Industry News

L&M Construction Chemicals says a third-party certified testing laboratory has verified the durability and abrasion resistance of its patented dry-grind FGS/PermaShine Polished Concrete Floor System.

Construction Technology Laboratories of Skokie, Illinois performed the tests.

The test compared the durability of the FGS/PermaShine System to that of a well-cured concrete floor with a hard troweled surface. The samples were "well cured" because comparisons of polished specimens to distressed concrete with an abnormally soft or dusting surface have been thought to have inflated the results.

The results showed that the abrasion resistance and absorption characteristics of the FGS/PermaShine System were greatly improved over that of well cured, hard troweled concrete.

More information, including a copy of the recently completed CTL report, can be obtained by calling 1 800 362 3331 or by visiting www.fgs-permashine.com.

A successful initiative to transform the Port of Everett (Washington) into a top cement distribution facility in less than a year has earned Greenberry Industrial the 2007 Distinguished Project Award from the Northwest Construction Consumer Council.

The venture was honored in the NWCCC's “Private Projects Over $10 million” category.

In late 2006, the Port of Everett approved a contract to change the focus at the port from handling alumina ore to cement, which called for major changes to the site's dome storage structure, including pouring new interior concrete walls, installing pneumatic systems, building a new truck loading facility, rebuilding conveyers, transfer towers and rail car loading systems – plus removing appurtenances from the top of the dome.

Judges said they were favorably inclined toward the project because of its unique scope of work and tight construction schedule. The judges also were impressed with the safety procedures implemented during the project. A small jobsite of only 44,000 square feet, limited access to the dome facility through just one 14-foot by 12-foot door and an eight-month schedule presented several scheduling and safety challenges for Greenberry to overcome during construction.

Waste Crete Systems, LLC has unveiled a new patent-pending concrete washout system called EnviroWash.

The EnviroWash process is one in which all concrete wastewater, once removed, is treated and reintroduced back into the EnviroWash unit, which is then used to clean concrete equipment over and over again. This process is designed to allow companies to reduce the liabilities and expenses associated with onsite concrete wastewater handling while reducing the amount of water used to rinse off concrete equipment at construction job sites after they have emptied their concrete loads.

Waste Crete Systems will showcase the EnviroWash System at the World of Concrete 2008 Tradeshow in Las Vegas, Jan. 22-25, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The technology will be available for viewing at booth #N553 and at a 3 p.m. press conference on Jan. 23.

According to Waste Crete Systems, the EnviroWash System exceeds current EPA "Best Practice" standards for water contamination from concrete truck washouts and prevents nearly 90 percent of rainwater and groundwater contamination from concrete wastewater throughout the building process.

U.S. Concrete Inc. announced this week that its board of directors has approved the repurchase of 3 million shares of its common stock. The company intends to retire any repurchased shares as soon as possible. The plan does not obligate the company to purchase any particular number of shares, and may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

According to Michael W. Harlan, U.S. Concrete's president and chief executive officer, "U.S. Concrete's management and board of directors are committed to maximizing shareholder value by profitably growing our business, while maintaining operating and financial flexibility and adequate liquidity. With this announcement, we reaffirm our confidence and optimism in the long-term future of the company. We expect to generate positive free cash flow in 2008, and at current stock prices believe it is in the best interest of the company and its stockholders to repurchase shares of the company's common stock."

R-Value Concrete Structures LLC has been awarded the Exemplary Project award from the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association for its “foundational participation” in the Onekama Hybrid Home.

The home features Build Block ICF walls from footings to trusses, stained concrete floors, and incorporates Lite-Deck floors with radiant heat/snow melt for the garage, porch and a unique second-story deck, all installed by R-Value. Many challenges had to be overcome during construction including very narrow window spacing, the second story concrete deck, and high winds throughout the building process.

According to Jake Vierzen of R-Value: "I am excited to see ICFs being recognized as an excellent complement to renewable energy technologies, and very pleased to work as part of Team Hybrid on this and other innovative homes. The Team concept incorporates many of the trades, starting with the architect, in order to deliver the absolute highest performance home possible.”

