Many contractors, architects, and owners of hotels recognize the advantages of insulating concrete form (ICF) construction: disaster-resistant, energy-efficient, healthy, durable, sound deadening, and quick to install. The benefits of ICF hotels, like those constructed with Fox Blocks, also yield short- and long-term financial savings to the hotel owner.

Why Build a Hotel with ICFs?

ICFs are blocks made with expanded polystyrene insulation (EPS) or other insulating foam. The ICFs are stacked to form the shape of the hotel’s walls. Steel rebar strengthens the hollow centers. Concrete fills the hollow centers which create a layer of continuous insulation (CI). CI essentially eliminates thermal bridging through the wall.

Hotels built with ICFs have many benefits to the hotel owners, employees, and guests:

• ICF walls are energy-efficient with whole wall R-values of 20
• ICF buildings are quiet and comfortable
• ICF walls are moisture-resistant, which prevents the growth of mold. Mold is unhealthy and can damage the integrity of the hotel
• ICF walls have a 4-hour fire rating
• ICF walls can stand up to severe wind-events, like a hurricane or tornado

Building a Hotel with Fox Blocks ICFs

Fox Blocks ICF Hotels are Disaster-Resistant

Fox Blocks ICFs create disaster-resistant hotels that protect the building and its occupants against natural disasters like fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Disaster-resistance is critical in new hotel construction because of more frequent and severe weather events and increasing wildfires; both are due to global warming.

• Fox Blocks are fireproof. Fox Blocks ICFs have a fire-resistance ASTM E119 rating of 2-hours for the 4-inch blocks and 4-hours for the 6-inch blocks

• Fox Blocks are wind-resistant: Fox Blocks, with steel reinforced concrete, will withstand severe hurricane and tornado winds exceeding 200 MPH and projectile debris flying over 100 MPH.

Fox Blocks ICF Hotels are Energy-Efficient, Healthy, and Durable

Energy-efficiency is vital in hotels because energy represents about six percent of all hotel operating costs. Implementing energy-efficient strategies in hotel design can reduce energy consumption by ten percent.

Fox Blocks ICF construction controls air and moisture infiltration and ensures an energy-efficient hotel. Fox Blocks provide CI which stops air leakage (thermal bridging) and moisture accumulation within the wall assembly. Moisture resistance is vital to preventing the growth of mold. Mold can degrade a building’s integrity and diminishes the indoor environmental quality of the hotel. Fox Blocks ICFs create energy-efficient, healthy, and durable hotels.

• Energy-efficient Fox Blocks have an R-value of 23+ and exceed ASHRAE/ANSI 90.1 energy code requirements
• The high thermal mass of Fox Blocks produces a high-performing, energy-efficient hotel. High thermal mass walls absorb and store heat energy, which stabilizes temperature shifts within a hotel by slowing the heat-cold transfer rate
• Fox Blocks control moisture intrusion because the blocks provide a solid continuous monolithic concrete wall with a perm rating of below 1.0

Fox Blocks ICFs Create Quiet Hotels

Soundproofing the walls of a hotel is critical for the comfort and well being of the occupants. The goal of soundproofing is to limit noise pollution or unwanted sounds.

• The Fox Blocks ICF wall assembly lessens the transfer of sound between interior common walls and from the outside to the inside of the hotel. Fox Blocks have a Sound Transmission Class rating of STC 45-50+.

The Financial Benefits of ICF Hotel Construction

Hotel owners can save money with Fox Blocks ICF construction during and after the building process.

• Installation of Fox Blocks is fast and easy, which saves money and time while shortening the construction schedule. Earlier occupancy means additional revenue and reduced construction loan costs. The Fox Blocks wall assembly combines five building steps into one: the structure, insulation, air barrier, vapor retarder, and attachment. This feature significantly quickens project delivery time by eliminating the need to coordinate multiple trades
• ICF hotels minimize the need for repairs and maintenance because they resist rot and degradation, which saves a hotel owner money
• The durability of an ICF hotel to stand up to strong wind events saves a hotel owner the costs of repairing and rebuilding after a severe tornado or hurricane.
• ICF hotels are energy-efficient, which reduces monthly expenses to the hotel owners

The Wallhouse Hotel, built with Fox Blocks ICFs, is a five-story structure in Ohio that is disaster-resistant, quiet, and extremely energy-efficient. Along with the Fox Blocks thermal wall, the hotel’s innovative HVAC systems allows a 50 percent savings in energy costs compared to conventional hotels of similar size.

The Centre Park Holiday Inn Event and Conference Center, built with Fox Blocks ICFs, is a 116,000 square foot hotel, event and conference center that is disaster-resistant, quiet, and highly energy-efficient. Importantly, Fox Blocks saved the owners money by finishing the project two months in advance; completing the project in just 420 days.

Fox Blocks are an excellent product for constructing an ICF hotel. Fox Blocks create a hotel that is disaster-resistant, energy-efficient, healthy, durable, sound deadening, and quick to install. All these features can save hotel owners money. For more information on ICF hotel construction, please visit Fox Blocks.