A movie complex requires large, straight walls to accommodate screens, soundproofing, and fast construction.  For one developer in Utah, an insulating concrete form (ICF) system met those needs plus more.

For the Megaplex 20 at the District near Salt Lake City, the owner wanted not only the walls between the cinemas to be soundproof, but the structural walls as well.  In addition, the project had a tight time schedule.

Reward Wall Systems provided the project with the very tall walls—some as high as 50 feet—that were completely straight.  The walls already had a sound transmission class rating of 41 to 65, virtually soundproof, and for the Megaplex project, additional sound installation was installed on one side of each wall.  

ICFs also met an ambitious timetable, with the 165,000 square feet of ICF walls going up in about five months and the entire project completed within the 13-month project timeframe.

The project, completed in May 2006, recently was honored by the National Commercial Builders Council of the National Association of Home Builders in the 2008 Awards of Excellence Competition. 

The Megaplex 20 Theater is owned by Larry H. Miller Theater, Inc. FFKR Architects, Sahara Construction and IMS Masonry were part of the construction team.

Casting Concrete in a New Light

Heidelberg Cement has introduced translucent concrete panels marketed under the name Luccon. The concrete incorporates a special fabric made of translucent fibers to allow light, shadows, and color to show through. The concrete and fabric are cast layer by layer in 40 x 100 centimeter slabs.

Luccon is used in architectural and interior design applications, such as wall cladding and dividers. Early applications include fitting rooms in a Berlin boutique (pictured), illuminated park benches in Singapore, and a hotel stairway in Ireland.
More at the Luccon Web site

Briefing Kit Covers Communications Basics

PCA has issued an expanded and revised version of its briefing kit on sustainable development. The Web-based collection of resources contains basic communications materials on cement, concrete, and sustainable development that can be shared with any audience: customers, business leaders, government officials, builders, architects, journalists, and students.

Included are:

• Fact sheets and background materials on cement, concrete, and sustainable development
• Case histories of notable projects
• Support materials such as images, logos, and presentations
• Guidelines and background materials for conducting programs in media relations, community affairs, and government relations.

All materials are free and available for immediate download on PCA's Web site.
More

Call for Entries: 2008 Concrete Bridge Awards

PCA is seeking nominations for its eleventh biennial Bridge Awards Competition.  The program recognizes excellence in design and construction of concrete bridges.

All types of bridges—highway, railway, pedestrian—in which the basic structural system is concrete are eligible. Entries are encouraged for cast-in-place or precast concrete bridges with short, medium, or long spans. Newly constructed, reconstructed, or widened structures qualify for the competition. 

Structures must have been completed between June 2006 and March 2008 and must be located within the United States or Canada. 

Entries are due March 28, 2008.  The winning projects will be announced at the American Concrete Institute Fall Annual Convention, Nov. 2-6, 2008.
Contact David Bilow
Download an entry form

'Sustainable Sediment' an Emerging Market for
Cement Treatment

PCA and the Cement Association of Canada (CAC) teamed up to present cement-based solutions for treating and re-using sediment at last month's 2008 annual meeting of The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry in Milwaukee, Wis.

CAC's Colin Dickson and PCA's Chuck Wilk presented examples of full-scale sediment remediation projects that utilized solidiication/stabilization with cement. (Click here to view or download their presentation.)

The conference also included other cement and concrete options for sustainable management of dredged sediment. David Moore, Weston Solutions, outlined using pervious pavement to avoid storm water source control and discussed different sediment treatment technologies. (Click here to view or download his presentation.)
Contact Chuck Wilk

Kubaitis Heads Revamped Marketing Team

Diane M. Kubaitis rejoined CTLGroup as Director of Marketing. From 1989 through 1994, she served as CTLGroup’s first marketing director after the firm was established as a for-profit subsidiary of PCA. Kubaitis (left) has more than 20 years of experience in professional services marketing, strategic planning, communications, sales support and public relations. She has a B.S. in Marketing from Bradley University and an M.S. in Management from Purdue University.

Carolyn Barth has joined the CTLGroup's marketing department as marketing communications manager. Carolyn brings to CTLGroup veteran experience marketing across many different channels, including print, web, the internet, television, and new media. She holds a B.S. in Speech Communications from Northwestern University.