Green Home vs Hurricane Debris Blast Cannon

Jeff Alexander of the Insulated Concrete Form Association and Greenblock invited us out to a demonstration of just how durable green building can be. With the tools and talents of the University of Florida's department of Hurricane Research on tap, the demonstration would simulate a direct blow from a piece of lumber flying at 50mph. To compare, a pair of ICF walls would be tested against stick frame and hollow cinder block walls to demonstrate the clear advantage of a solid concrete solution.

As we've reported earlier, insulated concrete forms are becoming the material of choice in new green home construction. The staggering insulating factor of these wall units allows homeowners to cool and heat their homes much more efficiently, often saving over 20% on those costs. The debris cannon put the ICF walls through an entirely different kind of test though. A green home shouldn't only help reduce energy use, but also protect against a dangerous and changing climate. Greenblock actually tested itself 50% harder than the other walls, taking a direct blow from a projectile traveling at 75 mph.