Course Description

Emerging building codes continue to raise the bar for building enclosure performance levels, often testing the “economic limits” to conventional building design and materials. Meeting new enhanced requirements, whether stemming from codes or customer demands, often requires augmentation that is both expensive and space intensive.

This seminar will review the marriage of reinforced concrete to permanent insulation as a cost-effective solution to provide code compliance and built-in long term value for residential building owners. As well as highlight the latest advancements in insulated concrete forming to support of cost competitive construction of high-performance thermal shells and disaster-resistant structures, including net-zero energy buildings.


Key learning objectives of presentation:

  • Recognize how a shift from short-term to long-term objectives brings value to building owners and the surrounding community (while minimizing impact on the builder).
  • Observe how ICF/concrete construction supports sustainable design objectives and cost-containment objectives.
  • Understand how ICF/Concrete construction improves building resilience and efficiency while utilizing existing design and code compliance framework
  • Total Cost of Ownership building with ICF
  • ICF Best Practices: membranes, drainage, above-grade applications, waterproofing walls/foundations
  • Working with municipalities


Approved for 1.5 CPD points under the Construction Technology category
Note: If you have already taken this course in person, repeating it online will not qualify for additional CPD points.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Chapter 1

    • Before You Get Started

    • Agreement to HAVAN Academic Integrity Policy

    • Presenter PowerPoint

    • Part 1

    • Checkpoint 1
  • 2

    Chapter 2

    • Part 2

    • Part 2
  • 3

    Chapter 3

    • Part 3

    • Checkpoint 3
  • 4

    Chapter 4

    • Part 4

    • Part 4

    • Feedback

Training & Technical Manager

Douglas Bennion, Quad-lock Building Systems Ltd.

With his ICF construction and training experience, Douglas Bennion demonstrates both the tried and true techniques and the latest developments in ICFs to builders around the world. With more than 30 years of experience in concrete construction and 20 years’ experience in Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) construction; Douglas currently manages Quad-Lock’s Training and Technical Services Dept., and holds the position of Senior Training Consultant at Quad-Lock Building Systems, Ltd. He has conducted hundreds of classroom and on-site trainings with builders. Douglas has been a featured speaker at concrete industry forums, and teaches accredited continuing education courses to architects. When not training, Douglas works on product development, and oversees testing and evaluation by building code agencies. He has also been appointed to two national committees who review the building codes and make suggestions for code revisions regarding ICFs, and is an Accredited Green Roof Professional.