Since the 1960s, builders and architects have increasingly used insulated concrete forms (ICF), like Fox Blocks, for constructing commercial buildings. Notably, a 30+ percent annual growth in ICF commercial construction makes it the most quickly expanding building system in the United States (U.S.) and Canada.

The Benefits of ICF Commercial Buildings

More and more, contractors, architects, and owners of commercial buildings recognize the benefits of ICF construction: energy-efficient, durable, sound reduction, and fire-, and disaster-resistant. Ultimately, many of the advantages of ICF commercial buildings, like those constructed with Fox Blocks, also provide financial benefits to the building owner.

Fox Block ICFs Create Energy-Efficient Commercial Buildings

Energy-efficiency is particularly vital in commercial buildings because they are responsible for almost 20 percent of total energy use in the United States. Furthermore, in 2012, heating and cooling represented nearly 35 percent of commercial building energy use. Energy-efficient commercial buildings are vital for reducing overall energy use in the U.S. and reducing energy costs for owners of commercial building’s.

Fox Blocks Control Air and Moisture Infiltration

Fox Block ICF construction minimize air and moisture infiltration and ensures an energy-efficient commercial building. Fox Blocks provides continuous insulation which prevents air leakage (thermal bridging) and moisture accumulation within the wall system.

Moisture resistance is key to stopping the rot and the growth of mold and mildew, which can degrade the structure and diminish the indoor environmental quality of a commercial building. Improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings is also critical to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, a known cause of global warming. Fox Block ICFs create energy-efficient and healthy commercial buildings.

• Fox Blocks, with an R-value of 23+, are energy-efficient and exceed ASHRAE/ANSI 90.1 energy code requirements.
• The high thermal mass of Fox Blocks contributes towards a high-performing, energy-efficient commercial building. High thermal mass products absorb and store heat energy and help stabilize temperature shifts within the commercial building by reducing the rate of heat transfer.
• Fox Blocks controls moisture intrusion and prohibit the growth of mold, mildew, and rot because the blocks provide a solid continuous monolithic concrete wall with a perm rating of less than 1.0.

Quiet Commercial Buildings

• The Fox Block ICFs wall assembly lessens the transfer of sound between interior walls and from the outside to the inside of a commercial building. Fox Blocks have a Sound Transmission Class (STC)1 rating of STC 45-50+.

Disaster-Resistant Commercial Building

Fox Block ICFs create disaster-resistant commercial buildings that protect the structure and its occupants against natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and fires. Disaster-resistance (resilient construction) is essential in new commercial construction because of increasing wildfires and more frequent and severe weather events due to global warming.

• Fox Blocks are disaster-resistant: Fox Blocks, with steel reinforced concrete, can resist hurricane and tornado winds exceeding 200 MPH and projectile debris traveling over 100 MPH.
• Fox Blocks are fire-resistant. Fox Blocks have a fire-resistance rating (ASTM E119) of 4-hours for the 6-inch blocks.

The Financial Benefits of ICF Commercial Building Construction

Commercial building owners can save money with Fox Block ICFs construction during and after the building process.

• Fox Block Series is fast and easy to install, which saves time and money. The Fox Block is an all in one wall assembly. It combines five construction steps into one, including structure, insulation, air barrier, vapor retarder, and attachment. This feature significantly accelerated project delivery by eliminating the need to coordinate multiple trades, while achieving all of the wall systems objectives.
• ICF commercial buildings minimize the need for maintenance and repair because they resist rot and degradation, which further saves a building owner money.
• The durability of an ICF commercial building to stand up to strong wind events can save a building owner the expensive costs of repairing and rebuilding after a severe storm.
• ICF commercial buildings are energy-efficient, which saves building owners money. ICF commercial building typically requires 32 percent less energy to cool and 44 percent less energy to heat than comparable wood-framed commercial buildings.

Fox Blocks insulated concrete forms are an ideal product for ICF commercial construction. Fox Blocks create a commercial building that is energy-efficient, healthy, durable, noise deadening, and moisture-, disaster-, and fire-resistant. Please visit Fox Blocks for more information on the benefits of ICF commercial building construction.