January 15, 1999
For Immediate Release

Centex "Performance Plus" Concrete Homes Available for Tour During 1999 Builders Show

Results of the latest phase of the concrete home construction boom—homes built by a national production leader—will be on display during the 1999 National Association of Homebuilders Show in Dallas—January 15-18.

Centex Homes will open the doors of a model concrete home built using insulating concrete forms (ICFs) to attendees during the Builders Show. The 2,625 square-foot home in the Vistas of Coppell subdivision is part of a demonstration project conceived by Centex to determine how the new building method compares to conventional building. The builder is constructing several concrete homes in the Dallas area, using some of its most popular floor plans.

Fast Facts about this Concrete Show Home

• This model home if one of ten being built in the Vistas of Coppell by Centex, two have already sold
• Centex has trademarked the product as Performance Plus Homes™ by Centex
• Total square footage under air is 2,625, garage is an additional 482 sf
• Three bedrooms, three baths, LR, FR, library and a two car garage
• Above grade exterior walls feature Insulating Concrete Forms, Pinkform Xtra from Owens Corning

Randy Luther, Centex’s vice president of research and development, thoroughly researched the concrete construction technique before asking Centex to build the homes. Not only was the technical data favorable, but focus groups in the area gave the company reason to think the concrete homes would be winners. "Homebuyers told us they were willing to spend a little more to get a concrete home," says Luther. "We sold the first two concrete homes right away."

"Buyers of concrete homes quickly come to recognize the benefits of an energy-efficient home: lower utility bills, increased comfort, easy maintenance and even higher resale prices," says Lionel Lemay, director of residential programs at Portland Cement Association. "Once Dallas area consumers learn about these beautiful homes, they will beat a path to Centex’s door."

Luther says building the homes will give the company a chance to get accurate data on what it will take for Centex to build other concrete homes. "We’re using the same crews throughout the process," says Luther. "We’ll document costs, labor issues, energy performance and customer acceptance as we go along."

Once the homes are built, the Florida Solar Energy Center will monitor the energy performance of each home via modem.

A finished and furnished concrete model home will be open for tours during Builders Show floor hours. Free shuttle buses will leave the convention center every 30 minutes to bring visitors to the homes. Also open for free tours will be two nearby concrete homes under construction. Builders Show attendees may pick up tour information at the Portland Cement Association booth #3215.

Centex will keep a concrete model home open through February for consumer tours. The "Performance Plus" concrete home building program is sponsored by Portland Cement Association, Centex Homes, Owens Corning, Lite-Form International, the Cement & Concrete Promotion Council of Texas, Insulating Concrete Form Association, Texas Utilities and data from the Florida Solar Energy Center.

A trade association based in Skokie, Illinois, PCA conducts research, education, and public affairs work on behalf of its members—US and Canadian cement companies. Through its subsidiaries, Centex ranks as one of the nation’s largest home builders, mortgage loan providers and general building contractors. The company also has an investment real estate operation and owns the majority interest in a publicly held construction products company.

Editor’s note:
A complete media kit as well as interior and exterior photography are available immediately.

Interview resources:

• Lionel Lemay, Director of Residential Programs or Bruce McIntosh, Director of Corporate Communications, Portland Cement Association, (847) 966-6200 in Chicago
• Bob Lopez, Executive Director, Cement & Concrete Promotion Council of Texas, (817) 540-4437 in Euless, TX
• Randy Luther, VP of Research and Development or Doug Stempowski, VP Sales and Marketing, Centex Homes, (214) 981-6034 in Dallas
• Dick Whitaker, Insulating Concrete Form Association, (847) 657-9730 in Glenview, Illinois

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