Each year, dozens of ICF projects from all over the country are submitted to the ICF Builder Awards. This year was extremely competitive and BuildBlock is proud to have 3 projects recognized at the 2018 ceremony. These homes go above and beyond the already high standards of ICF construction. They are complicated builds that maximize the benefits of ICFs and are constructed with precision and great attention to detail. 

The Drew Castle – 1st Runner-Up – Unlimited Residential

The Drew Castle is a project that we’ve actively followed for several years. Located in eastern Michigan, this massive home is over 10,000 square feet of beautiful craftsmanship. The Castle utilizes over 14,000 square feet of BuildBlock ICFs and it shows in the overall comfort and efficiency of the home. The Castle is 5 times larger than the owners previous wood framed home and cost the same to operate. The home was also an incredibly difficult build. The site had a water table that was only 16″ below the surface,  so the house was built at grade and fill material was required around the house. The owners found all of the fill material on site and didn’t stop digging ponds until they had enough. The house leans into the traditional castle theme with large fireplaces, gargoyles, a slate roof, a gated courtyard, and even a secret bookshelf door that leads into the master wing of the house.

Read the full project profile here.

The River House – 2nd Runner-Up – Small Residential

This home sits directly on the banks of the Mississippi River and offers tranquil views year round. The location is far from the most impressive aspect of this project. The River House, built by owner and general contractor Ivan Griffin, is a spectacle in and of itself. Constructed using BuildBlock ICFs, this home performs to the highest standards and offers strength and functionality that will last for generations. 

Read the full project profile here.

The Daughtrey Residence – 4th Place – Small Residential

The Daughtry Residence in Duncan Oklahoma is the first of its kind in the area. Completed quickly by a team of three, this beautiful home saves more energy than any other home in the surrounding area. Its so efficient that the owners are spending an average of $25 a month on heating and cooling, and even received $1,400 rebate on their city utility bill. These amazing benefits are all accredited to the excellent work of the builder and the  BuildBlock walls.

Read the full project profile here.

About the Awards

The ICF Builder Awards seek to showcase “Milestone Projects”, those projects that set a new benchmark for the industry through a combination of their size, complexity, significance, architecture, and other factors. Each ICF entry is evaluated by a panel of judges who rank each project on a scale of 1-to-10 in nine areas, using a weighted average to determine a total score. A winning project will score highly in numerous areas, as an outstanding score in a single category will usually not be enough to compensate for mediocre performance in the others.