New York City's New Building Code Makes
Concrete Progress in Fire Resistance, Structural Integrity
On July 3, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed into law a new building code recognizing the benefits of concrete and cement-based building materials by toughening requirements for fire resistant and structurally sound construction.

"This bill delivers on a campaign promise I made in 2001 to update the current Building Code, which was last revised comprehensively in 1968," said Bloomberg in a statement released at the signing. "Because building codes govern a critical part of the City's infrastructure, it is essential that the minimum standards they establish mirror the very latest in design and construction technology."

The law becomes effective July 1, 2008, and the new code provisions become effective July 1, 2009, giving designers a two-year transition period.

The new code is based on the 2003 International Building Code (IBC), but includes many technical amendments that go beyond IBC provisions and are seen as favorable to concrete construction. For example, most buildings more than 12 stories tall will require a structural frame with a three-hour fire rating. And with a few exceptions, the code prohibits wood-frame construction in New York City.

As a member of the structural sub-committee established in 2003 under the then newly formed Mayoral Commission, PCA’s Mike Mota attended the bill signing ceremony at the Mayor’s Office last week.

PCA has prepared a one-page summary of the code changes relevant to the cement and concrete industries.
View or download the summary
Contact Mike Mota or Jim Messersmith

Keeping Concrete in Step with Military Construction
With two exhibits and several technical presentations, PCA profiled a range of cement and concrete solutions at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Infrastructure Systems Conference 2007 in Detroit, June 25-29, 2007.

More than 1,000 attendees participated at the biennial conference that brings together engineering and construction professionals for four days of technical sessions and exhibitions. Although most presentations were lead by government officials, PCA staff had four abstracts approved for presentations:

• The latest developments in roller-compacted concrete pavements by David Luhr
• Cost-effective reuse of contaminated soil in sediment using portland cement-based solidification/stabilization methods by Chuck Wilk
• Roller-compacted concrete for dam rehabilitation and in new gravity dams by Fares Abdo. He also presented a seminar on protecting large reservoirs with soil cement.

The next Infrastructure Systems Conference is scheduled for 2009.
Contact John Sullivan

New Edition of Plant Information Summary Available
PCA's U.S. and Canadian Portland Cement Industry: Plant Information Summary is now available. The book includes comprehensive information on cement companies and their plants plus industry-wide and historical data:

• Plant capacities and types of cement produced
• Capacity ranking tables by state, company, and plant
• Individual mill and kiln data
• Detailed information of fuel types, including waste fuels
• Plant locations, parent company listings, and company ranking tables

Compiled from surveys, data provide a snapshot of the industry as of December 31, 2006.
More information

Concrete Testing Hits the Road
Concrete will be hitting the road this summer in the form of the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) new Mobile Concrete Laboratory (MCL). Debuted at the spring American Concrete Institute convention in Atlanta, the 50-foot trailer contains a fully functional laboratory that introduces federal, state and local transportation personnel to the state-of-the-art concrete technology in materials selection and mixture design, as well as field and laboratory testing.

MCL staff can provide onsite testing and conduct workshops on the use of equipment and new technologies. It allows state highway agency (SHA) personnel to get "hands-on" experience and provides equipment on loan for various lengths of time to trained personnel.

The current focus of the MCL includes high performance concrete (HPC) for pavements and bridges, nondestructive testing, and performance related specifications (PRS). Featured tests include match curing, maturity tensile bond and pull out strength, impact echo, pulse velocity, and microwave content.
More information at www.fhwa.dot.gov

Comment submittal forms are on the LEED H Web site under the specific credit heading to which it pertains. While only a USGBC member company representative can vote, any member of the public can comment on the draft rating system. The comment period will end Saturday, July 14, 2007.
Contact David Shepherd or Donn Thompson
Visit the comment Web site

Lafarge Earns Praise from Al Gore at UK Green Awards
Lafarge Cement UK fought off stiff competition to receive a Business in the Community (BITC) Award for Excellence. Former US Vice President Al Gore, in the presence of BITC's President, Charles, HRH The Prince of Wales, presented the eco-efficiency Award to the company at the Royal Albert Hall last week.

The Award recognizes companies that are taking a "strategic, comprehensive, and innovative approach to reducing waste and natural resource use." Other blue chip companies short listed in this category included Ford and Toyota.

Gore commended all Lafarge staff for their commitment to environmental performance, singling out the company's achievement of reducing process waste by 80 percent and increasing positive use of waste materials in the form of fuels, raw materials and product additions.

Results From Last Week:
Readers Split on Effects of Housing Slump
Do you think the slump in single-family housing will help or hurt the growth of concrete wall systems in this market?

> Help. In a more competitive market, builders need an edge and will try concrete systems. (49.48%)
> Hurt. In a down market, builders are less willing to try new products. (50.52%)

Notable Comments:

"I believe that builders will be less likely to utilize concrete due to green initiatives consumers are rallying behind and the cost cutting that will be needed . . . . Cheaper, greener products will be utilized and supported, leaving concrete out of the game."

"I would like to think that a housing downturn will help, but unfortunately I don't see builders as willing to try new systems—particularly when there are not enough qualified sub-contractors to build concrete wall systems."

"If properly marketed, medium-sized builders [can use concrete wall systems] to compete against the big guys."

"Concrete building systems are the future. If you don't have the vision to see it now, plan on an early retirement."

"As people consider the expense of new home construction, sustainability and long term maintenance become paramount. Concrete wall systems excel in this regard."

"Sophisticated home buyers are interested in homes that are energy efficient, storm ready, and value added. When they consider these three measures, concrete homes rise to the top of their selection criteria. Home buyers want concrete homes; therefore, builders will construct them to meet the demand."

"I've already seen the tide changing. Builders are looking for something to make them stand out—be different from the competition! They are looking for marketing advantages such as green building initiatives, healthy homes, and energy efficient homes."

Take the current PCA Poll