Chaney Enterprises, a ready-mix concrete, aggregates, custom blends, and related construction supplies provider, announced its building supplies and services division, BuilderUp, has hired Tony Aina as green building guru.

Aina will focus on the education, sales, and installation of insulated concrete forms (ICF) for BuilderUp. He joins BuilderUp with 16 years of general contracting and sales management experience. Most recently, Aina managed the contracting division at Dean Lumber.

ICFs are insulated foam blocks that lock together and are then filled with reinforced concrete. Originally used as insulation, ICF is now used as a permanent interior and exterior substrate for walls, floors, and roofs.

There are many benefits in using ICF, both short- and long-term. ICF installation, done by properly trained professionals, is quicker than traditional materials lending to projects being completed faster and the building being occupied sooner. It requires less maintenance, won’t rust, rot, or deteriorate, and gets stronger over time. Building with ICF and concrete provides a fire-resistant structure and a safe structure from natural disasters. ICF walls stop more sound and are 12 times quieter than non-insulated concrete walls. Also, ICFs provide long-term economic benefits including a reduction in heating and air-conditioning costs between 25 and 45 percent.

“In today’s tight labor market, ICF construction is a highly-desired option because less workers are needed, and this alleviates the pressure felt from the construction labor shortage that we see our customers feeling,” said Steve Tripp, chief builder of Chaney’s BuilderUp. “Not only does this help with the labor shortage in the construction industry, but, because ICF installation is so fast, more jobs can be done per year.

“Today, with rising materials costs, energy costs, and disaster-related costs, ICF’s are more in-demand than ever before,” Tripp added. “Clearly this is a lot of education to be done on this topic and Tony is dedicated to advancing the building industry with this green product and our installation experts. His customer-oriented focus aligns perfectly with Chaney and BuilderUp.”