Res/Rec Center Shines Silver with Precast

The availability of locally produced precast concrete materials was key for the approval of a new dormitory currently under construction at North Central College in Naperville, Ill.

Located in the city’s downtown area, the 198,000-square-foot residential and recreational facility called the Res/Rec Center will be LEED Silver certified and conform to Naperville’s Citywide Building Design Guidelines, which were rewritten to allow the acceptance of precast concrete instead of the previous "brick-only" mandate.

The precast system, manufactured by Dukane Precast, will utilize a formliner application to give the building a masonry appearance consistent with other area buildings.

The use of precast will also contribute significantly to the building’s LEED certification. In addition to be being available locally, the construction process produces less waste, uses recycled materials, and requires less energy for production. Once the building is complete, it will provide an energy efficient envelope and allow the construction of a green roof.

The Res/Rec Center will house 265 students and will wrap around a field house that includes an indoor track and fitness facilities.

‘Concrete Stimulus’ Ads Bolster Beltway Profile

Beginning today, PCA will be running targeted ‘Concrete Stimulus’-themed advertisemenst in Washington-based publications and Web sites.

The campaign seeks to inform key Washington decision makers of concrete’s cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, and sustainability along with the creation of jobs that will come with its use in construction projects funded by the anticipated economic stimulus package.

Ads are scheduled to run in print editions of CQ Today, Roll Call, and the Washington edition of The Weekly Standard. In addition to print advertisements, PCA will run Web site and banner ads in CQ.com, NationalJournal.com, Politico.com and WeeklyStandard.com. Banner ads will take users to the PCA Web site, which will feature ‘Concrete Stimulus’ resources on the home page throughout the campaign.
View or download the print ad (pdf)

ASCE Releases Infrastructure Report Card

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) last week released its 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure—assigning a cumulative grade of D to the nation’s infrastructure and noting a five-year investment need of $2.2 trillion from all levels of government and the private sector.

Since ASCE’s last assessment in 2005 there has been little change in the condition of the nation’s roads, bridges, drinking water systems and other public works, and the cost of improvement has increased by more than half a trillion dollars.

ASCE’s 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure provides an assessment of the condition and need for investment of 15 infrastructure categories, including, for the first time, levees. While there has been some improvement in energy since 2005, overall conditions have remained the same for bridges, dams, drinking water, hazardous waste, inland waterways, public parks and recreation, rail, schools, solid waste and wastewater, and have worsened in aviation, roads, and transit.

Grades ranged from a high of C+ for solid waste to a low of D for drinking water, inland waterways, levees, roads, and wastewater.
More at www.asce.org/

Tennessee Concrete Conference
Stresses Core Benefits

Sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and the Concrete Paving Association of Tennessee (CPAT), the 2009 Tennessee Concrete Pavement Conference presented attendees an opportunity the learn how concrete pavements are durable, sustainable, and versatile.

With TDOT officials in the majority,  engineering consultants, industry leaders, and equipment manufacturers attended two half-day sessions held at the Willis Conference Center in Nashville.  Phil Degges, chief engineer of TDOT opened the conference on the state of funding and the impact a stimulus package could provide the state of Tennessee motorists.  Highlights of the conference were Leif Wathne of the American Concrete Pavement  Association with an eye-opening presentation on the sustainable nature of concrete and John Donahue of the Missouri DOT with a presentation on concrete overlays.
More on the CPAT Web site

Concrete Thinking for a Sustainable World

Concrete provides more solutions for sustainable development than any other building material. For example, its inherent thermal mass and design versatility make it an excellent choice for a variety of green building projects.

A new PCA regional course explains the issues government officials, building owners, architects, and engineers are facing, the sustainable initiatives our industry has already implemented, and how you can position and promote concrete to provide solutions for your customers.

Sales, marketing, and communication professionals, along with interested technical support and operations staff, will benefit from participation in this program.

March 24, 2009 -- Dallas, Texas
March 31, 2009 -- Atlanta, Georgia.
May 12, 2009 -- Gainesville, Virginia
September 17, 2009 -- Seattle, Washington
September 22, 2009 -- Minneapolis, Minnesota
October 13, 2009 -- Chicago, Illinois
November 17, 2009 -- Phoenix, Arizona

ANSI Accepts NAHB Green Building Standard

The National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) National Green Building Standard™ for all residential construction work including single-family homes, apartments, and condos, land development and remodeling, and renovation was approved last week by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

The National Green Building Standard is now the first and only green building rating system approved by ANSI, according to NAHB.

The standard defines what green practices can be incorporated into residential development and construction and how home owners can operate and maintain their green homes.

New PCA Publication Provides Guidance on Controlling Moisture in Concrete Floors

Unwanted moisture in concrete floors annually causes millions of dollars in damage to buildings in the United States.  Problems from excessive moisture can include deterioration, trip-and-fall hazards, and microbial growth, which can lead to reduced indoor air quality, staining, and deterioration of building finishes. 

The second edition of Concrete Floors and Moisture from PCA discusses the sources of moisture, proper drying of concrete, methods of measuring moisture, construction practices, specifications, and responsibilities for successful floor projects. This edition includes discussion of terrazzo issues and a detailed discussion of issues with ASTM F1869 moisture emission testing. 

Additionally, the publication updates references on drying times of lightweight concrete, and the sources of supplies and standards.
More information and to order