NASHVILLE—A new Drury Plaza Hotel, the more upscale brand within the Drury family, is currently being built in Franklin, Tenn., and the shell of the building is being made with ultra-efficient, eco-friendly insulated concrete forms, commonly referred to as ICFs. Middle Tennessee’s most established ICF builder, A Better House, Inc., has been hired to assist in the construction. The structure stands at more than 130 feet, giving it a total of 11 stories plus a penthouse. The anticipated opening date is set for sometime this fall.
As one of the first hotel chains to utilize ICF construction, Drury has quickly seen the many benefits from the material, which is essentially concrete poured into polystyrene forms that are stacked, much like Legos, to form a solid, virtually impermeable wall. In addition to significantly reducing utility bills and the green building aspects, other benefits include high fire resistance, lower insurance premiums, no mold, rot, or decay, tornado resistance, cleaner air, and no drafts or cold spots. Drury has stated it will be using ICFs in all future hotels.
A Better House, Inc., specializes in ICF low energy and zero energy homes and commercial buildings by incorporating krypton gas efficient windows, geothermal heating and cooling, spray foam insulation, tankless water heaters, LED lighting and rainwater harvesting systems. The company also installs solar panels and wind turbines to eliminate all utility bills. For more information, visit www.iwantabetterhouse.com.
