-place concrete
wall builder Safewall Concrete Systems LLC, has plans to build homes in Jacksonville,
Florida, that will be able to withstand some of the most brutal hurricane
winds, and he'll do it at an affordable price. In fact, he is already doing
it in Pensacola. Krantz started working with non-profit organization Rebuild
Northwest Florida in Pensacola after Hurricane Ivan tore through the city
in 2004, leaving many damaged or ruined homes. Safewall offered Rebuild Northwest
Florida a package price to build frames for affordable homes out of concrete
so that the homes can better resist hurricane winds in the future. “They
think it's better than sliced bread,” he says. Safewall created four
different home models, each about 1,000 square feet. They include three bedrooms,
one bathroom and a porch and will cost $65,000 to $70,000 once finished by
Rebuild Northwest Florida. “I get to talk to homeowners, and it brings
tears to my eyes. These people are so appreciative of what we are doing," Krantz
says. “That's what had drawn me into affordable housing more than anything
else.”
All of the homes will have cast-in-place concrete walls, also called poured
concrete walls, which can withstand winds up to 140 miles per hour and have
heavy duty roof sheeting for protection. Krantz said he is also considering
installing impact glass in the homes—glass that is stronger than normal
windows. “Our goal is not only to provide affordable housing, but to
provide homes that can't be destroyed,” he says. “They are one
big storm shelter. Every house we build, it's going to be there for a long
time.”
Eventually, Krantz would like to build 1,000 homes a year, a mix of affordable
and higher end. The affordable homes will be 1,000 to 1,200 square feet,
all concrete, Energy Star–certified and priced between $100,000 and
$125,000. Both his affordable and higher end homes will be built in the same
fashion. “When you hear ‘affordable,’ you think of cheap
and low-class,” Krantz says. “People cannot say we build cheap
homes because our homes are designed and built the same way as the multimillion-dollar
houses. We are bringing this house into the next century and hope once we
start doing this, a lot of people are going to start bringing their homes
up to this standard. The use of concrete walls to build houses is becoming
more prevalent in the U.S. However, builders in other countries in Europe,
the Caribbean and South America have poured concrete walls for decades,” he
says.
Krantz also knows he is simply continuing a movement that was already underway. “I
give Mercedes Homes all the credit for starting the trend towards poured-in-place
concrete construction for homes. They made a commitment to convert all of
their home construction to concrete over the next four or five years.”
Safewall was contracted to build a multi-million dollar custom home by Benchmark
Homes in Marsh Landing. The house, which will serve as a model for Benchmark
and a home for Benchmark owners Rich and Nancy Morrison, has all poured concrete
walls. The Morrison’s home also will have impact glass and be pre-wired
for an emergency generator capable of lasting up to two weeks. Although the
upgrades added 10% to 15% to the cost of the home, it was worth it to Rich
Morrison “You definitely want to be prepared,” he says. “I
think it is money well spent.
Inspired by the signature architecture of the Caribbean, every location
within Sail Harbour, in Fort Myers, Florida, is meticulously designed with
attractive benefits and features to make residents feel like they are always
on vacation.
Although the surrounding communities in the nearby Summerlin Road and Health
Park areas have upscale prices, Sail Harbour is attractively priced in the
mid $200,000s. Sail Harbour has sold nearly all of the homes and is in its
final phase.
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| Clockwise from top left: Forms are set on the first floor,
forms are then taken up to 2nd floor, forms are stripped away,
the finished product from street level. |
The 2-story townhomes boast a range of 1,750 to 1,900-square-feet of living
space. All have walk-in closets in the master suite and upstairs laundry
rooms. Elevators are optional on all models.
Years ago it was typical to expect the doctor to come to your home. Now
there is a strong trend for homes to be built near medical facilities. Development
of the very popular Lee Memorial Health Park in Fort Myers has brought convenient
health services near this new lakefront neighborhood.
In addition to the finest health services, close proximity to the magnificent,
white sand beaches of Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island adds even more
allure to homes at Sail Harbour.
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This aerial photo was taken April 11, 2007. |
Sail Harbour features SOLID-SIX Construction, in which concrete is
poured in a series of cast forms that create a contiguous seal. The
homes are energy efficient as well as sound, fire and weather resistant.
In addition,
the community offers a state-of-the-art fiber optic network (including
high connection speeds, quality video reception and advanced telephone
features) that connects all residences, optional elevators and the community's
village
cabana with pool and sun-deck. All homes feature WinGuard impact
resistant
windows and doors, providing excellent protection from hurricane
winds and harmful ultraviolet rays.
