Code Compliance & Approvals
The International Code Council publishes the International Residential Code (IRC) and the International Building Code (IBC). The Intertek Code Compliance Research Report CCRR-1003 details how BuildBlock ICF Products meet and exceed code requirements.
BuildBlock Insulating concrete forms have been thoroughly tested and evaluated to ensure they are compliant with national and regional codes in both the United States and Canada. The reports and certifications for both national compliance as well as state or other jurisdiction are below. Please contact our technical department with any questions technical@buildblock.com.
The sections below include National Testing Information as well as Local/Regional Code Approvals.
Intertek Code Compliance Research Report CCRR-1003
Code Compliance Research Reports are designed primarily to assist building code enforcement officials in their determination that a subject product, material or method of construction can be approved for use under the “alternative materials, design and methods of construction and equipment” provisions of the applicable code. The provisions of building codes are not intended to prevent the installation of any material or prohibit any design or method of construction not specifically prescribed by the code. Building codes empower building officials to approve an alternative material, design or method of construction when it has been satisfactorily demonstrated to comply with the intent of the provisions of the code.
This report lists the areas that BuildBlock forms are evaluated against for complicance with the International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC) as well as as the State of Florida Building Code (FBC).
CCRR-1003-revised-3-26-2020.pdfCAN/ULC-S717.1:2017
Standard for Flat Wall Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) Units – Material Properties
This Standard specifies the requirements for stay in place, modular expanded polystyrene (EPS) Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) units. Once filled with concrete, the ICF units remain in place as the thermal insulation for the resulting cast-in-place concrete wall of uniform cross-section and thickness. The requirements of this Standard apply to ICFs that act as permanent formwork for cast-in-place reinforced concrete beams; lintels; exterior and interior, above and below grade, load-bearing and non load-bearing walls; foundations; and retaining walls. This Standard is restricted to ICFs that enclose uniform monolithic concrete walls.
Also, this Standard provides requirements for products that consist of moulded expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation panels that are connected by cross ties to form the ICF and for the performance of cross tie flanges as a substrate for the attachment of interior and exterior finishes. This Standard sets performance requirements for the ICF unit in its primary function as a stay-in-place concrete form and for the materials that make up the form unit, along with the test methods to determine compliance with the performance requirements.
BuildBlock Design Number BBS/ICF 180-01 / ASTM E119 Fire Rating
Load Bearing and Non-load Bearing Fire Resistance Rated Wall Assemblies Maximum Load 5000 lb/lin ft – Assembly Rating – 3 Hour Rating
This is the testing information about the wall assembly and its testing to determine compliance with ASTM E119 for the fire rating compliance of BuildBlock ICF forms.
BBS-ICF-180-01.pdf
International Residential Building Code (IRC)
The International Residential Code has adopted the Prescriptive Code regarding ICFs and addresses them in detail. Please direct your local code official to the following sections.
| IRC 2012 | R404.1: Concrete and Masonry Foundation Walls R611: Exterior Concrete Wall Construction |
| IRC 2009 | R404.1: Concrete and Masonry Foundation Walls R611: Exterior Concrete Wall Construction |
| IRC 2006 | Sections 404.4 through 404.4.11: ICF Foundation Walls Sections 611 through 611.9: ICF Wall Construction |
| IRC 2003 | Sections 404.4 through 404.4.11: ICF Foundation Walls Sections 611 through 611.9: ICF Wall Construction |
International Building Code (IBC)
The International Residential Code has adopted the Prescriptive Code regarding ICFs and addresses them in detail. Please direct your local code official to the following sections
| IBC 2012 | Chapter 19: Concrete, Chapter 26; Foam Plastic Insulation |
| IBC 2009 | Chapter 19: Concrete, Chapter 26; Foam Plastic Insulation |
| IBC 2006 | Chapter 19: Concrete, Chapter 26; Foam Plastic Insulation |
| IBC 2003 | Chapter 19: Concrete, Chapter 26; Foam Plastic Insulation |
Local Code & Regional Code Compliance & Approvals
Miami/Dade County – NOA- 19-1205.06
Miami-Dade County requires advanced performance testing on building materials prior to receiving a Notice of Acceptance. Because of its more stringant performance requirements, the Miami-Dade County building code has been accepted by other building compliance organizations both thin and outside of the State of Florida.
Download
“Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA)”
NOA-19-1205.06-Finalized.pdf – 2 MB
Florida Product Code Approvals – No. FL4636
The Florida Building Commission requires evaluation and approval of products used in construction in the State of Florida. These are evaluated both on a materials basis as well as a performance basis. Some jurisdictions also require enhanced testing for performance such as the Miami-Date County approval. The Miami-Dade County standards have been adopted in multiple jurisdictions inside and outside of the State of Florida.
City of Los Angeles – RR-25995
LADBS approves alternate building materials or products that are at least equivalent to the materials prescribed in the code in terms of quality, effective time period of fire resistance, strength, effectiveness, durability and safety. Approved materials are published as Los Angeles Research Reports (LARR).
Download
“City of Los Angeles - RR-25995”
25995L-2017LABC-3-01-2018.pdf – 787 KB
City of New York – MEA No. 293-07-M
An MEA Number is the number assigned to a piece of equipment or assembly that has been approved for use in New York City by the MEA Division. The Department will continue to recognize previously-issued MEA and BSA product approvals, as per section 28-113.2.6 of the administrative code.
Download
“City of New York - MEA No. 293-07-M”
NY-MEA_BuildBlock.pdf – 473 KB
Other Resources
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Wisconsin Building Product Evaluation – No. 200610-IProduct approval is generally voluntary. If a product meets the applicable codes and standards, then no further approval is necessary. Also, if an alternative method of compliance is desired, then a petition for variance for a specific project or a product approval for various projects are options. Lastly, if a national evaluation service such as ICC-ES has approved a product under a code or standard that we have adopted without relevant Wisconsin amendment, then we will generally accept that approval in lieu of a Wisconsin approval. |
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Canadian Construction Materials Centre – CCMC 13283-RThis Standard specifies the requirements for stay in place, modular expanded polystyrene (EPS) |
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EPS Compliance DocumentThis document includes specific information from Underwriters Laboratories “smoke developed” and “flame spread” tests for the expandable polystyrene used in BuildBlock ICF’s. Also included are the ICC-ES and ICBO expandable polystyrene reports which indicates full compliance with the UBC, IBC and IRC building codes. |
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Below-grade Use of ICFs in TermiteInfested States According to the ICFA, the International Residential Code has provisions in the IRC to allow for foam to be used below-grade. The IRC stipulates that in addition to chemical soil treatment, foam can be used below-grade on the exterior of the wall if one of the following requirements is met:
For more information, see BuildBlock’s white paper entitled Insulating Concrete Forms and Termite Code Requirements. |
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| Some of the certifications are no longer required or maintained, but BuildBlock ICFs still meets or exceeds these requirements and so we have listed them here. | ||
