Secret to protecting buildings from natural disasters

Building beyond natural disasters: An ICF case study

In Honolulu, Hawaii, ICFs were used to construct two new five-story buildings as part of the Schofield Army Barracks, each housing 100 soldiers. As per the United States Department of Defense (USDOD), the structures were designed to anti-terrorism/force protection (AT/FP) standards, which are codes to prevent building collapse and damage from explosives, minimize human injury and death, reduce mission degradation, and preserve government property.⁹

More specifically, UFC 4-010-01, Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings, provide applicability of the “government unique criteria for typical design disciplines and building systems, as well as for accessibility, antiterrorism, security, high performance and sustainability requirements, and safety.”¹⁰

ICFs fulfilled these standards, met seismic design criteria, and even helped the buildings achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold status.

While these conditions are certainly different from hurricanes and tornadoes, they reinforce the case for using ICFs in applications where durability is most needed and life safety is at greatest risk.

Resilient design and ICFs

To combat devastation caused by hurricanes and tornadoes, many homeowners, city officials, and building professionals are turning to resilient design. These preventative practices reinforce the longevity of existing and new buildings, which, in turn, increases personal safety and economic stability during natural disasters.

ICF construction meets resilient design standards, as well as ICC 500 and FEMA criteria for storm shelters and safe rooms. ICFs are frequently used in residential and commercial buildings as well, for their strength, energy-efficiency, and sound-dampening qualities that exceed the performance of conventional wood-framing.¹¹

By proactively building with ICFs and incorporating other resilient design techniques, families, businesses, and entire communities can be at peace knowing they are protected during the most severe weather events.

Notes

¹ Learn more about resilient design, visit www.resilientdesign.org/what-is-resilience.

² Read the report on the benefit-cost analysis,
www.nibs.org/projects/natural-hazard-mitigation-saves-2019-report.

³ See ICC/NSSA Standard for the Design and Construction of Storm Shelters, codes.iccsafe.org/content/ICC5002020P1.

⁴ See the FEMA guidelines for residential and community storm shelters, www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_safe-rooms-for-tornadoes-and-hurricanes_p-361.pdf.

⁵ See FEMA ICC-500 2020 highlights, www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_ICC-500-2020-highlights_publication_082021.pdf.

⁶ Read more ICF safe rooms, www.nudura.com/company/blog/homeowners/weather-the-storm-with-an-icf-safe-room.

⁷ Examine the results from the impact debris testing, www.nudura.com/why-nudura/architect-engineers/icf-impact-testing.

⁸ Check out the ICF home, “Sand House,” www.nudura.com/company/blog/homeowners/nudura-icf-home-survives-hurricane-michael.

⁹ Learn about anti-terrorism/force protection (AT/FP) standards, home.army.mil/detrick/index.php/my-fort/all-services/prto.

¹⁰ Read the minimum antiterrorism standards for buildings, www.wbdg.org/FFC/DOD/UFC/ARCHIVES/ufc_4_010_01_2018_c1.pdf.

¹¹ Know more about the qualities of ICF, www.nudura.com/resources/nudura-icf-vs-wood.

Author

Cameron Ware is the western division key accounts executive for Tremco CPG Inc., providing Nudura installation training to architects, engineers, and insulated concrete forms (ICF) installation crews across the area. Ware has been involved with the construction of several million square feet of ICF, including more than 100 ICF schools and approximately 100 ICF-500 storm shelters.