In addition to the highly efficient building, the Onekama Hybrid Home discreetly incorporates both a wind generator and solar hot water. It is expected to earn the highest rating possible under the new LEED for Homes program.

The Portland Cement Association has appointed Lawrence C. Novak as manager of buildings and special structures. He and his staff will consult with engineers, architects and contractors to directly promote the use of concrete and cement for buildings, stadiums, environmental and other structures throughout the United States.

Novak brings to PCA more than 20 years of experience as a structural engineer on some of the world’s most prominent buildings. Most recently as an associate partner with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, he served as the senior project engineer responsible for the structural design of the Burj Dubai Tower, the world’s tallest building.

Chilled water, crushed ice and evening pouring were all part of the recent effort by a New Hampshire-based concrete contractor to mitigate the effects of 113-degree temperatures and complete the construction of an ice rink in Dubai.

The New Hampshire Business Review reports that Somero Enterprises, with headquarters in Jaffrey, New Hampshire and its primary manufacturing facility in Michigan, was called in to help with the project because of its extensive experience building ice rinks, including the one that serves as home ice for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League.

Somero worked as a subcontractor under CIMCO, the primary contractor on the job and a specialist in the building of ice rinks.

On the September day when the pour was scheduled, the 113-degree temperature was much too hot for adequate hydration. In order to deal with the problem, the job was started early in the evening to take advantage of slightly cooler temperatures of 95 degrees. Additionally, the concrete was cooled using chilled water at the hatching plant and kept workable during transit with crushed ice. A 5.5-inch hose was used for pumping the concrete to minimize the heat of friction that would be likely with a smaller-diameter hose. The team also ran chilled water through the pipes to remove some of the heat.

Eliminating the need for dedicated teams of men to rake the roughly placed concrete, Somero's ride-on PowerRake was able to push and pull large piles of freshly poured concrete over the submerged mesh surface, working in front of the company's CopperHead XD, which, with its laser screed, cut the concrete flat to its final grade and vibrated it smooth to the standard required by CIMCO. The process was repeated throughout the night, until 470 cubic yards - about 45 Redi-Mix trucks full - were screeded level.

It’s hard to sell much of anything in Michigan these days, let alone $500,000 homes, but green building with insulating concrete forms helped make it possible for one building group to have its best year ever in 2007.

Battle Creek-based Summit Investment Group recently had success with a development it called The Ridge at Cedar Creek, which featured energy-efficient homes in the half-million-dollar range.

Summit mainly uses Polysteel forms. Owner Daniel Kiefer says he prefers Polysteel forms – although he is willing to try others – because they come in bigger components and he likes how they are put together structurally.

While Michigan’s economy has been the worst in the nation for several years, Kiefer said quality building and competitive prices – helped by a recent reduction in the prices of green building supplies – have made it possible for Summit to buck the state’s economic trend.

“We are bucking it because we’re building in a price range that’s not nearly as economically labored as some others,” Kiefer said. “Our houses in this particular development start in a half-million range. We also do a lot of commercial construction, and I find that if we work hard and we’re a quality builder, and we associate with customers that are of the same mind – if you do a good product, there’s always a market for that. Even in the worst of times.”

Should the purveyors of concrete countertops be worried?

One designer’s opinion may not be worth much, but one Bay Area designer has told the San Francisco Chronicle that she thinks so.

“I think the trend of the poured-concrete kitchen and bathroom countertop has wound down,” said Christel Heinelt of Lushart Decorative Painting & Murals and Christel Heinelt Design, based in Pacifica, California. “I think clients felt that, though beautiful, it was not stain resistant enough or as durable as slab marble and stone.”

Heinelt was one of several area designers interviewed by the Chronicle on a variety of different design and construction trends.

A Port St. Lucie, Florida home built with insulating concrete forms will be sold for $10 as part of a fundraiser for the YMCA of the Treasure Coast, which serves Martin and St. Lucie counties.

The winner of the raffle, for which tickets are $10, will take possession of the home.

The home, which is being built on Escobar Lane in Port St. Lucie, is being donated by Homecrete Homes, and is valued at $349,800. It will feature thick, insulated concrete walls and a closed-soffit roof system aimed at making the house more energy-efficient, said Bob Cenk, vice president of Stuart-based Homecrete Homes.

