Saving Energy = Saving Money for Concrete Show Home

Each year The New American Home® (TNAH) demonstrates that superior housing performance can be built into any house, anywhere, at any price range.  And each year for the past five, concrete wall systems have provided the energy-efficient building envelope for this high-performing official Show Home of the National Association of Home Builders.

This year’s home, which debuted at the International Builders' Show® in Las Vegas, Jan. 20-23, 2009, again showcased the exceptional savings concrete systems provide homebuilders and homeowners.  The exterior structural walls and basement foundation walls were built with insulating concrete forms (ICFs).  Other concrete products in the home included concrete pavers, cultured stone, and polished concrete.

In addition to the high R-value derived from the foam insulation, the thermal mass of the concrete walls helps the home achieve its high level of energy efficiency. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program estimates the home uses approximately 70 percent less energy for heating and 61 percent less energy for cooling than a comparably sized wood frame home in a similar climate.

Concrete systems and products provide the home with other environmental and comfort benefits. Especially important for this home are the excellent soundproofing qualities of concrete.  The home is located just five minutes from the McCarran International Airport.   

The home is applying for Emerald status under the newly established NAHB Green Building Standard.
Contact Jim Niehoff

PCA Testifies Before House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

Last Thursday, at the invitation of the staff of Chair James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.), Ed Sullivan, PCA’s chief economist, testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  The committee was interested in determining whether the states, contractors, manufacturers, and material suppliers would be able to meet the rapid obligation of the current levels of appropriated stimulus funds specified in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

Mr. Sullivan stated, “A stimulus plan with emphasis on infrastructure will go far in brightening our economic outlook. With an estimated domestic cement capacity of 102 million metric tons and an aggressive capacity expansion underway, the cement industry is well-positioned to help recharge America’s economy through important infrastructure projects.”
Contact: John Sullivan or Ed Sullivan

December PPI:  Material Prices Decrease

Steel prices decreased for the fourth consecutive month to post a significant 12.4% decline from November to December, according to the December Producer Price Index (PPI).

Asphalt prices also dropped considerably, decreasing 8.3% from the previous month. Lumber prices decreased by 1.2% from November to December while concrete prices remained the same.

During the last year, asphalt prices have grown 33.3% while steel prices have increased 5.3%.  Concrete prices grew by 4.2%. In the last year lumber prices have declined by 7.8%.

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.
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Contact Ninab Maradkel

Pavilion Showcases Concrete Solutions at Builders' Show

PCA hosted the 21st Concrete Pavilion at the International Builders' Show, January 20-23 in Las Vegas. The Pavilion provided a one-stop-shop for show attendees to learn more about the benefits of residential concrete products. Located on the main aisle of the North Hall, the 24 Pavilion Partners enjoyed a prime spot for foot traffic.

The PCA booth featured a pervious display that allowed attendees to get a first-hand look at this environmentally innovative product. In addition to the pervious display, there was an easy-to-use touch screen kiosk that demonstrated how concrete walls save energy over conventional wood framing. Users selected a house type, concrete wall system, and area of the country. The results screen showed typical savings in electricity and natural gas usage, and also provided heating and cooling requirements.

Ed Sullivan, chief economist, presented his economic forecast to show attendees during the afternoon of the opening day. A small crowd gathered to hear Sullivan's take on what effect a stimulus package, the credit markets and an infrastructure bill will have on the American economy.

In addition to managing the booth and Concrete Pavilion, PCA staff participated in a number of meetings, seminars and events at the 2009 International Builders Show.  Donn Thompson, manager of building technologies and sustainable codes,  participated in a panel discussion of how concrete wall systems contribute to Green Building programs and was also interviewed by a local television station at a concrete-built show home, the “First to the Future” home sponsored by NextGen.  Michelle Wilson, director of concrete knowledge, presented the popular “ Troubleshooting Myths in Concrete Construction, while Jim Niehoff, director of low-rise buildings, moderated a panel discussion of concrete home builders at the “Connect with Concrete” luncheon, which drew a capacity crowd of 110 builders.
Contact Mike Collignon

Sullivan Presents Residential Outlook at IBS Show

Ed Sullivan, PCA chief economist, presented his residential construction forecast in context of the proposed stimulus package at a press conference at the 2009 International Builders’ Show on January 20 in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Portland Cement Association (PCA) predicts that without a strong stimulus bill, housing starts will not begin to recover until 2012. However, residential construction could rebound as soon as late 2010 or early 2011 with the proposed plan. Key to this recovery will be the burning off of existing home inventories.

The need for “greener” homes will also have a positive impact on the housing industry during the next several years. As new homes are being built, builders will be turning to more energy efficient building systems like insulating concrete forms (ICF) to create low-energy houses.

In its coverage, the Wall Street Journal credited PCA's Sullivan as "one of the first industry economists to predict the current downturn."

