PCA Executive Report

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Board Lowers Dues Rate At PCA's Spring Meeting in New York City last week, the Board of Directors heard progress reports on Association programs and reviewed financial results of 2004 and first-quarter 2005. The boards of CTLGroup and the Cement Association of Canada also met. Based on the Association's total assets, the Board lowered the dues rate from 12 cents per metric ton of cement to 7 cents per ton to accelerate draw-down of excess reserves to targeted levels. The Board lowered Canadian dues from 6 to 3 cents per ton. PCA economist Ed Sullivan presented his new forecast for construction, concrete, and cement. Jerry Voigt, who was recently named president of the American Concrete Pavement Association, updated the Board on that group’s activities. And Cembureau chief executive Jean-Marie Chandelle presented an update on Europe's carbon dioxide emissions trading scheme at the meeting of PCA's Government Affairs Council. A special issues session on Monday featured Michael Gallis, who presented his global outlook on the changing form of surface transportation; Vincent DeSimone on trends in high-rise building design and construction; and management guru, NYC tourism head, and president/CEO of Loews Hotels, Jonathon Tisch, on team building. His new book, The Power of We, focuses on the importance of partnerships. The Fall Meeting is scheduled for November 13-15, 2005, in Washington, D.C.

Environmental Awards Recognize Industry Standouts On Monday at the Spring Meeting, PCA presented the annual Cement Industry Environment Awards to cement plants in six categories. This year's winning plants are: Environmental Performance: St. Lawrence Cement,Mississauga, Ont. Land Stewardship: CEMEX, Fairborn, Ohio Outreach: Lafarge North America, Inc,. Tulsa, Ok. Innovation: CEMEX, Knoxville, Tenn. Energy Efficiency: California Portland Cement,Colton, Calif. Overall Environmental Excellence: St. Lawrence Cement, Mississauga, Ont. PCA and Cement Americas magazine presented the first Cement Industry Environmental Awards in 2002. The judges represent independent groups such as PCA, Cement Americas, the Cement Association of Canada, World Resources Institute, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the World Wildlife Fund. Contact Tom Carter

EPA Honors California Portland with Energy Star Award An awards ceremony at PCA's Spring Meeting recognized California Portland Cement’s accomplishments in energy conservation. EPA named California Portland an Energy Star Partner of the Year for its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy management. Shown here is Kathleen Hogan, EPA's director of the climate protection partnerships division, who presented the award to Jim Repman, president/CEO of California Portland Cement and PCA Chairman of the Board. In 2004 California Portland worked closely with the EPA Energy Star program to create an energy management program, which resulted in an energy consumption reduction of 4.5 percent from 2003 levels. This not only reduced greenhouse gas emissions, but also saved the company $842,000 in operating costs.

Cement Consumption to Remain Strong According PCA chief economist Ed Sullivan, cement consumption should increase 3.0% in 2005 and to another record level of 123.4 million metric tons. Sullivan delivered the 2005 Spring Forecast at the PCA Board Meeting in New York on April 25. The forecast includes an improved determination of cement intensities. PCA believes the underpinnings of U.S. economic growth are solid and will translate into 3.3% to 4.0% growth rates in GDP for 2005 and 2006 even in the context of rising interest rates, sustained high oil prices, an oversized federal budget and trade deficit, and continued upward pressure on commodity prices. The general economic picture is expected to result in sustained growth in overall U.S. construction. The favorable competitive position of concrete relative to steel is likely to continue. That scenario, coupled with advantageous construction mix changes, suggests that overall cement intensity will experience moderate growth. Contact Ed Sullivan

Energy Conservation Reference Standard Introduced Meeting last week at the convention of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) in New York, ACI Committee 122 on Energy Conservation reviewed an initial draft of a standard for determining the thermal properties of concrete and concrete products. The standard is intended to be referenced by other national standards and building codes that address the thermal performance of buildings, such as the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Condition Engineers and the International Code Council. Contact Steve Szoke

New High-Strength Concrete Standard Advances Also at the ACI meeting last week, a revision of ACI 216.1, Standard Method for Determining the Fire Resistance of Concrete and Masonry Construction Assemblies, advanced and will be reviewed by the ACI Technical Activities Committee in July. The revision includes provisions for high-strength concrete columns (compressive strength > 12,000 psi). This is a joint standard with The Masonry Society and their review process will also begin this summer. Contact Steve Szoke

Education Foundation Awards Seven Fellowships Meeting Sunday, April 24, PCA's Education Foundation approved seven fellowship grants for $20,000 each. Since 2002, the Foundation has approved 24 grants for industry-critical research projects. The Foundation also authorized a $50,000 sustaining grant for the concrete industry management program at Middle Tennessee State and $50,000 to establish a similar program at Arizona State University. Contact Jim Rappel

Structural Symposium Confronts Myths Leaders of New York City's high-rise building community will confront age-old material controversies in Concrete vs. Steel, The Great Debate. The fourth in a series sponsored by the New York City Concrete Promotional Council, the symposium will explore facts and myths about the use of concrete or steel in high-rise commercial construction in New York City and elsewhere. Architectural Record senior editor Sara Hart will moderate a panel of prominent engineers and contractors. The symposium is scheduled for May 11, 2005, at the New York Athletic Club. Contact the NYC Concrete Promotional Council (718.842.5997; tstellanyccpc@aol.com).

