Tucson Office Park Green with ICF     

The first speculative LEED-certified office park in Tucson, Arizona, is using insulating concrete forms (ICF) to meet its energy efficiency goals. 

According to the project's LEED consultant, the concrete-form combination provides a "tremendous thermal barrier."

La Cholla Professional Park, a nearly 80,000-square-foot facility, is designed to provide office and medical space.

The developer, Robert Schwartz, held an open house on Earth Day, April 22, to demonstrate the ICF technology to the community. 

ARXX, the ICF manufacturer, expects the walls to reduce cooling costs by 40 to 50 percent.  Visitors to the unfinished buildings found them cool and comfortable inside, despite the 90 degrees temperature outside. 

To date, the development has one tenant, a cancer treatment center.  The developer expects its proximity to a local hospital to attract additional medical tenants.

New Format Combines Committee, Board Meetings

PCA held its spring committee and Board of Directors meetings last week, for the first time combining the two sessions. Meeting from April 28-30 at the Chicago Marriott O’Hare, the program included most committees and subcommittees, the PCA Board, the CTLGroup Board, the Government Affairs Council, and the Cement Association of Canada Board.

Among highlights and Board actions:

PCA chief economist and staff vice president Ed Sullivan presented his updated forecast to the group.
(See below.)

PCA chair Charlie Sunderland, Ash Grove, (pictured above) presided over the 2008 Energy & Environment Awards (see below), the Promotion Progress Awards (see below), and the Distinguished Partner Awards. (See below.)

Two industry stalwarts announced their retirements and said their farewells: Ron DeLeenheer, Ash Grove, and George Barney, PCA. (See below.)

PCA’s Board of Directors held a Town Hall Meeting to address PCA-Regional Promotion Group alignment and to kick off strategic planning with an industry forum.

The fall committee meetings are scheduled for August 25-27 in Chicago, Illinois. The PCA Board will conduct its fall meeting in Dallas, Texas, October 26-28.

Barney Retires from PCA

George Barney, PCA senior vice president for market development and technical services, announced his retirement effective, May 1, 2008.

Barney, who has been with PCA since 1970, oversaw PCA’s six market promotion programs, as well as its research and development, education and training, market research, and building codes activities.

“When I started at PCA last November, it quickly became apparent that George had a positive influence on many issues stretching way beyond his job description,” said Brian McCarthy, PCAs president/CEO. “His leadership was instrumental in several industry and association initiatives during the past two decades.”

Barney started as a research engineer in PCA's R&D laboratory.  He transferred to the Market Development Group in 1978 where he has held a number of positions leading to his current assignment.  During his tenure, PCA’s membership increased from 50 percent of eligible cement companies to its current 98 percent.

“A person of integrity, George has always had the cement and concrete industry interests at heart and we have truly been the beneficiaries,” said Ron DeLeenheer, at a ceremony honoring Barney last week at the PCA Spring Meetings. DeLeenheer (pictured above with Barney, right) is a member of the PCA Board of Directors and vice president of marketing for the Midwest division of the Ash Grove Cement Company.

Barney has received numerous allocades for his activities and service.  He was awarded the T.Y. Lin Award of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Martin P. Korn Award of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, both for his paper titled Behavior and Design of Prestressed Concrete Beams with Large Web Openings.  He is also a recipient of the American Concrete Institute’s Henry L. Kennedy Award. 

He is a member of several professional organizations including the American Concrete Institute, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society for Testing and Materials, the Construction Specifications Institute, and the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute.

PCA Commends Leaders in Environmental Improvement
           
Five cement plants received special recognition for their commitment to improving the environment and their communities at the Seventh Annual Cement Industry Environment and Energy Awards, presented by Portland Cement Association (PCA) and Cement Americas magazine, at the PCA's Spring Meeting last week.

The awards honor individual cement facilities that exemplify the spirit of continuous environmental improvement and support it with action. These plants went beyond government regulations and local laws to ensure that their processes and policies contributed to making their communities better places to live and work.

“The cement industry is dedicated to producing a superior product while continuously challenging manufacturing policies and procedures to minimize our environmental footprint,” said Brian McCarthy, PCA president/CEO. “The activities at these plants are an example of putting this commitment into practice.”

Six categories recognized plants throughout the United State (listed by category, company, and plant location):

> Overall Environmental Excellence: CEMEX, Davenport, Calif.
> Outreach: Lafarge North America, Sugar Creek, Mo.
> Environmental Performance: Holcim (US) Inc., Theodore, Ala.
> Land Stewardship: CEMEX, Davenport, Calif.
> Innovation: Lafarge North America, Sugar Creek, Mo.
> Energy Efficiency: California Portland Cement Company, Colton, Calif.
More in the PCA Newsroom

PCA Projects Additional Declines in Total Cement Consumption for 2008

The U.S. economy is currently in a recession and its impact on cement consumption will not be mild.

Accordingly, at this his presentation to the PCA Board last week, chief economist Ed Sullivan revised his spring cement consumption forecast downward, to a decline of 11 percent compared to 2007 levels.  Consumption will also decline 5.4 percent in 2009, not seeing recovery until 2010.

PCA believes the industry is in the third year of a four-year contraction that began in 2006.  While harsh residential conditions continue to act as a significant drag on cement consumption, declines for the next two years are also projected in the nonresidential sector and slowdowns in public construction activity will begin in fiscal 2009 and continue through 2010.
Contact Ed Sullivan

PCA Recognizes Industry Standouts

Portland Cement Association (PCA) awarded eight industry professionals with Promotion Progress Awards at its annual spring committee meeting last week in Chicago. 

