The ICF Industry Should Try To Increase Market Share By Promoting Development Of New Architectural D

According to the construction industry website Statista, 2020 will see some 12 Trillion dollars worth of global construction. At the same time Grand View Research estimates the global ICF industry will do around 1 Billion dollars worth of construction in 2020. By my arithmetic that means the ICF industry still only represents about one percent of one percent of the total global construction budget.

Now VRT wonders whether reviving neglected building formats - the courtyard and the atrium which are really only feasible in concrete - might not serve to gin up interest in the use of ICF. VRT is very keen on the high-walled courtyard house and has worked up a case study which it hopes will inspire others in their residential projects.

The drawing set is schematic and admittedly incomplete. The lower floor needs further treatment, and must be refined and developed according to families individual needs and wants. Nevertheless the drawings hopefully advance three main ideas. Use ICF in building suburban condominium communities in order to: Give each unit high walls all around to create a courtyard with great openness but considerable privacy. Use two floors or more to develop the courtyard into an atrium to enhance the sense of spaciousness. Use ICF concrete decks on the upper level which support extensive use of planters and potted plants.

A great thing about courtyard based design is that it puts every square foot to use. Designing in an atrium creates the easy, pleasant indoor outdoor living currently in vogue, and with a very modest footprint. The condo unit shown needs a lot of just 6,000 square feet.