 Experts
characterize sustainable development as having a triple bottom
line: environmental, economic, and social responsibility.
How should the construction industry address the social side
of sustainable development?
Take the PCA Poll
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Mission Merges Social, Economic,
and Environmental Agenda Under One (Green) Roof
The
Pacific Garden Mission’s new facility in Chicago consolidates
all the ministry’s services under one roof. And it's a
green roof—the building serves as a showcase for sustainable
construction and a reminder that green building is not just
a luxury amenity but achievable in all types of developments.
 The
new 150,000 square-foot building brings together the Mission’s
elements for sheltering and caring for homeless citizens. It
contains sleeping quarters, washrooms, counseling centers, medical
services, pharmaceutical services, dining areas, and kitchen
areas. In addition, the facility includes religious and recreational
components such as a chapel, ministry education facilities,
an auditorium, two greenhouses, a first floor level outdoor
commons, and 16,000 square foot green roof. When completed in
September 2007, the Mission will be able to accommodate nearly
800 people per night.
Concrete was used extensively throughout the $24-million project,
which was designed to meet or exceed LEED Silver certification.
The basement level includes structural cast-in-place concrete
foundation walls and the first floor is composed of both supported
slab and slab-on-grade concrete floors. The second and third
floors are supported slabs carried by cast-in-place concrete
columns. The greenhouses sit on a cast-in-place concrete slab
supported by cast-in-place short walls and spread footings.
The exterior walls have a masonry in-fill veneer.
The Walsh Group is serving as the general contractor. Stanley
Tigerman, a principal of Tigerman-McCurry Architects, Chicago,
designed the facility.
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Report: Climate
Change Legislation Could
Affect Highway Funding
Proposed
legislation aimed at curbing global climate change could reduce
revenues for federal highway funding by resulting in higher
fuel prices, greater inflation rates, and slower economic growth.
So concludes a PCA report assessing the economic impact of climate
change proposals on the Highway Trust Fund. Based on one of
the more visible proposals—that of Senator Jeff Bingaman
(D-N.M.)—PCA's assessment finds that real highway trust
fund revenues would decline from $35.6 billion in 2005 to $11.8
billion by 2030. Cement consumption from this source of federal
funding would decline from 17.3 million tons in 2010 to 10.5
million tons in 2030.
Several key findings related to climate change legislation contribute
to the decline. Higher energy costs and inflation rates will
reduce overall economic growth and significantly erode the real-dollar
buying power of the Highway Trust Fund. The combination of slower
economic growth and higher fuel prices will reduce fuel consumption
and the gas taxes that provide revenue for the Highway Trust
Fund.
A three-page Flash Report summarizing key findings is available
as a PDF.
View
or download the report.
Contact Ed Sullivan
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PCA Demonstrates
Concrete Thinking at AIA
PCA highlighted the variety of ways that
cement-based products contribute to sustainable development
at its exhibit at the American Institute of Architects' 150th
annual conference, May 2-5 in San Antonio, Texas. Visitors to
the PCA booth were able to access www.ConcreteThinker.com—the
concrete industry’s top online resource for sustainable
development—at an Internet Café installed in PCA’s
booth to learn about the green applications and benefits for
concrete. PCA also featured an eye-catching pervious concrete
display where attendees witnessed first-hand how this innovative
application for sidewalks and parking lots helps improve stormwater
management.
Contact David
Shepherd
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Students, Start Your Paddles
 The
2007 ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition (NCCC) will take
place in Seattle on June 14-16. Hosted by the University of
Washington, the Concrete Canoe Competition challenges the knowledge,
creativity, and stamina of students, while showcasing the versatility
and durability of concrete as a building material. The contest
gives participants a practical application of the engineering
principles they learn in the classroom, along with important
team and project management skills.
The winners of the NCCC are determined
by compiling a team's total number of points from the academic
(design paper, oral presentation, and final product) and race
portions of the competition. Winning teams will share $9,000
in academic scholarships from Master Builders Inc. Additional
sponsors include Baker Concrete Construction, Holcim (US) Inc.,
Norchem, ICS Penetron, Pennoni Associates Inc., Propex Concrete
Systems, and U.S. Silica Company.
