New Devon Headquarters to Tower
Over Oklahoma City

Devon Energy Corp. will build a new world headquarters in downtown Oklahoma City that includes a 54-story, 925-foot tall skyscraper that will be the tallest building in Oklahoma and cost upward of $750 million.

The 1.9 million square-foot building includes a 10-story garage, meeting space, and first-floor retail.  Adjacent to the tower will be a glass rotunda that will serve as its entrance.

The rotunda is designed to fall right on the "Harvey Axis," a line that is being used as a focal point for redevelopment of a massive blighted area south of downtown. It will connect several area attractions including the Myriad Botanical Gardens, a new iconic central park.

Devon has registered the project with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program. Potential sustainable features include floor-to-ceiling vision glass to enhance day lighting for interior spaces, under-floor air distribution and wire management, gray-water irrigation and “green” roofs landscaped with native plants, and the selection of materials from local sources with recycled-product content.

The tower is expected to be completed in 2012. Pickard Chilton will design the building. Kendall/Heaton Associates, Inc., a Houston-based architectural design firm, will serve as architect of record.
Contact Amy Trygestad

President Signs Highway Trust Fund Rescue, But It's Only A Short-Term Fix

By signing the rescue plan for the highway trust fund last week, President Bush provided much needed funds to keep infrastructure projects around the country moving.  This will help ensure current projects are finished and keep thousands of construction employees on the job.

Unfortunately, this is only a short-term fix for a funding system that needs a total makeover.  The highway trust fund receives its revenues from the federal gas tax and is subjected to the ebbs and flows of consumer and business traffic behavior and does not provide the consistent stream of funding needed to repair and improve the nation’s infrastructure.

“This is a Band-Aid to get us through the first step of the reauthorization process.  In order to fully fund SAFETEA-LU, we need creative solutions to fund infrastructure renewal at the local, state and federal levels,” said David Hubbard, vice president of legislative affairs at PCA. “Gas taxes are only one way. Fair user fees, public/private partnerships and sales-tax sharing are all options that need to be explored and need to be explored soon.”

While congestion and the nation’s deteriorating roads and bridges are a problem today, forecasts show it will only get much worse without appropriate support and improvement.  Traffic congestion in the United States wastes three billion gallons of fuel and contributes 27.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year, according to a report from the PCA. The overall economic impact of traffic delays adds up to $80 billion per year.

Just to maintain our current levels of congestion while accommodating population growth, we will need 400,000 additional lane miles of highways by 2032.
Contact David Hubbard

GCC Plant Earns ENERGY STAR

The GCC of America cement plant in Tijeras, N.M. has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy performance.

As a new ENERGY STAR Partner, GCC of America has made a fundamental commitment to protect the environment through continuous improvement of their energy performance.

The ENERGY STAR indicates that each plant is in the top 25 percent of cement plants in the nation in terms of energy efficiency.

EPA's national energy performance rating system provides a 1-100 scale that helps organizations assess how efficiently their facilities use energy relative to similar facilities nationwide. A plant that scores a rating of 75 or higher is eligible for the ENERGY STAR.

Water Symbol Design with Photocatalytic Concrete Marks New I-35W Bridge Gateway

Two gleaming white concrete sculptures, each comprised of three wavy columns to symbolize the universal symbol for water, greets travelers on the new Interstate 35 West Bridge spanning the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis.

The columns are the first high-profile application of TX Active photocatalytic cement in North America.  TX Active, produced by Essroc Italcementi Group, is a self-cleaning, pollution-reducing photocatalytic cement.

Architectural surfaces formulated with TX Active cement are efficient in destroying atmospheric pollutants.  This results in cleaner concrete surfaces and cleaner air. In the case of the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis, the results will be cleaner monuments and improved air quality.

The bridge opened to traffic on September 18, just 11 months from notice to proceed with design and construction and just 13 months since the collapse of the last bridge.

TX Active has been in use in Europe for over a decade on landmark architecture including Rome’s Dives in Misericordia Church and Air France headquarters at Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris.
For more information see: www.essroc.com.

