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Jim Dorr, vice president of national accounts for Eco-Block, LLC, believes ICFs have a competitive edge in the theater market, saying, "ICFs are being chosen to reduce noise and improve the construction schedule. ICFs are faster to build and better than alternative construction methods."

What does the future hold?
Although ICFs continue to gain awareness in the marketplace and overcome resistance to using a relatively new product, the ICF industry's biggest hurdle remains creating a subtrade to install ICFs. Unfortunately, the product's appeal has outstripped the industry's ability to install all the ICF projects that clients and homeowners are interested in having built. Pressured by time constraints and a lack of competitive bids from ICF installers in certain areas of North America, individuals are often forced to substitute ICFs with an alternative wall system.

Pieter VanderWerf, president of Building Works, Inc. and a longtime ICF industry insider, believes training and experience is key to helping the industry build a subtrade that will overcome these issues. He says, "The creation of a true ICF installer base will help prevent the ICF industry from turning away business while increasing the competitive edge needed to gain market share. Increasing the number of ICF installers and increasing their jobsite efficiency will help to dramatically improve the installed price of ICFs."

Leonardo da Vinci once said, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." The construction industry should take notice to what the famous designer once said. For years, there has been an overwhelming need in the construction industry to simplify building systems and create more user-friendly building materials due to the lack of skilled labor in the market. This is why the future looks so bright for the ICF industry. Although technologically advanced, an ICF wall system is simple in its design. With ICFs, a single crew can reduce the need for a separate structural, insulation and noise abatement subcontractor for the same job all while improving construction schedules.

Above all, proper training is an important component to ICF installations. Many ICF companies, as well as the ICFA, sponsor ICF installation courses throughout the United States and Canada to train contractors on industry-accepted methods for installing and consolidating concrete in ICFs. This more than anything will help an ICF project succeed. Please check with ICFA or ICFA Primary members to learn how you can increase your level of expertise by attending one of these courses.