ICON Sets Standard and Receives Acceptance Criteria for 3D-printed Walls by the International Code Council’s Evaluation Service
Standard Code For New Building Technologies Sets Quality Precedent & Fills Gaps in Codes for New Technologies
ICON is pleased to announce that the company’s 3-bead, 3D-printed wall system is ICC-ES evaluated and approved in accordance with Acceptance Criteria 509 (AC509). AC509 is a standard written and published by the International Code Council’s Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) and exists to fill the gaps in building codes for new building technologies. AC509, written specifically for Concrete 3D-printed Walls, evaluates the design, performance, and quality control of 3D-printed walls. Since last Fall, ICON has been working in partnership with ICC-ES to improve the standard for the entire 3D printing construction industry. ICON has led modifications to the criteria for AC509, which enables a wider and more diverse approach to 3D printed construction helping to set a new standard for the entire industry.
Currently, the Evaluation Service Report (ESR) 4652 covers the ICON 3-bead wall system using #3 horizontal rebar. In the future, ICON will be working to include more of its building designs and projects as AC509-compliant. All ICON projects to date have been permitted through rigorous design review and applicable testing.
ICON’s 3D-printed, high performance buildings are designed to be more resilient and more sustainable structures to withstand hurricanes, high winds, heat waves, and other extreme conditions and natural disasters. In addition to the most recent AC509 certification, The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors estimates a lifespan of 100 years or more for concrete structures and ICON’s homes printed with Lavacrete are expected to have longer lifespans than wood framed homes. All ICON homes are built to the International Building Code (IBC) structural code standard.
Having ICON 3D-printed wall designs vetted with third party testing bolsters confidence in the industry and assists with the development of mainstream codes and standards for all to follow. ICON continues to work with ICC-ES to contribute to the advancement of the AC509 standard and is excited about sharing experiences to help the industry grow while protecting the health and safety of the public. For more information about ICON homes visit www.iconbuild.com.