Sail Harbour was touted as one of 10 best-selling communities in the nation's
top 75 housing markets, and the Builders Association of South Florida honored
EH Building Group with 4 Florida's Best awards for this new and unique lakefront
townhome community in south Fort Myers.
Precast Fortified Homes Spring up Fast
Royal Concrete Concepts is the first manufacturer to provide single-family
concrete modular homes that will earn the Fortified...for safer living® designation
from the Institute for Business & Homes Safety (IBHS).
The “Fortified” program specifies construction and design
guidelines to increase a home's resistance to natural disasters such as
hurricane winds, wildfires and flooding, with localized guidelines based
primarily on the extreme events that may occur in the region where the
home exists.
“All single-family homes offered by Royal Concrete Concepts will
receive the Fortified… for safer living® designation when sited
according to our qualifying criteria,” says Chuck Vance, Fortified
program manager for IBHS. “By offering affordable homes up to 2,500
square feet, Royal Concrete Concepts is furthering the Fortified program’s
goal to make disaster-resistant housing an option for more people.”
In order to meet or exceed the High Velocity Wind Zone requirements of
the Florida Building Code, patented, steel-reinforced concrete modules
designed to withstand Category 5 hurricane force winds will be utilized.
Integrated insulation provides high energy efficiency while providing strong
resistance to heat.
“Homes by Royal Concrete Concepts are designed to ensure quality
as well as maximum performance in safety and energy efficiency at an attainable
price,” says Wally Sanger, president of Royal Concrete Concepts. “The
potential for reduced insurance premiums and improved energy efficiency
contributes to the lower total cost of ownership of one of our homes.”
Thanks to the IBHS for this article.
At a recent groundbreaking ceremony in Aurora, Illinois, builders erected “Fortified” walls
on a new home made of precast concrete using Dukane Precast’s double-wall
system. Brian Bock, vice president of sales and marketing for Naperville-based
Dukane, says the walls will be able to withstand winds up to 250 mph. Even
the ceilings are made of concrete. “You, in essence, have a tornado
shelter instead of just a tornado room or a safe room,” Bock says. “You
have a tornado house.”
To withstand natural disasters, the 1,400-square-foot home also will have
better connections than most houses between the roof, walls and foundation,
and stronger doors and roofs that can withstand about 130 mph winds. The
windows will be made of a strong tempered glass that would break into small
pieces if struck with enough force, similar to a car windshield.
To demonstrate the devastating effects of wind-whipped debris, officials
from Dukane Precast set up a compressed air cannon, shooting two-by-fours
easily through normal siding. But the same wood splintered and shattered
when shot into the concrete panels of the Fortified home.
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Top left: The front side
of a wood-frame wall section after a wind cannon projected
a 2x4 stud through it.
Top right: The back side of a wood-frame wall section after
a wind cannon propelled a head of cabbage. You can still see
the hole left by the 2x4.
Bottom left: A precast wall section as a 2x4 stud strikes it.
Bottom right: The same precast wall section
after
it has been subjected to a 2x4 from the wind cannon. |
“Even with today’s technology, we still can’t predict
how or when the forces of nature are going to throw us a curve ball. The
21st-century technology does allow us to better protect ourselves and to
better protect our homes,” says David Prendergast, assistant field
vice president for Allstate Insurance, Midwest region, a partner in the
program.
The Fortified home is a collaborative effort of Safe Home Illinois, a
partnership of more than 20 organizations brought together by the American
Red Cross of Greater Chicago, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency
(IEMA) and the IBHS. The windows, doors and framework of the house will
be strengthened by products and labor donated by numerous companies, including
Simpson Strong-Tie, Andersen Windows and Doors, Precast-Prestressed Concrete
Institute (PCI), Portland Cement Association, Symons, Grace, Allstate Insurance,
PCI member Pre-Stress Engineering Corp., Owens Corning, National Storm
Shelter Association and PCA members LaFarge, St. Mary’s Cement and
Buzzi Unicem.
Through the Safe Home Illinois project, builders, accompanied by area
high school students, are constructing a home in Aurora designed to withstand
everything from tornadoes and earthquakes to floods and hailstorms. Much
of the construction work will be done by students at East Aurora, Waubonsie
Valley and Neuqua Valley High Schools, with professional and union support.
The land on which the home will be built was donated to Joseph Corporation,
an Aurora non-profit company that works to refurbish homes and offer assistance
to first-time home buyers, by Jenetta Evans. Evans lives next door.
Bock estimates a Fortified house would cost 5% to 15% more than a traditional
home. But it is also more energy efficient, and Prendergast says insurance
rates would be lower because it is non-combustible.