Workers have finished putting plywood on the home's roof and plan to put up interior walls this week, Cenk said. The home is expected to be finished March 1. It will have four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a two-car garage.

The drawing will be March 20.

The collaborating firms of Roessler Design Group and Weidlinger Associates received an Excellence Award from the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC) for their retrofit design of the Orange Coast College’s Watson Hall.

The four-story reinforced concrete building, built in the 1960s, had been abandoned for several years prior to this renovation. As with most concrete buildings of its era, the structure did not meet California’s modern day earthquake requirement.

The structural engineers incorporated steel-braced frames to enhance the seismic performance of this signature campus building.

Travelers Insurance has recently introduced a new product designed exclusively for concrete contractors.

“Today’s concrete contractor faces a number of unique challenges,” said Todd Bateson, president, Travelers Construction. “At Travelers, our insurance coverage is designed to help our policy holders and agents face those challenges. In addition, our underwriting, risk control and claim professionals understand concrete work and use their expertise to help contractors manage their cost of risk.”

Travelers provides coverage to contractors with 20 or more employees, and offers many services, including:

Go to www.Travelers.com for more information.

The new iCRETE system, which achieves a record 14,000 pounds per square inch of compressive strength, is being used to build the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero in New York City. Both the 1,770-square-foot tower and the 186-square-foot inner safety core supporting the superstructure will be built with iCRETE.

The iCRETE system, a patented technology, will be used to produce 240,000 cubic yards of concrete for the Freedom Tower. During the design phase of the project, the building's engineers required concrete used in the tower to achieve a record-breaking 14,000 pounds per square inch (PSI) of compressive strength, which is the highest strength concrete ever poured in New York – beating the previous record of 12,000 PSI.

In addition to physical and material benefits, iCRETE also offers environmental benefits. Since less cement is required for the iCRETE system, harmful carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 40 percent – another industry record.

Homeowners in Pasedena, California will soon break ground on the first structural concrete insulated panel (SCIP) home in the nation to seek LEED certification.

At 1,975 square feet, the Pasadena EcoHouse will be built into a rocky hillside in the San Rafael Hills. A wall of sliding windows will offer panoramic views of the San Gabriel Mountains and Old Pasadena and give the cantilevered roof the appearance of floating atop the home.

The project will feature top-of-the-line green building and design products, including a grid-tied solar electric system, a solar hot water system, recycled glass countertops, a ductless high-efficiency heating and cooling system, permeable hardscape, a rain and greywater catchment system and much more.

When completed, the Pasedena EcoHouse aims to be the first single-family, SCIP home in the nation to have earned Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes.

"The Pasadena EcoHouse represents our dream of creating an environmentally sound home, and within our strict budget," said the homeowners. "We are ready to break ground, and we look forward to sharing our green building adventure with the world."

Texas-based cement operator Ash Grove has offered to voluntarily reduce its pollution output if the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas refrain from toughening regulations, and if the city of Arlington refrains from approving a new pollution-restriction measure.

All three cities are limiting or entirely ruling out buying cement from Ash Grove unless the company’s pollution output is dramatically reduced. The city of Arlington is indicating its intention, at least for now, of going ahead with its new law.

"They've had years and years and years to bring their emissions down, and they just haven't done it yet in a spectacular way," said Mayor Robert Cluck. "So whenever they do, we'll buy cement from them."

Ash Grove is proposing that it voluntarily slash one ton of nitrogen oxides per day from its Midlothian plant, beginning in the summer. It will also work to persuade the Environmental Protection Agency to credit that reduction as part of local commitments to cut ozone, which would mean that fewer emissions reductions would be required from other sources. Ash Grove has also proposed supporting a regionwide educational program aimed at reducing ozone-forming pollution from cars and trucks.

A spate of fires in Montana several years ago inspired Stewart Hansen to find a way he could build homes with all the character of traditional log homes, and all the fire-resistance of concrete.

The solution was to develop concrete log homes, which his company, Missoula-based Concrete Logs LLC, is now doing successfully into its fourth year.

