Investment propertySafe in the Eye of the Storm: Concrete Form Housing
Toto, I Don"t Think We"re in Kansas Anymore . . .
One needs only to tune to their network news programs during the hurricane and
tornado seasons to see what havoc natural weather disasters can reap on the
typical American home. Witnessing the devastation of entire neighborhoods
laid waste by these powerful forces of nature, we can only thank our higher
source that we were not occupants of those flattened homes, and are not
facing nights spent in emergency shelters, having lost most of our earthly
possessions.
What solutions can new homebuilders offer, making structures safer when
nature relentlessly poses risks such as these to our very existence? Wood
framed construction, as is commonly employed in new home construction,
generally cannot withstand the power and sheer intensity of the blows that
can be landed by a freak tornado or angry hurricane. Granted, in many parts
of the U.S. where weather concerns such as these are not warranted, homes
constructed with wood and steel frames will continue to be the framing method
of choice. But what can be done to rebuild areas such as those in Oklahoma
and Florida after the past several years of rampant weather damage and
prepare them for any sequels Mother nature has in store? The answer may be
insulated concrete forms.
One of the largest manufacturers of ICFs is AAB Building System, Inc., of
Ontario, Canada, which manufactures their trademarked and patented Blue Maxx
Wallsystems. Blue Maxx is a structural expanded polystyrene building form
made for cast-in-place concrete walls, that remains in place as an integral
part of the building after the concrete has been poured. These forms are
linked by polypropylene webs to create "form units." Once the walls are
properly aligned, concrete is placed in the forms. The forms then provide
insulation, air and vapor barriers, as well as the strapping surface for
interior and exterior finishes. They resemble "Lego" building blocks and,
with a simple 2-day training course provided by AAB, builders can quickly
learn the proper construction techniques.
Systems such as this can be utilized for severely weather-prone areas when
these forms are then reinforced with rhebar, making them virtually
"bulletproof" to the elements. Entire office buildings and homes can become
tornado and hurricane resistant using this method of construction; those
wishing to retro-fit older structures can use the system for "safe" rooms
within the building as well, offering a haven from destruction when disaster
strikes. To quell skepticism, ICF manufacturers, as well as those providing
the concrete for them have proof.
The Portland Cement Association of Skokie, Illinois provides a video
demonstrating tests performed on conventionally built steel and wood framed
houses, and then the same tests repeated with structures constructed of ICFs.
In its remarkable footage, the video shows wall panels subjected to the
impact of a 15-pound wood stud "missile" traveling at 109 miles per hour.
The frame walls, some even faced with brick, failed to stop the airborne
hazards, but the concrete walls successfully resisted the impact.
In 1995, the 14,000 square foot Palm Plaza shopping center in the Virgin
Islands as in the eye of the storm when Hurricane Marilyn struck the island
of St. John. Eight homes out of ten on the center"s side of the island
sustained extensive damage. The Hyatt Regency St. John, just down the street,
was so battered that remained closed nearly two years later, and nothing was
left of the building next door except the slab. But Palm Plaza built with
ICF-type construction reinforced with steel rhebar, emerged from the
devastation with barely a scratch.
"The use of insulated concrete forms is the main reason Palm Plaza escaped
damage during Hurricane Marilyn as well as Hurricane Bertha ten months
later," said developer Ed Hecht. In St. John, Hecht is now designing a $1
million custom home with this system for homeowners from hurricane-prone
North Carolina.
Look at the 3,100 square foot house going up in St. Lucie, Florida, and you"d
never know that beneath its ordinary exterior, it"s a "hurricane house", with
walls built to resist winds up to 150 miles per hour. In this case, the
house is not really a home, but a teaching center showcasing building
materials and techniques that should help keep a house together when a
hurricane hits. This ICF wall system was installed in one week in this
"hurricane house" - the first of five planned throughout the state. Part of
the Residential Construction Mitigation Program, the Regional Windstorm
Damage Training and Demonstration Centers were initiated by the Florida
Department of Insurance to help state and local governments teach
hurricane-resistant methods of construction. These sample dwellings
illustrate the use of other helpful building products, such as impact
resistant shutters, laminated glass, garage doors and roofing materials, in
addition to demonstrating cutaway sections of walls and ceilings. They also
offer models and classrooms to be used by visitors and state and local
government trainers.
These wall systems have a number of added advantages, according to Chris
Earl, an AAB spokesperson. "The Blue Maxx Wallsystem eases human impact on
the natural environment by saving trees, creating durable, energy-efficient
buildings and reducing waste, using recycled materials, " cites Earl. "Not
one tree is destroyed in the production of this system, making it a prime
building material choice in a world which continues to destroy an expanse of
forest the size of Nepal every year." The product contains no chlorine and
uses pentane, a simple hydrocarbon, as its blowing agent, virtually
eliminating damage to the ozone layer. The wall system is designed to last
as long as the building is occupied, which is geared to a 50-year period, but
can be longer than a century.
AAB is one of 50 or so manufacturers of insulated concrete forms, a
construction method quickly gaining acceptance and results throughout the
U.S. Perhaps if systems such as these had been used on Dorothy"s house in
Kansas on that fateful day, we would never know the Land of Oz, and the
wicked witch of the East would not have lost her ruby slippers when the house
fell on her. Creating weather resistant homes are a huge priority in the
building industry, however. And perhaps with the use of products and systems
like the ICF method of construction, we can face tornado and hurricane
seasons with less dread and more confidence after all.
Also See:
FEMA: What Is It, How Do You Qualify
After the Storm: Household Cleanup Tips
Federal Disaster Aid: What is it? How Do You Get It?