Nationally, the Portland Cement Association says that 16 percent of all single family homes are built with concrete construction. In addition, 22 percent of today's ICF use is concentrated in commercial projects including schools, light construction, strip malls, agricultural projects, jails and prisons, and smaller public and private office buildings.

The organization's sustainability analysts say that a typical ICF home uses 15 to 35 percent less energy than conventionally framed construction. That efficiency is obtained through the concrete form's heavy-duty insulation and concrete's thermal mass. The combination helps even out temperature swings.

"The cost per cubic foot may be a little higher than tilt-up (concrete wall) construction for a commercial building, but any cost difference is recovered in the first year," Crawford said.

Randall, a former residential and current commercial builder sees most of today's mid-box or big-box commercial construction as ideal users of ICF interlocking block materials.

"We just use a different kind of Legos," he said.

Both men see increasing demand from owners and users for "built green" or even Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-qualified projects. The product has also been approved by EnergyWise as a preferred material for use in wall construction.