The awards honor individuals who exemplify a commitment of time and energy beyond regular responsibilities in order to achieve important promotional goals.  Winners were selected from 15 nominees of PCA member company personnel for outstanding efforts in advancing cement and concrete products.

The 2008 Promotion Partner Awards are co-sponsored by PCA and the Cement Association of Canada. 

The members who received the honor are:

> David Collins, Holcim (US), Inc., for his work in promoting new markets for soil cement stabilization and FDR using cement.

> Ed Cooper, Ash Grove Cement Company, for his leadership in promoting concrete pavements in Utah.

> Michael R. Fletcher, Essex Cement Company LLC, a Titan America Business, for his leadership in New York City Habitat for Humanity’s first all-insulating concrete form project, a 9-unit condominium complex in Brooklyn.

> Frank Lennox, Buzzi Unicem USA, Inc.,devoted his time to introduce pervious concrete and RCC to new audiences, resulting in several new projects.

> Kirk McDonald, California Portland Cement Company, who was instrumental in gaining Caltrans and Nevada DOT acceptance of ASTM C 150 with allowance of up to 5 percent limestone in portland cement.

> Scott Palmer, Salt River Materials Group, for his leadership in the promotion of cement-based products in the residential marketplace.

> Nicholas J. Popoff, St. Marys Cement Inc., through his communications efforts, instituted changes to the Michigan and Illinois DOT specifications to permit the use of up to 5 percent limestone in portland cement.

> James W. Render Jr., Essroc Cement Corporation, for his contributions in the promotion of promoting roller-compacted concrete (RCC), concrete pavement and pervious concrete.
More information at www.cement.org

First Distinguished Partners Honored

Portland Cement Association (PCA) awarded four allied industries with Distinguished Partner Awards at its annual spring committee meeting last week in Chicago. 

The Distinguished Partner Award program, in its first year, honors the achievements of national and regional allied industries and promotion partners in promoting cement and concrete in construction markets plus activities in standards development, education, and public affairs.
Receiving the honor are:

> American Red Cross of Greater Chicago, for its work, through Safe Home Illinois, in educating the building industry and consumers on how to construct homes that are more capable of withstanding natural disasters.

> Patrick Murphy, president, American PolySteel LLC, in recognition of his efforts to gain PolySteel Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Certification, the first insulating concrete form system to earn this distinction.

> Brad Reed, senior building inspector, City of Lubbock, Texas, for his role in building ICF homes for low-income residents who qualify through the city's Affordable Housing Reconstruction program.

> Institute for Business & Home Safety, for its efforts to inform builders, code officials, architects, the general public, and most notably the insurance industry on the disaster-resistant benefits of concrete walls, roof tiles, and cementitious claddings.
More information at www.cement.org

Former Wood-Treating Facility Subject of Site Tour

On April 22, PCA and the Southeast Cement Association sponsored a seminar and site tour of contaminated soils treated with cement stabilization/solidification.

After a morning of presentations, the 67 participants toured the Brunswick Wood Superfund Site, Brunswick, Ga. More than 60,000 cubic yards of contaminated soils and sediments are being treated with cement-based S/S at the 84-acre former wood-treating facility.

The seminar included presentations by  EPA’s expert on S/S, EPA’s Remedial Project Manager for the Brunswick Wood Superfund Site, a researcher on long-term effectiveness of S/S, and S/S contractors.
Contact Chuck Wilk.

Long-term Outlook Favored

Given the current downturn in housing, should PCA focus promotion efforts on luxury custom homebuilding, which is less susceptible to decline, or take a more long-term approach targeting production builders and mainstream markets?

> Focus on upscale markets less vulnerable to downturns: 11.94%
> Take a long-term outlook targeting mainstream housing: 88.06%

Notable Comments
“This is the type of market where a developer or home builder will listen. They are looking for anything to help nudge their businesses forward. When they are busy doing what they already know how to do, they are not likely to listen to new ideas.”

“The luxury home market is only sustainable as long as the middle and lower income populace stays quiet about unavailable affordable housing and unemployment. If that market sector crumbles then the luxury home buyer base gets shaken by lack of their worker base supporting their luxury lifestyle. Promote sustainable, affordable housing to sustain harmony between the classes, thus promoting wealth opportunities to the luxury home buyer base.”

“I’m skeptical of the claim that upscale builders are less affected in this downturn. While the peaks and valleys of the overall economy don’t affect affluent people as much as members of other socioeconomic classes, this particular downturn, I am certain has affected luxury homebuilding.”

“We have to focus on educating the masses, because that is where the volumes are. The smart folks and the early adapters get it, but that is all we are getting.”

“Concrete home building is already in the luxury custom homebuilding market. This downturn, may be an opportunity to get the attention of mainstream builders!”

“As energy cost becomes a greater factor in the U.S. there is a move towards infilling of our cities. Zero lot lines, attached housing, multi-level (condo) housing will have a greater role in the near future. These houses will need improved fire protection, sound insulation, and structural strength than traditional wood framed houses. Our new neighborhood will like those of the early 1900s in the large US cities.”

“PCA should focus on efforts to take advantage of the downturn through tangible energy efficiency increments that partially offset transportation energy costs for the large numbers of consumers in the main stream housing market.”

“A lot of those big houses are empty! I believe we need to get back to the basics of what started the housing boom. A small to medium sized house, that has concrete insulated walls,radiant floor heated foundations This is a change that will also help conserve energy. Energy is going to be the mainstream topic.”