 Given
the push to reduce energy consumption, do you think passive
designs for HVAC (as in the Loyola library, below) will become
more common in buildings and homes?
Take the PCA Poll
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Loyola Library Opens
New Chapter
on Passive Heating and Cooling
An annex to Loyola University's Lake Shore
Campus now under construction in Chicago, Ill., combines an
innovative passive ventilation system with radiant heating and
cooling to achieve a 30% gain in energy efficiency.
The four-story Information Commons and Digital Library features
a double-layer of glass panels on one side of the building.
Air flow is channeled through a 3-foot gap between the panels
to reduce dependence on mechanical ventilation.
Radiant heating and cooling optimize the efficiency of the ventilation
system. With a large number of computer workstations generating
heat, the design team selected a raised floor displacement ventilation
system. The barrel-formed soffit of the joist concrete framing
system provided the vaulted ceiling. Plastic tubing for radiant
heating and cooling is embedded into the concrete and conditions
the air supply in the raised floor space.
Precast concrete panels on the towers at each end are finished
to match the limestone used in surrounding buildings.
The $30-million annex has 67,000 square feet of space to house
700 study and computer seats, 216 computer workstations, six
to eight classrooms, and 35 seminar rooms.
Architect is Solomon Cordwell Buenz. When completed in the fall
of 2007, the building is expected to achieve a silver LEED certification.
The project was featured in the May 2007 issue of Architectural
Record.
See
the Architectural Record article
Contact
Amy Trygetad
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New Orleans Makes
an Ideal Venue for First Mitigation Class
More than 20 New Orleans builders last week
attended “Disaster Mitigation for Residential Construction,”
a new course offering from the Home Builder Institute, the workforce
development arm of the National Association of Home Builders.
Development of the mitigation course is funded by PCA and FEMA,
with input from the Institute for Business & Home Safety.
Steve Skalko, PCA manager of regional code services, led the
pilot course designed to furnish builders with an overview of
construction techniques and materials to use for better protection
against natural hazards such as hurricanes, tornados, floods,
wildfires, and earthquakes.
Topics covered included proper installation techniques and product
options relating to foundation systems, above-grade walls, roofing
systems, door and window openings, roof-to-wall connections,
and exterior cladding.
The mitigation course represents the 7th concrete-related educational
offering through Home Builder Institute's Superintendent’s
Program.
Contact
Jim Niehoff
Visit www.hbi.org
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|  May
PPI: Steel, Asphalt Prices Ease But Remain at High Levels
Steel
prices declined 1.3% in May while asphalt dipped 0.2% according
to the April 2007 Producer Price Index. Concrete prices, up
just 0.1% in May, have remained flat for the last two months.
Lumber prices continued to decline, down 0.7%.
During the past year, steel prices have
increased 13.9%, and asphalt prices are up 11.2%. Concrete
prices have increased 4.5% over the same period. Lumber is
down 12.5%.
Source: Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics. The information is provided by PCA to aid
in the promotion of concrete and cement-based products.
More
information
Contact Craig
Schulz
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Praxair Joins MTC
Praxair, Inc. has joined PCA's Manufacturing
Technical Committee (MTC) as an Associate Member.
Steven Hope, director business development, and Stefan Laux,
senior development associate, will represent Praxair on the
Committee. Praxair is a leading global supplier of industrial
gases, equipment, and services with a solid track record in
bringing oxygen-based solutions to the cement industry.
MTC now has 23 Associate Members. The Committee represents the
technical interests of portland cement producers in the United
States and Canada and has a special Associate Member category
for manufacturers of cement process equipment, material suppliers,
and cement industry consultants.
Contact
Rick Bohan
Visit
the MTC Web site
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CEMEX Plants Receive
Top U.S. EPA Awards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) recently honored three
CEMEX USA cement manufacturing plants for superior energy performance.
The plants in Louisville, Ky., Davenport, Calif., and Clinchfield,
Ga. are the first cement manufacturing facilities in the U.S.
to be awarded the 2007 ENERGY STAR that recognizes a plant’s
high level of productivity in energy-efficiency and operational
excellence.
These plants were chosen because they demonstrated superior
energy performance through a number of measures, such as developing
energy guidelines, employing techniques aimed at reducing heat
loss in kilns, implementing energy saving ideas, performing
audits, and providing employee training and awareness. They
also employ efficient equipment to reduce operating times, enhance
machinery reliability, and track energy savings.
The ENERGY STAR program is a joint government initiative by
the EPA and DOE that focuses on strategic energy management
and emphasizes the importance of demonstrating environmental
leadership for future generations. CEMEX USA is a corporate
partner of the ENERGY STAR program and a strong advocate for
energy conservation and sustainable manufacturing practices.
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Buzzi Plant Honored
for Reducing Emissions
Buzzi Unicem USA Signal Mountain plant in
Tennessee recently received a Green Industry Award from the
Greater Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce. This was the first
presentation of the Green Awards, recognizing achievement of
high standards of excellence in protecting the environment.
The Buzzi Unicem plant reduced its carbon dioxide emissions
by 51.3 percent for each of the 870,000 tons of cement manufactured
by the plant each year. The plant recently completed a $140
million upgrade to convert to a dry manufacturing process.
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Results from
Last Week:
West Coast Skyscrapers Just a Matter of Time (and Money)
Buildings in areas of high seismic activity are reaching new
heights. Do you think high-rises on the West Coast will ever
achieve the 100-story-plus heights of East Coast skyscrapers?
Notable Comments
"Time and money is what it takes. Technology is a great
thing. It will happen."
"It is in human nature to beat the more challenging records,
even if in these circumstances it is very stupid."
"To achieve these heights will require careful documentation
that the buildings's structural response to a high seismic
event will not be catastrophic."
"Taipei 101 in Taipei,Taiwan, which has more than 100
stories at a highly seismic-active location, is a testimony
that constructing 100-story-plus skyscrapers on the West Coast
can and will likely be achieved."
"The natural frequency of 100-story-plus buildings is
likely to be very different than that of the seismic oscillations
of an earthquake. This should make taller buildings less vulnerable,
I think. I believe any challenges presented will easily be
overcome with technology in the next fifty years."
Take the current PCA Poll
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For more information
or to register, contact Julie
Lisiecki.
|
Pulverized
Fuel Guidelines for the Cement Industry
September 18, 2007
Bethlehem, Pa.
|
Aggregates
and Chemical Admixtures for Use in Concrete
October 1-2, 2007
|
Kiln
Process
October 1-4, 2007
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Mill
Grinding
October 22-24, 2007
|
Concrete:
Principles & Practices
October 22-25, 2007 |
Troubleshooting:
Solutions to Concrete Field Problems
November 5-7, 2007 |
Cement
Manufacturing for Process Engineers
November 5-8, 2007
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Pervious
Concrete—
A Stormwater Solution
Detroit—July 10, 2007
Lexington, Ky.—July 12, 2007
Washington, DC—July 24, 2007
Pittsburgh—July 26, 2007
Minneapolis—August 7, 2007
Milwaukee—August 9, 2007
More
information
|
12th
International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement
July 8-13, 2007
Montreal, Quebec
More
information
|
National
Concrete Masonry Association Midyear Meeting
July 25-29, 2007
InterContinental Hotel
Boston, Ma.
More
information
|
Building Professors'
Seminar
July 30-August 1
Skokie, Ill.
More
information |
Bridge Professors' Seminar
August 2-3, 2007
Skokie, Illinois
More
information |
Practical Application
of PCA Economic Forecast & Market Assessments
August 7-8, 2007
Skokie, Ill
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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