Supplement Highlights Concrete’s Role in Sustainable Design and Construction

The importance of cement and concrete in sustainable design is highlighted in the September issue of Environmental Design & Construction. The special section, “Concrete: The Choice for Sustainable Design" was produced by PCA and bound into the magazine. It features articles on how cement and concrete contribute to a green building as well as the industry’s achievements in sustainable manufacturing.  Additionally, at the publication’s Web site, are articles on pervious concrete and the PCA student design competition.

Environmental Design & Construction is published monthly with a circulation of 18,000 people, including members of the U.S. Green Building Council, who receive it as part of membership.
View the section at www.edcmag.com
Contact Patti Flesher

Messersmith Honored by ICC

The International Code Council (ICC) presented Jim Messersmith, PCA’s coordinating manager of regional code services with the its 2008 Affiliate of the Year award at the Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, September 17.  The luncheon was part of ICC’s 2008 Annual Conference and Business Meeting in Minneapolis, Minn.

The ICC gives this award annually to recognize individuals for their “outstanding service to the International Code Council and commitment to the development of codes and standards in the interest of public safety”.   Messersmith has devoted more than thirty years of his career to codes and standards, including the coordination of PCA’s national model building code development activities and related publications of both the ICC and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Contact Jim Messersmith

NRMCA Offers Concrete Parking Lot Design Seminars

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) will offer the seminar Design of Concrete Parking Lots in four cities in 2008.

This new seminar is scheduled for:
> Seattle – November 13
> Los Angeles – November 20
> Denver – December 9
> San Antonio – December 11

This course provides detailed instruction on how to design and build concrete parking lots, including traffic loads and pavement stresses. Additional detail will be provided on cost estimating, cost-benefit analysis and life cycle cost. This seminar also will provide introductions on innovative products such as whitetopping and pervious concrete.

Design of Concrete Parking Lots is intended for civil engineers, geotechnical engineers, landscape architects and public works officials involved in the design and layout of concrete parking areas. Concrete contractors and concrete producers will also benefit from this seminar.

Attendees earn six Professional Development Hours upon completion of this program. This seminar is registered with the American Institute of Architects’ Continuing Education Systems.
For more information and to register visit www.nrmca.org

