Insulating Concrete Forms Manufacturers Association

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So far Brian Corder has created 51 blog entries.

ICF Training Series: Safety

ICF Safety and Best Practices Welcome to the BuildBlock ICF Installer Training Series. This is 20 part video series is intended to be an educational walk-through of the ICF building process. From the early planning phases to pouring concrete and finishing walls, this series will provide the basic knowledge you need to have a successful BuildBlock ICF build. In part 2 of the series, we discuss safety on an ICF job site. We take a look at safety equipment, proper practices, and the importance of keeping a clean and organized job site. The videos in this series are produced as a companion to the BuildBlock Installation and Technical Manuals available for free download on the Publications Page or for purchase via the BuildBlock Online Store. You can view more videos in this series via the BuildBlock Blog or by subscribing to the BuildBlock YouTube Page. For a more in-depth training experience,  you can take the free Online ICF Installer Training Series. Video Transcript Safety Welcome to the safety training section. Job site safety is one of the most important skills you will need to practice every time. In this short video, we will cover the importance of a safe and clean work environment as well as [...]

By |2020-10-15T12:26:27-05:00October 19, 2020|Video|
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ICF Installer Training Series: Introduction

Welcome to the BuildBlock ICF Installer Training Series. This 20 part video series is intended to be an educational walkthrough of the ICF building process. From the early planning phases to pouring concrete and finishing walls, this series will provide the basic knowledge you need to have a successful BuildBlock ICF build. In this brief introduction, we discuss the basic components of ICFs, possible design options, how ICFs are designed and made, and why ICFs are approved as a building material in North American building code. The videos in this series are produced as a companion to the BuildBlock Installation and Technical Manuals available for free download on the Publications Page or for purchase via the BuildBlock Online Store. You can view more videos in this series via the BuildBlock Blog or by subscribing to the BuildBlock YouTube Page. For a more in-depth training experience, you can take the free Online ICF Installer Training Course. Video Transcript Introduction Welcome to the BuildBlock ICFs Installation Training. In this short video, we will learn the basic components of ICFs, possible ICF design options, how ICFs are made, and why ICFs are approved as a building material in North American Building Codes. What are ICFs? Insulating concrete forms (ICFs) [...]

By |2020-10-15T10:52:02-05:00October 16, 2020|Video|
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ICFs and the Net Zero Design Push

The Building Science community continues to push for more stringent energy codes. Increases in insulation requirements and airtightness have become the primary mechanism to achieve higher performance. Buildings are required to use less overall energy, and where they require energy are asked to supply it themselves. Net-zero compliance is a hot topic in many North American markets. British Columbia has developed some of the strictest building code standards in the world and is leading the push towards net zero with the BC step code. The Canadian National Code is not far behind and is seeking to accomplish many of the BC step code requirements in a similar timeline. Interior During Blower Door Test The BC step code asks builders to increase the energy efficiency of buildings by a set percentage every few years. The code has a ten-year (10) target goal of every new construction project or retrofit meeting net-zero compliancy. The metric to track compliance is measured using blower door tests and specific product energy usage tests. The data from a blower door test along with utility usage from other appliances and fixtures allow for a complete calculation of energy used by the building. Each structure is then appointed [...]

By |2020-10-14T15:30:43-05:00October 14, 2020|Technical|
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Why More People Are Building Passive Homes

As a reader of the ICFMA blog, you are likely drawn to the energy-efficiency of Insulated Concrete Forms or ICFs. As concerns about climate change continue to grow, so too has the interest in passive homes - homes that meet the most rigorous energy-efficiency standards. These are air-tight homes, have continuous insulation, triple-paned windows and a system for maintaining a high level of air quality.In this blog post, you’ll see the benefits of passive homes (and why builders are choosing ICFs when choosing to achieve the highest of energy-efficient standards), including a brief interview with Certified Passive House Consultant Troy Hodas of Spruce Mountain Inc. who will offer his tips and tricks for building passive homes as well.More People Are Building Passive HomesPassive homes are highly energy-efficient buildings, requiring little energy to heat or cool. This means drastic energy savings. With growing concerns over climate change and rising energy costs, passive homes offer an apt solution. In addition to greater energy efficiency and cost savings, passive homes offer a higher level of comfort as well. In a passive home, indoor temperature is highly consistent, resulting in a higher level of comfort. This extends to air quality as the air in [...]

By |2019-12-11T17:24:41-06:00December 11, 2019|Design, Technical|
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How ICFs Can Help Solve Your Skilled Labor Shortage Problem

Is your construction company facing a lack of skilled labor? If so, you’re like many other contractors across both Canada and the US. The most recent Contractor Survey reported that 62% of contractors experienced a shortage in the past three years. NAHB similarly reported that builders reported the labour shortage as their “Top Challenge” this year. Indeed, it’s having a negative impact on builders with the above surveys showing poor growth, increased project costs and delays. But the good news is that there is a solution. Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) require less labor (and smaller crews) and a lower percentage of skilled labour as well. This blog post will go into more depth about how ICFs can offset your lack of skilled labor. How ICFs Can Solve Your Skilled Labor Shortage ICFs can offset the challenges associated with a lack of skilled labour in two ways: ICFs Don’t Require As Much Labor First and foremost, ICFs don’t require nearly as much labor as wood-framed builds, both in terms of hours spent and crew size. Harvey Schellenberg of Schell Construction built two identical buildings beside each other, one constructed with ICFs and the other with wood, a project you can read [...]

By |2019-09-16T19:21:21-05:00September 16, 2019|Miscellaneous|
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