PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Rebuilt
Insulated Concrete Forms or
massive tornado outbreak that devastated
ICF provides the designer with
On April 27, 2011, the footprint of the
with locally made Rehau tubing, and a
Southeast was forever changed by a
historically accurate brick façade.
several states. One of the hardest hit areas
“Our office was in a converted 1920s
a wall system that is extremely
was right here in Alabama.
bungalow in downtown Cullman and
strong while also being very
was destroyed by the wave of tornados
energy efficient. A 4”, 6”, or 8”
Cullman was ravished by an F-4 tornado
that devastated much of Alabama in April
ICF wall system provides superior
that tore through downtown and the
2011,” says Bill St. John, president. “We
protection from straight line
historic district, and was estimated to be at
were very fortunate to have had plenty
winds associated with hurricanes
least six city blocks wide.
of warning, so none of our staff was
and wind born debris from
there when the storm struck. We were
thunderstorms and tornadoes.
St. John and Associates, a local engineering
also fortunate not to lose our records or
firm, was completely destroyed. After the
computers and were able to quickly move
ICF wall systems also provide
storm, the firm moved to a temporary office
into temporary offices in a vacant bank
the owner unsurpassed energy
and began to develop plans to construct a
building nearby where we got right back
efficiency. Due to the 4 to 5
new building at the original downtown site.
to work, and then started plans for a new
inches of polystyrene, and thermal
office in our original location soon after.”
mass of the concrete walls,
The 4,000 square foot office building
ICF structures often see energy
features Insulated Concrete Form (ICF)
While planning the design of the new
construction, hydronic radiant floor heat
building, Bill knew he wanted to use ICF
reductions of 30 to 50%.