Home of the Innocents Turns to Concrete
Virtues for Addition

Located in Louisville, Ky., the Home of the Innocents (HOTI) offers shelter, therapy, and medical care to at-risk children. On a typical day, they serve 250 children, and needed more space. While developing expansion plans, the Board of Directors targeted building systems that would offer superior energy efficiency and disaster-resistance, thus providing a favorable monthly operating cost.

After careful research of several building methods, the Board chose insulating concrete forms (ICFs) for above-grade walls in four of the buildings and for a basement in the fifth. The five new buildings that will double HOTI’s space include an Advanced Therapy Center, a Shelter Cottage for Children and Adolescents, a new classroom building, a Comprehensive Assessment Center, and an expansion of the Pediatric Convalescent Center.

Construction began in January 2009 with completion expected in the spring of 2010. Dixie ICF, LLC, of Louisville will be the ICF distributor and contractor of materials from Amvic Building Systems.

Established in 1880, the Home of the Innocents provides services for children who are medically fragile, have terminal illnesses, are abused, abandoned, or neglected, pregnant and homeless teens, and children with autism and special needs. HOTI is funded through the support of many companies, organizations, and community-minded individuals, as well as some state and federal funding.
Contact Jamie Farny

Registration Open for Cement
Industry Technical Conference

Online registration is now available for the 51st annual IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference, May 31-June 4, 2009, at Desert Springs, a JW Marriott® Resort & Spa, Palm Desert, Calif.

This year's conference highlights include:

> Panel sessions on alternative fuel use and their impact on operational results, burner designs, and clinker production
> Tutorials on bulk material handling, pneumatic conveying, wireless technologies, and elevator maintenance
>World class technical papers covering every aspect of cement manufacturing
> Tour of TXI's Oro Grande Plant
> Annual Safety Awards Luncheon
> Special Economic Update by PCA's Ed Sullivan

This year's conference also boasts a concurrent Environmental Workshop that will cover pending climate change legislation and its impact on the cement industry, regulatory updates, and other environmentally related process topics.
More information at www.ieeepcaconference.org
Contact Rick Bohan

2009 Concrete Technology Forum Set for May in Cincinnati

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) is sponsoring the fourth annual Concrete Technology Forum: Focus on Performance Prediction, May 13-15, 2009, in Cincinnati, Ohio. The 2-day symposium will bring researchers and practitioners together to discuss the latest advances, technical knowledge, continuing research, tools, and specifications that involve test methods and modeling to predict concrete performance and service life.

More than 30 speakers are scheduled to present topics ranging from strength and durability to workability and sustainability of concrete construction. Featured keynote speakers include:

> Dr. Douglas Hooton, University of Toronto, will explore performance-based specifications and testing.
> Dr. Anthony Fiorato, Consultant, will discuss how to assure performance through intelligent standards.
> Dr. Nicholas Carino, Consultant, will present latest advancements in non-destructive testing.
> Mark Chrzanowski, P.E., CH2M HILL, a firm that is global leader in full service design, construction, and operations as well as well as in sustainable construction, will explore opportunities for concrete in the quest for a carbon neutral future.

A product expo featuring companies that offer products and services for testing and modeling concrete performance will be open during the conference.
More at www.ConcreteTechnologyForum.org

Salt River Plant Receives ENERGY STAR® Two Years in a Row

The Salt River Materials Group Phoenix Cement plant in Clarkdale, Ariz., was recently honored with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® award for 2008, after first receiving the award for 2007.

To earn the 2007 award, the plant scored 97 of a possible 100 on the Energy Performance Indicator (EPI), used by the EPA to measure energy efficiency in cement plants. In order to qualify for an ENERGY STAR award a score of at least 75 is required. In addition, the plant must have a three-year history of complying with several other environmental regulations.

“Our score for 2008 was a perfect 100 on the EPI,” said Lew Dodendorf, Energy Manager for the company. “We made additional improvements which allow us to reduce our energy usage while maintaining excellent production and quality.”

The Phoenix Cement plant features energy-efficient roller mills for coal, raw meal, and finish grinding. The finish grinding mill was the first such mill to be installed in the U.S. An energy-efficient clinker cooler captures and uses more waste heat in the system and raw feed sweetening and blending systems have recently been upgraded to improve overall process efficiency.

New Concrete Parking Lot Course Offered

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and the American Society of Concrete Contractors have teamed up to offer a new course, How to Build a Successful Parking Lot Construction Business.  The course will be offered April 28-29, 2009, in Denver.

Intended for concrete contractors and producers, the course presents the importance of marketing and effective presentation skills in the successful promotion of concrete parking areas.  Additionally, different contract delivery methods and how they affect the potential for a successful concrete parking lot contracting business will be discussed.

The course provides detailed instruction on how to design and build concrete parking lots, including discussions on strength, workability, and durability.  Additional detail will be provided on cost estimating, cost-benefit analysis and life-cycle costs.  This seminar will also provide introductions to innovative products such as whitetopping and pervious concrete.
To register visit www.nrmca.org or call 866-788-2722.

Engineers Week 2009: Sustainability and Alternate Energy Resources

National Engineers Week, being celebrated this year February 15-21, provides children and adults alike with the opportunity to experience the fundamentals of math and science at work through a series of interactive displays and presentations.  Volunteers from engineering societies, education, business, and government come together to promote an active interest in learning and to show the intriguing and applicable results of numerous engineering principles.

The theme of this year’s Engineers Week is “Sustainability and Alternate Energy Resources.”  With the demand for natural resources currently at unprecedented levels, engineers are at the forefront of applying new and sustainable ways in which the world can function. 

The DuPage Area Engineers Week Expo, to be held Saturday, February 21, at the Illinois Institute of Technology Wheaton, Ill., campus, features everything from model airplanes and a wind tunnel exhibit, to lasers, robots, and bicycle power.  New for 2009 is a “Buildings to Shake, Rattle and Roll!” exhibit and presentation by PCA Director of Engineered Buildings, Larry Novak.
Contact Larry Novak
More information on National Engineering Week