Suitability of Cement Kiln Dust for Reconstruction of Roads:  This study evaluated the effects of cement kiln dust (CKD) treatment on three recycled pavement materials. Tests were used to evaluate the strength and bearing capacity of the materials as well as evaluate the effects of freeze-thaw. The CBR of treated materials was 6 to 9 times that of untreated material after 7 days of curing. Resilient modulus increased 75 to 650% after 56 days of curing and unconfined compressive strength showed trends with both curing time and CKD content. Freeze-thaw cycling reduced the resilient modulus and unconfined compressive strength. This thesis was developed as part of the educational requirements of the University of Wisconsin-Madison under a fellowship grant from the PCA Education Foundation (SN2980; no charge; PDF only).
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Carbon Dioxide Control Technology Review:  This study identifies the state-of-the-art of carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction and capture technologies.  The cement industry has taken an interest in reducing or capturing emissions of CO2 resulting from the manufacture of cement.  The capture and storage of CO2 is an emerging approach for CO2 abatement.  There are many different methods to reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.  This report summarizes several of those control methods, including: conventional, pre-combustion, oxyfuel, and post-combustion technologies; and hybrid systems (SN3001; no charge; PDF only).
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2008 U.S. Forecast Subscription--Combination Offer:  Includes all 3 U.S. forecasts for 2008 – Spring, Summer, and Fall. A recession in the near term is likely, although many economists expect a “mild” recession for 2008. PCA is not as optimistic (ER386; $450.00, PDF free to PCA members).
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Canadian Forecast—Combination Offer:  Includes all 3 Canadian Forecasts for 2008 – Spring, Summer, and Fall. The Canadian Forecast provides a five-year analytical and data perspective of provincial economic growth, construction spending, and cement demand.  Forecasts of key provincial economic indicators in the labour and housing market share reflected in a provincial forecast for construction spending, and cement demand by 18 individual market segments. (ER387; $450.00, PDF free to PCA members).
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PCA Notes on ACI 318-08 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete with Design Applications:  This 10th edition of the classic PCA publication has been updated to reflect code changes introduced in the latest version of Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete, ACI 318-08, and Commentary, ACI 318R-08.  All design examples have been revised to reflect the new notation and terminology, load and strength reduction factors, and the unified design provisions for reinforced and prestressed concrete members under flexure and axial load.  An alternative torsion design method is summarized and its application illustrated through an example.  Enhanced provisions for the design of anchors are described, and their application illustrated through several examples.  PCA Notes assists the engineer and architect in the proper application of the ACI 318-08 design standard and is also a valuable aid for educators, undergraduate and graduate students, contractors, materials and product manufacturers, building code authorities, and inspectors (EB708; $110.00, less discount).
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Reflectivity of Concrete Pavements: An Annotated Bibliography:  The reflectivity, or reflectance, of concrete pavements is one of its many important benefits, providing increased safety on our roads and energy reduction due to its lower lighting requirements. This bibliography is a compilation of references to research studies, industry journal articles, and conference papers on this timely and critical topic. Summaries are included, as well as Web links to the full-text documents (LB38; $10.00, no discount, PDF free to members).
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High-Strength Concrete: A Practical Guide:  Michael Caldarone, noted authority on the subject of high-strength concrete, delivers a practical approach to designing, producing and using this powerful material. Its many benefits include high compressive strengths, which allow a reduction in the cross-sectional dimensions of columns and walls in buildings. Its greater stiffness allows for increasing building heights while controlling sway and occupant comfort. Civil structures such as bridges have benefited from greater span lengths, shallower beam sections, wider girder spacing, and extended service life (LT317; $25.00, no discount).
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IEEE/PCA Conference Papers Set On CD:  Special combination offer through December 31, 2008 for IEEE/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conference Proceedings from 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Nearly 200 cement manufacturing-related papers in all! Includes CD037, CD046, CD060, CD068, CD072, and CD080. A $270 value (XC103; $50.00, less discount).
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Concrete Construction Image Collection:  Special combination offer of our searchable concrete construction image collections. Enhance your presentations with several thousand high-quality images! Includes CD036, CD043, CD061, and DVD033. A $170 value (XC104; $50.00, less discount).
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Elkwater Fork Dam – A Reliable Source of Drinking Water:  Four-page case study on a new RCC dam to provide water supply to Elkins, W.Va., and surrounding communities.  The dam is located on a tributary to the Tygart Valley River in an area distinguished by its annual precipitation of approximately 60 inches, making it an ideal location for a water supply reservoir.  The dam is 128 ft high by 670 ft long and required approximately 139,000 yd3 of RCC and 8,500 yd3 of conventional concrete (PL468; $18.00 for pack of 25, no discounts; PDF is free)
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Solidification/Stabilization Treatment at the Brunswick Wood Preserving Superfund Site:  This 4-page publication describes the use of solidification/stabilization (S/S) treatment in the remediation of the Brunswick Wood Preserving Superfund site in Brunswick, Ga.  Soil and sediment at the site is contaminated with creosote—a mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), pentachlorophenol (PCP), dioxin, and chromium/copper/arsenate (CCA) preservatives. The remedial action at the site included on-site S/S treatment of impacted soil and sediment and reuse of the treated material in the cap designed to cover former impoundment areas. The description includes information on the S/S mix design, performance standards and testing, and volumes treated (SR856; $25.00 for pack of 25, no discounts; PDF is free).
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Remediation of Hercules 009 Landfill:  This 4-page publication describes the use of solidification/stabilization (S/S) treatment in the remediation of the Hercules 009 Landfill Superfund site in Brunswick, Ga. Landfilled toxaphene insecticide production waste, sludge, and contaminated soil were treated in situ by S/S.  The treated area was reused as a paved parking area for an automobile dealership. The description includes information on the S/S mix design, performance standards and testing, and volumes treated (SR857; $25.00 for pack of 25, no discounts; PDF is free). Sold in packs of 25.
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PCI & PCA Precast Housing Video:  In this DVD, homebuyers, architects, homebuilders and developers can see how sustainable, beautiful and marketable precast concrete homes can be. Each chapter covers a specific aspect of residential precast construction: Chapter 1: “Fortified” Housing; Chapter 2: Life Safety; Chapter 3: Energy Efficiency; Chapter 4: Sustainable Design; Chapter 5: Production & Erection; Chapter 6: Builder Advantages; Chapter 7: Aesthetics. Total running time: 12 minutes (DVD023; $5.00, no discount).
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