PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Insulating Concrete Forms Manufacturers Association (ICFMA)
1065 Willow St.
Pincher Creek, AB T0K 0A6
www.icf-ma.org
ICFMA and NRMCA Publish ICF Fire Testing Study
Alexandria, VA., July 29th, 2025 – The Insulating Concrete Forms Manufacturers Association (ICFMA) and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) are proud to publish the June 2025 report Investigating ICF Wall Construction Meeting the Requirements of NFPA 285. The report, authored by Arthur J. Parker, PE and Daniel A. Martin, PE, CFEI, CVFI of Jensen Hughes, details a joint research project to determine NFPA 285 compliance for exterior walls constructed of ICFs.
NFPA 285 is a consensus developed fire test standard developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) referenced in the Building Codes to evaluate the surface burning characteristics of exterior wall assemblies containing combustible materials such as water-resistive barrier materials, foam plastic insulations, and combustible cladding materials.
With support from NEx (An ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Materials), the ACI Foundation, and the Concrete Advancement Foundation, the project included fire testing of ICF walls within various exterior wall constructions to determine wall assemblies which meet the performance criteria of NFPA 285 and the development of window opening construction details. Following the fire testing, an engineering analysis was conducted to demonstrate other ICF wall assemblies with similar but different components, including a broad range of claddings, that can be recognized as meeting the performance requirements of NFPA 285.
Vice President & General Manager, Airlite Plastics Sustainable Building Products Division, Michael Kennaw, stated, “The implementation of this work will enhance the scalability and integration of ICFMA member systems in multi-story construction applications, facilitating broader adoption and increasing market penetration within the U.S. structural building sector.”. NRMCA Senior Vice President, Codes & Standards, Shamim Rashid-Sumar, PE, FSFPE, noted, “ICFs have long been recognized for their high-performance envelope and resilience to fire. The results of this study confirm code compliance and validate the application of ICFs in multi-story construction.”
“This milestone study reflects NEx’s commitment to adoption of nonmetallic materials through collaboration, research, and real-world validation,” said Jerzy Z. Zemajtis, Executive Director of NEx. “By supporting this fire testing study, we are helping pave the way for broader acceptance of ICF systems in multi-story applications, ensuring that they meet the highest standards for safety and performance.”
ACI Foundation Executive Director, Ann Masek, said, “We are pleased to have supported such a collaborative effort that will extend the use of concrete in exterior wall construction.”
Julia Garbini, President of the Concrete Advancement Foundation, noted, “We’re proud to collaborate with our partner organizations to fund this valuable study that demonstrates compliance with NFPA 285 – an important standard to protect both life safety and property.”
Click here to view the fully report.
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About ICFMA – The Insulating Concrete Forms Manufacturers Association (ICFMA) is the North American non-profit trade association for the insulating concrete form (ICF) industry. The ICFMA was founded in 2014 by a dedicated group of manufacturers with the interest of improving the quality and acceptance of Insulated Concrete Form construction. Its mission is to promote and enhance the social, environmental, and economic value of insulating concrete forms in the North American marketplace.
About NRMCA – Founded in 1930, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) is the leading industry advocate, representing the producers of ready mixed concrete and the companies that provide materials, equipment and support to the industry. Its mission is to create opportunities for our members and the industry to prosper through leadership in safety, environmental & operational excellence, promotion, advocacy, workforce development, and concrete technology advancements. For more information, please visit www.nrmca.org
About NEx – Launched in collaboration between ACI and Aramco Americas, NEx is registered as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Its mission is to collaborate globally to expand and accelerate the use of nonmetallics in the built environment to drive innovation, research, education, awareness, adoption and deployment. For more information, please visit www.nonmetallic.org
About the ACI Foundation – ACI established the ACI Foundation in 1989 as part of its commitment to support students’ education, research, and innovation throughout the concrete industry. ACI Foundation is a not-for‐profit 501(c)(3) organization. The Foundation supports a wide range of research and educational initiatives that contribute to keeping the concrete industry at the forefront of technological advances in material composition, design, and construction. For more information, please visit www.acifoundation.org
About the Concrete Advancement Foundation – The vision of the Concrete Advancement Foundation is to be the resilient resource to collaboratively support concrete as the leading sustainable building material. For more information on the Foundation’s research and activities, please visit www.concreteadvancement.org.
Contacts
ICFMA – Ross Monsour [email protected]
NRMCA – Shamim Rashid-Sumar [email protected]
NEx – Jerzy Zemajtis [email protected]
ACI Foundation – Ann Masek [email protected]
Concrete Advancement Foundation – Julia Garbini [email protected]