This will be Illinois' second Fortified home—a similar one was erected
in Bolingbrook in 2004. “We hope this is the wave of the future,” says
LaForice Nealy, chief response officer for the Red Cross. “We hope
this becomes adopted in other areas.”
The ceremony received coverage from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times,
Aurora Beacon News, Daily Herald and a television spot on the Chicago Fox
News affiliate. Additional media coverage is expected from several trade
magazines that attended.
For more information on the Aurora project and the Safe Home Illinois
program, visit www.safehomeillinois.org.
For further information on the IBHS Fortified….for safer living program, visit www.IBHS.org.
Jon Bon Jovi, Delta Air Lines Partner to Build
Concrete Homes
Volunteers from Delta Air Lines are joining rock icon and philanthropist
Jon Bon Jovi, Habitat for Humanity, and members of the Arena Football League
(AFL) team, the Philadelphia Soul, to complete Habitat for Humanity, New
York City’s Halsey Street project in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
Nicknamed the “Coffee Cup Building,” this is one of the first
structures in New York City to incorporate energy-efficient insulated concrete
forms. When completed, the development will create new, affordable homes
for nine Brooklyn families. It is being built in compliance with EnergyStar
standards as part of Habitat-NYC’s Green Building program, which creates
homes that minimize waste while maximizing the power of natural resources,
resulting in an environment-friendly home and energy cost savings for homeowners.
In addition to Delta employees, four members of the Philadelphia Soul, which
is co-owned by Bon Jovi, also joined the Habitat build team. The completion of the Halsey Street Project will bring the number of Habitat
homes in Bedford-Stuyvesant to 41.
Connecticut Convention Center Briefly Houses
Concrete Home
The Connecticut Concrete Promotion Council (CCPC), Hartford Area Home Builders
Association, and ICF distributor Polysteel Northeast recently teamed up to
construct and display an ICF show home inside the Connecticut Convention
Center during this spring’s Home Show in Hartford.
The 1,300-square-foot home was erected during a 4-day period just prior
to the Home Show and served as an educational venue for an estimated 15,000
visitors. In addition to ICF exterior walls (minus concrete), which were
left partially uncovered, the home also featured a decorative concrete driveway
and front walk. HVAC equipment was installed in the home so that visitors
could get a sense of how energy-efficient concrete walls can reduce the size
of heating and cooling equipment, and feel how comfortable a concrete home
can be. Seminars addressing a variety of ICF and concrete topics were held
throughout the 3-day event, which took place March 2–4. According to
Jim Langlois, Executive Director of the CCPC, the most frequently heard comment
from visitors to the home was, “It doesn’t look like a concrete
home.”
All of the promotion partners agree that the project was an unqualified
success. The Hartford HBA, which donated the exhibit space for the home,
was very pleased with the response to the ICF house and for the opportunity
to educate builders in their area about this fast-growing technology. CCPC
reports that inquiries about concrete homes increased dramatically in the
days following the Home Show. The show home project also attracted a great
deal of media attention, with coverage from local newspapers, radio stations
and television stations.
For more information about the Home Show, visit www.cthomeshow.com.
Thanks to the CCPC for this article.
ICF Builder Awards Announced
The winners of the 2006 ICF Builder Awards have been announced. Sponsored
by Cosella Dorken and ICF Builder magazine, the awards are given annually
to projects that demonstrate outstanding innovation, quality and craftsmanship
in insulating concrete form construction.
The “Best Overall Project of the Year” was awarded to a 4,000-square-foot
custom home outside of Ft. Collins, Colorado. “It’s a spectacular
piece of land,” Bob Lagow, the homeowner, says. “It’s 20
acres backing onto a 20,000 acre wildlife refuge.”
Architect James Plagmann visited the property several times, eventually
selecting a broad saddle between two hills that afforded 360-degree views
of the scenery. Golden eagles circling the site inspired him to pattern the
home in the shape of an eagle with outspread wings. “It has a visually
stunning form, even from the ground,” writes Plagmann. “The eagle
metaphor is not forced, and the home works very well. This project optimizes
the use of NuDura ICFs while also pushing the limits of the product. Also,
the owners absolutely love the house.”
The judging panel loved the house as well. Not only did the home win “Best
Custom Home of the Year,” but beat out every other entry in this year’s
contest to take “Best Overall Project of the Year.”
“The project was just ideal for ICFs,” notes Plagmann. “The
owner wanted an energy-efficient house, as well as a quiet house in a very
windy location. The combination of R-value, mass and zero air infiltration
maximizes the energy efficiency, and the concrete stands up to the high winds.” Plagmann
incorporated several other energy-saving features into the design, including
hydronic radiant heat floors, a super-insulated roof, low-e windows and passive
solar design.