More
information
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| Minneapolis Takes Center
Stage for Concrete Technologies Tour
Concrete industry promoters, builders,
and others interested in learning more about residential concrete
applications took part in the 3rd annual Concrete Technologies
Tour in Minneapolis last week.
Sponsored by the Concrete Home Builders Council (CHBC) of
the National Association of Home Builders, the Tour provided
attendees with information about both the manufacturing processes
and installation techniques used with residential concrete
products. This year’s Tour included stops at several
manufacturing facilities, including Molin Precast, Anchor
Block, and Cemstone Ready-Mix. Other highlights were visits
to the factory that produces Schwing concrete pumps, a Holcim
cement terminal, an under-construction ICF home, and a decorative
concrete demonstration performed at Becker Architectural Concrete.
PCA, the National Concrete Masonry Association, and the North
Central Cement Council were among the additional sponsors
of the Concrete Technologies Tour. The next Tour will take
place in Charlotte, N.C. in June of 2008.
For more information about the CHBC, visit www.nahb.org/concrete.
Contact Jim
Neihoff
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| Call for Abstracts:
2008 Concrete Bridge Conference
The 2008 Concrete Bridge Conference
will be held May 4-6, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency in St. Louis,
Mo. CBC has quickly become the premier national venue for
the exchange of ideas and information on all aspects of concrete
bridge design and construction. Typically, more than 300 bridge
engineers including FHWA, DOT, and consulting engineers, academia,
contractors, and industry attend CBC. It is being held in
conjunction with the 2008 Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI)
Technical Conference and Exhibition. Your registration will
enable you to attend both conferences.
Abstracts are due July 15.
More
information
Contact Shri Bhide
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Results from
last week:
Performance Edges Out Awareness as Pervious
Barrier
What's the biggest barrier to greater use
and acceptance of pervious concrete pavements?
Responses (percent)
- Performance concerns 22 (40.00%)
- Lack of awareness 21 (38.18%)
- Shortage of qualified contractors 12 (21.82%)
Notable comments:
"None of the above! It is the human issues
of regulations and acceptance. Current regulations do not
provide for low impact methods."
"Standards are not in place to address
concerns. But education is the key, since pervious should
be designed for an application."
"As late as 1985 in Florida various
water management districts and municipalities would not approve
pervious and if they did only partial runoff credits were
given."
Take the current
PCA Poll.
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For more information
or to register, contact Julie
Lisiecki.
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Impact
of Cement Characteristics on Concrete Properties
May 15, 2007
Midlothian, Texas
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Raw
Mix Chemistry
May 16, 2007
Midlothian, Texas
September 19, 2007
Bethlehem, Pa.
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ACBM
Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement Workshop
June 26-28, 2006
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Pulverized
Fuel Guidelines for the Cement Industry
September 18, 2007
Bethlehem, Pa.
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Aggregates
and Chemical Admixtures for Use in Concrete
October 1-2 |
Kiln
Process
October 1-4 |
Mill
Grinding
October 22-24 |
Concrete:
Principles & Practices
October 22-25 |
Troubleshooting:
Solutions to Concrete Field Problems
November 5-7 |
Cement
Manufacturing for Process Engineers
November 5-8 |
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NRMCA
2007 Concrete Technology Forum: Focus on High Performance
Concrete
May 22-24
Dallas
More
information |
RCC Pavement
Design and Construction Seminar
May 24, 2007
Nashville, Tenn.
November 6, 2007
Atlanta
More
information
|
12th
International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement
July 8-13, 2007
Montreal, Quebec
More
information |
Pervious
Concrete—
A Stormwater Solution
Detroit—July 10
Lexington, Ky.—July 12
Washington, DC—July 24
Pittsburgh—July 26
Minneapolis—Aug. 7
Milwaukee—Aug. 9
More
information
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©2007 Portland Cement Association
All rights reserved
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.
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