In addition to the Wall Street Journal, media in attendance at the press conference included representatives from the Las Vegas Journal-Review, Engineering-News Record, and Remodeling magazine.
Contact Ed Sullivan or Patti Flesher

Matt Jeffers Joins Southeast Region

The PCA Southeast Region named Matt Jeffers as pavement applications director for Tennessee.  He will focus on the promotion of concrete applications for the parking lot market.

Jeffers most recently was a head project inspector for the Tennessee Department of Transportation.  He was involved in the bridge inspection of various bridge projects around the Nashville city limits.

Jeffers received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tenn.
Contact Matt Jeffers

Mexican President Inaugurates First Phase of EURUS Wind Farm

Mexican President Felipe Calderón last week celebrated the development of the EURUS wind farm, a self-generation project that will supply 25 percent of CEMEX Mexico's electrical needs.

The wind farm has been developed jointly between CEMEX and ACCIONA Energia and will have 167 wind turbines with 1.5MW of capacity each.  It is located in Juchitan, in the Southern Mexican State of Oaxaca in a 2,500 hectare area in the Tehuantepec Isthmus, an area well-known for its wind resources.

The 250 megawatts (MW) of energy that will be produced by EURUS is estimated to be sufficient to power a Mexican city of half a million inhabitants, reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 600,000 metric tons each year, which is approximately 25 percent of the total emissions generated by such a community.

EURUS will be one of the largest wind farms in the world and the second largest in terms of emissions reduction registered under the Clean Development Mechanism of the United Nations (Kyoto Protocol). It will also have one of the largest emission reduction indexes per installed capacity in the world.

The project has created more than 850 jobs in the region during the construction phase and will have a local economic impact equivalent to 20 million Mexican pesos per year. The first phase will be operational in the first quarter of 2009 and the last phase will be operational in the last quarter of 2009. Currently 25 turbines are installed.

Concrete Homes For Living—Special Offer:  Expires 1/31/09:  A collection of the most beautiful concrete homes around the world! CEMEX, a global leader in cement and concrete, celebrates its 100th anniversary with a luxurious tabletop book filled with more than 200 photographs that demonstrate the limitless potential and flexibility of concrete as an artistic medium. Discover unique concrete residences from Spain and North America, complete with close-ups of some of the most innovative and contemporary concrete kitchens, floors, bathrooms, facades and patios. This book truly celebrates the history and artistry of concrete in strong, environmentally safe, and personalized homes (XC078; $10, no discount).
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Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures 2009 Edition:  This CD is the definitive reference on concrete technology and covers fundamentals and detailed information on freshly mixed and hardened concrete. It discusses materials for concrete; air entrainment; procedures for mix proportioning, batching, mixing, transporting, handling, placing, consolidating, finishing, and curing concrete; commonly used control tests for quality concrete; special types of concrete, such as high-performance and many more. Applicable ASTM, AASHTO, and ACI standards are referred to extensively (CD100; $60, less discount).
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Structural Lightweight Aggregate Concrete:  Lightweight concrete provides structural efficiency and economic advantages, and it can be used reliably in most concrete applications.  This information sheet provides a brief history of the use of lightweight concrete, in addition to its properties, mixture proportioning, design/construction considerations, and specifications (IS032; $15, less discount; PDF free to PCA members).
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The 2008 Homeowner Report:  A survey of homeowner attitudes and perceptions concerning the use of concrete and other competing materials for above-grade wall systems in new single-family homes (MR450; $500, less discount; PDF free to PCA members).
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HVAC Sizing Software For Concrete Homes:  Latest update of this popular software which provides an effective means of estimating heating and cooling system capacities for single-family concrete homes.  Originally created as part of a HUD-sponsored project, this program accounts for thermal mass benefits not recognized in traditional residential HVAC design standards.  The software calculates the system capacities based on the house dimensions, construction materials, air infiltration, location (U.S., Canada, and Mexico) and thermostat set point.  Based on U.S. Department of Energy 2.1E Calculation Engine.  Updated to latest ASHRAE Standards.  MS Excel version 97 or later required for operation of the program (CD044; $59.95, no discount).
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Easier Energy Star® Compliance With Concrete Homes:  Exterior concrete wall systems provide Energy Star® home builders with a faster, less complicated means of building high-performance houses compared to conventional frame assemblies. This Tech Brief (No. 21) is designed in a single-page format and written in a non-technical style intended to inform the building industry and consumers about the ways concrete building technologies can more easily meet the exterior envelope requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star® program. The combination of continuous insulation and solid concrete creates tighter, better performing exterior wall assemblies with fewer parts and pieces, and less coordination. (IS320; $15 for a pack of 50, no discount; PDF available free).
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Concrete: The Choice For Sustainable Design:  A collection of articles based on the central theme of Sustainable Design. These articles include “Energy and the Environment: Concrete at its Core;” “Growing Benefits While Shrinking Footprints: Cement Industry Sets Sights on Alternative Fuels and Materials;” “Earning Points in Green Building Rating Systems;” “Recycled Resources;” and “Pervious Pavement Spreads as Solution” (RP444; $1.50, no discount; PDF available free).
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