The “Residential Development” category winner was Casitas Vera
Cruz, a 133-home development in Bakersfield, California. The build time,
from start to finish, was 11 months. Judges cited the speed with which the
project took place, as well as the attention the project attracted, as major
factors in the decision. They also noted that the developers did a fantastic
job in providing an energy-efficient home at an extremely affordable price
point.
The finished homes, which vary between 1,100 and 1,800 square feet, cost
about $112 per square foot. “The goal was to bring a high-quality,
safe, energy-efficient home to the area at an affordable price,” says
Steve Reiter, marketing director for Insulated Concrete Walls. “Because
the goal was to minimize costs, detailing was kept to a minimum. However,
floor plans were designed to be functional by eliminating wasted space and
providing rooms families will utilize. With a minimum of 1,100 square feet,
even the smallest home plan has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and 2-car garage; roomy
enough for small families yet still affordable.”
One way the developer was able to control costs was by minimizing cycle
time; the entire development was completed in about 11 months. Insulated
Concrete Walls, a professional ICF installation contractor, was hired to
erect the exterior shells of the building. Walls were pre-assembled in a
controlled factory environment and delivered to the jobsite in numbered,
panelized sections. This not only reduced jobsite clutter, but virtually
eliminated waste and weather-related delays. Using the panelized sections,
a four-man crew could erect, align and pour all exterior walls in as little
as a day and a half.
Production was so impressive that representatives from Pulte Homes and Lennar
Homes, two of the nation’s largest homebuilders, visited the project
to investigate ICF technology. “ICF developments of this size are still
uncommon. Our hope is that this project will serve as an example of what
can be accomplished with ICF construction,” says Reiter.
Competition in every category was extremely vigorous, and organizers
anticipate an even greater response to next year’s contest. “The
variety and scale of projects being built with ICFs is truly astounding,” says
Clark Ricks, editor of ICF Builder magazine and organizer of the competition. “We
were very pleased with both the quality and the number of projects submitted,
and are already making preparations for next year.”
“It’s time these outstanding projects received industry-wide
recognition, and we feel privileged to take a leading role in that,” says
Ricks.
Photographs and profiles of all the winning projects can be viewed on the
ICF Builder Awards website, www.builderawards.com.
Thanks to ICF Builder magazine for this article.
Thompson Rejoins PCA as Residential Technology Manager
Portland Cement Association (PCA) named Donn C. Thompson, AIA, LEED AP,
as residential technology promotion manager. He will oversee the residential
technical program and work to enhance cement-based products as a sustainable
development solution for home building.
He will also work closely with government agencies such as the Department
of Energy and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop
research initiatives. His responsibilities also include developing PCA’s
mid-size production builder program and supporting the National Association
of Home Builders (NAHB) green building standards initiative.
Thompson has more than 20 years experience in building and architecture.
He most recently was the commercial projects manager for Reward Wall
System, where he was responsible for promotion of insulating concrete
form (ICF)
technology to commercial markets nationwide. While as business development
manager at Owens Corning/Lite Form International, Thompson was the
primary ICF technical support for all U.S. and Canadian customers.
He received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Architecture degrees from
University of Illinois, Chicago.
ICFA Announces Tagline Contest
In a move to better communicate its message to the ICF industry and public-at-large,
the Insulating Concrete Form Association’s Promotion Committee has
announced a contest to develop a phrase that will become ICFA's official
tagline. A tagline, or branding slogan, is typically used in marketing materials
and advertising. The idea behind a tagline is to create a memorable phrase
that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product. Jim Niehoff,
Chairman of ICFA's Promotion Committee, says, “With the impressive
growth and maturation of the ICF industry over the last decade, it was felt
that a phrase was needed to identify ICFA as the primary resource for those
interested in the ICF industry.”
All individuals active in the ICF industry are welcome to participate.
The prize for the winning entry is a $250 Visa gift card and free
registration for ICFA's Annual Meeting and Expo September 24–26, 2007
in St. Louis, Missouri.
To enter, please email your tagline, with all company contact information,
to jlyman@forms.org. Deadline for submissions is June 1, 2007.
The winning tagline will be unveiled with ICFA's new logo at the ICFA's
Annual Meeting
and Expo. For more information about ICFA, visit www.forms.org
Thanks to the ICFA for this article.
Upcoming Events
- Tile Roofing Institute's Spring Forum
Dana Point, Calif., May 22-23, 2007 More
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