Res/Rec Center to Shine Silver with Precast

The availability of locally produced precast concrete materials was key for the approval of a new dormitory 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. The Guidelines 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 have the capacity to house 265 students and will wrap around a field house that includes an indoor track and fitness facilities.

Grim Residential Outlook Expected to Drag Down Cement Consumption

Already grim conditions facing the residential construction market are expected to worsen in 2008, according to a recent PCA Economic Research report.

High home inventories, in part due to the large number of foreclosures caused by the sub-prime crisis, will cause housing starts to decline 25 percent in 2008 from already depressed 2007 levels.

Given that residential construction normally accounts for 30 percent of annual cement consumption, this sector will continue to have a significant drag on overall cement consumption.
Contact Ed Sullivan

PCA Recognizes Future Engineers at 'Future City'

In conjunction with National Engineers Week, Chicago engineering societies hosted a student design competition for area schools on January 26, 2008. Known as the “Future City Competition,” the contest required middle grade students, along with an engineer mentor, to design a future city.

PCA provided a special award for the project that exhibited the “Best Use of Concrete in Building Technology." Students from the Keller Regional Gifted Center won this award for their project “Equilibria” (pictured left), which featured a two- tiered city with towers above and a mass transportation center below. Each student received an individual plaque and a $50 US Savings Bond, and the school received one large plaque for display. PCA commends all the students who participated for their effort and creative solutions.
Contact Larry Novak

January PPI: Steel, Asphalt Prices on the Rise

Steel prices rose 1.3% from December to January while asphalt gained 1.9% in the same period, according to the January 2008 Producer Price Index (PPI).

Concrete prices increased only 0.6% for the month. Lumber prices declined for the sixth consecutive month, dropping 2.0%.

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

2008 Professional Promoters’
Workshop Scheduled

The 2008 Professional Promoters’ Workshop is planned for May 5-7 at the Renaissance Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill. This workshop is the only national forum offering unprecedented interactive support programs and sharing of best practices in the local promotion of concrete.

This year’s workshop will include the popular “What Works” sessions and round-table forums that allow for unstructured discussions on contemporary topics of interest. Scheduled topics include how to set up a local government affairs program, codes and standards, and contractor involvement in local promotional programs.
More information or register online

FDR Lunch Tour Planned

The Southeast Cement Association (SCA) will present a lunch construction tour that illustrates the benefits of full-depth reclamation (FDR) with portland cement on March 11, 2008, in Raleigh, N.C.

Attendees will tour a local site that is using FDR to reclaim and strengthen an existing roadway.
More information at www.secement.org
Download an entry form

Minnesota Lawmakers Override
Veto on Major Transportation Bill

Against the backdrop of the I-35W bridge collapse last August, the Minnesota legislature last week voted to override Governor Pawlenty's veto of a $6.6 billion transportation bill for roads, bridges, and transit. The measure increases the gas tax by 5 cents to 25 cents per gallon with provision for another 3.5-cent increase during the next five years. The bill also includes a 0.25% metro sales tax to fund transit programs.

The bill will add nearly $1 billion in annual funding for transportation, say proponents. The North Central Cement Council and other industry groups supported passage of the bill through involvement with the Minnesota Transportation Alliance.
Contact Doug Burns at the North Central Cement Council

HPC Bridge Views Launched in New Format

HPC Bridge Views, the bimonthly newsletter covering high-performance concrete (HPC) for bridges, is now produced in a digital format and e-mailed to subscribers. The inaugural issue, distributed last week, sports a new design as well as a companion Web site, www.hpcbridgeviews.org, to house current and back issues.

HPC Bridge Views is published through a recent cooperative agreement between the Federal Highway Administration and the National Concrete Bridge Council (NCBC), of which PCA is a member. The program is funded by a provision of the current highway bill, SAFETEA-LU, concerning the Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment Program to disseminate information on the performance and benefits of innovative designs, materials, and construction methods.

The newsletter began publication in January 1999. The first 46 issues of HPC Bridge Views have included more than 180 articles covering the full spectrum of applications of HPC for bridge superstructures and substructures: mix design, test procedures for improved quality control, construction practices, and bridge design.
More info or subscribe

Poll Results: Recession is Here

Do you think the U.S. economy is currently in recession?

> Yes: 67.7%
> No: 32.3%

Notable Comments:

"Technically we are not in recession, but clearly housing is hurting tremendously. We are being bombarded with signs of financial problems, increasing fear that will surely result in a floundering situation."

"No way! Will it actually go there? Another good question! Time will tell."

"Some areas of the country might qualify, but not the total US economy."

"I believe that we are indeed in a recession, but also believe that the media is embellishing its magnitude as it is a presidential election year."

"Certain areas of the country have been hit hard and are in a recession-like state, but the media is making it seem worse than it is. Overall the unemployment rate is low and people are still spending, albeit less then they were."

"Signs are that we are experiencing a slowdown. We have not quite started experiencing the full blown symptoms of a recession, and with great hope, will avoid such."

"The government is six months behind what's happening. I believe it will get worse before economic conditions begin to improve thus affecting the cement industry in general."

Take the current poll