St. Lawrence Abandons Plan for Greenport Plant After the negative determination from the New York State Department of State (Executive Report of April 25), the board of directors of the Canadian Holcim Group company has decided not to pursue the project to build a new cement plant in Greenport, N.Y. More information

*Chemical Path of Ettringite Formation in Heat Cured Mortar and Its Relationship to Expansion: A Literature Review: Many literature sources dealing with various aspects of this phenomenon are currently available, but such information is scattered, and discrepancies in interpretation may lead to further confusion. This new literature review presents each aspect of DEF-related issues in a comprehensive manner to help readers develop an overview. The text comprises two major sections. The first part reveals the work performed to date, including ongoing controversies and discrepancies associated with DEF-related expansion. The second part focuses on various factors that control the expansive behavior and their mutual relationships (RD136; PDF only; $25.00; free to members). More information Internal Relative Humidity, Drying Stress Gradients, and Hygrothermal Dilation of Concrete: Moisture plays an important role in many durability problems and affects many properties of concrete as well as causing early-age shrinkage that results in detrimental cracking. Also, the amount of moisture in concrete has a strong influence on the thermal dilation of the material. A system was developed at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that measures the internal RH and temperature in concrete. This report is from a PCA Education Foundation Fellowship recipient for 2002, Zachary Grasley, in fulfillment of receiving an MS degree from the University of Illinois (SN2625; PDF only; $15.00; free to members). More information Expansions in Mortar Bars Subjected to Accelerated Curing:* This study has evaluated the expansion of mortar bars cured at various elevated temperatures following a standard curing regimen and stored at ambient temperature until measurement. None of the cements expanded when cured at temperatures of 70 °C and below, even after five years of storage. Of the nine cements studied, three expanded when cured at 90 °C, and two when cured at 80 °C. The compound composition of the hydrated materials was evaluated by thermal analytical techniques, and the microstructure was assessed by optical microscopy (RD132; PDF only; $25.00; free to members). More information Building Code Requirements for Masonry Structures and Specifications for Masonry Structures and Commentaries (ACI 530-05): This code covers the design and construction of masonry structures and is accompanied by specifications and commentaries. Design methods include empirical design, prescriptive method, and strength design. New in 2005 is strength design for autoclaved aerated concrete masonry (AAC) for both plain (unreinforced) and reinforced AAC. Jointly published by American Concrete Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers, and The Masonry Society (LT292; $95.00, no discount). More information\| *Sustainable Manufacturing Fact Sheet: Tire-Derived Fuel:* Scrap tires, if not properly managed, can create an environmental nuisance and eyesore. They can constitute an environmental hazard if they burn in an uncontrolled manner, such as in a field or landfill. By utilizing a cement kiln’s controlled combustion environment, scrap tires can be an environmentally sound source of energy in the manufacture of cement. This fact sheet shows how the popularity of tire- derived fuel has increased over the past two decades and summarizes its environmental benefits. (IS325; print is $15.00, no discount, for a pack of 50; PDF is free). More information Download a PDF *Promotion Update, Issue No. 33, April 2005:* This issue contains complete information on the upcoming Professional Promoters' Workshop sponsored by the North American Concrete Alliance. This issue contains complete program details including session titles, times, dates and speakers as well as forms for registration, hotel and social events (PDF only; no charge). Download *Porous Pavements:* Environmental benefits of porous pavement have led to a dramatic rise in interest and utilization of this technology. This covers all types of porous pavement—concrete, asphalt, paving blocks, and others. With its clear explanation and evaluation of each type, it allows landscape architects, civil engineers, and contractors to review and choose materials to meet site-specific conditions. Installation methods, performance levels, and appropriate applications are all addressed. Numerous case studies are included (LT291; $159.95, no discount). More information Concrete Homes Technology Brief – Concrete Roof Tiles: This Tech Brief (No. 16) covers durability, cost, and appearance of concrete roof tiles. Maintenance tips are discussed, as well as installation considerations (IS315; $15.00 for a pack of 50, no discount; PDF is free). More information Download a PDF

Regional Economic Seminar May 12, 2005 Kansas City, Mo. Contact Karen Arneson	IEEE-IAS / PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference Kansas City, MO May 15-19, 2005 http://www.ieeepcaconference.org/

PCA's education and training group will conduct the following courses at PCA's Skokie, Ill., facility. Customized and off-site courses are also available. For more information or to register, contact Julie Lisiecki.
Skokie Courses Concrete: Principles and Practice October 10-13, 2005 Microscopy of Clinker and Cement October 31-November 4, 2005	Troubleshooting: Solutions to Concrete Field Problems November 14-16, 2005 Mill Grinding October 17-19, 2005 Kiln Process October 3-6, 2005

Portland Cement Association 5420 Old Orchard Road Skokie, Illinois 60077 847.966.6200 info@cement.org 1130 Connecticut Avenue, N. W., Suite 1250 Washington, D.C. 20036 202.408.9494 fax 202.408.0877 ©2005 Portland Cement Association All rights reserved

05.02.05

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The Portland Cement Association conducts market development, research, education, and government affairs work on behalf of its members—cement companies in the United States and Canada.