With 30 concrete log homes on the market, Hansen said the company is now developing between 10 and 15 new concrete log homes each year.

Concrete Logs LLC sells just the exterior wall system, not the entire house, and charges between $70 and $80 per square foot. Finished turnkey costs can run anywhere from $130 to $500 per square foot depending on the customer’s preferences.

Using forms cast from actual wood logs, Concrete Logs LLC has also placed a premium on energy efficiency in its homes. Hansen said a recent test conducted by the National Center of Appropriate Technology indicated Concrete Log homes are seven times as airtight as traditional wood-log buildings and six times as airtight as traditional wood-frame buildings. A recent 10,000-square-foot custom home in Colorado has monthly utility bills of $322 per month, he said.

A nearly century-old development of concrete homes in Pennsylvania looks to have a date with the wrecking ball, although it is possible one may be saved as a historic preservation measure.

Concrete City, which sits on 39 acres straddling Hanover Township and the city of Nanticoke, has been deeded to the city of Nanticoke for $10 by a nonprofit organization known as the Regional Equipment Center, which is disbanding.

The 20 duplexes, which were built in 1911 by the coal division of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, were among the first homes in America built entirely with poured concrete. The railroad rented them for $8 a month.

Concrete City closed in 1924 after one of the subsequent owners refused to put in a sewer system to replace concrete outhouses.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission designated Concrete City a historic site and erected a marker in 1998. Concrete City was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

Municipal officials said they would like to keep one of the homes standing for the historical value, but do not foresee preserving more than that – as they have become graffiti-adorned, bullet-ridden eyesores.

Industry professionals from throughout the U.S. recently attended a workshop in Arlington, Texas to learn more about the rapidly expanding area of full-depth reclamation (FDR) with cement and soil-cement pavements. The attendees included contractors, equipment and material suppliers, and professional regional cement and pavement promoters.

The program provided an opportunity for discussion on expanding the market for FDR and soil-cement pavements, as well as their construction, short presentations from local promoters on “What Works” in their area, interactive training of a recently developed pavement thickness design program, and a field trip to observe an innovative cement slurry process.

The two-day workshop was sponsored by the Portland Cement Association with the cooperation of the Cement Council of Texas.

HCI Construction, a subsidiary of Ho-Chunk Inc., has received a 2007 Excellence in Concrete Award for its work in the state of Iowa. Hosted by the Iowa Ready Mix Concrete Association, the awards were announced last month in Ames, Iowa.

The Excellence in Concrete Awards recognize outstanding projects from throughout the state of Iowa in several categories. Entries are judged on criteria including architectural design, project complexity and individuality, engineering challenges, difficulty of construction, workmanship and use of ready mix concrete.

HCI was named in the Commercial Above-Grade Building category for its construction of the Alliance Concrete Ready Mix Plant in Sergeant Bluff, which opened in June.

A new study by the RMC Research & Education Foundation indicates that pervious concrete has performed well in freeze-thaw conditions – a finding that could lead to the material’s expanded use in northern climates.

Pervious concrete reduces drainage issues in parking lots, sidewalks, decks and patios because water is able to seep through it. While the use of pervious concrete has consistently increased in the southern United States, concerns about its ability to perform in cold and freezing conditions have limited its popularity in the North.

The RMC study, conducted over three years through Cleveland State University, is the first broad test of pervious concrete’s performance in colder regions.

“This latest study should provide assurance that it can be successfully placed in cold climates, resulting in safer parking lots and roadways with reduced icy conditions as melting snow runs through the pavement rather than re-freezing on it,” said RMC Research & Education Foundation Chairman Dominique Calabrese.

The full report is available for download from the foundation’s website at www.rmc-foundation.org where information on the foundation’s other pervious concrete, research and educational projects may also be found.

Builder confidence within the home building market remained steady at 19 in December – its third straight month at that level, which is the lowest reading since the National Association of Home Builders began recording confidence figures in January 1985.

A reading of 50 indicates average confidence.

“Today’s report shows that builders’ views of housing market conditions haven’t changed in the past several months, and there clearly are signs of stabilization in the HMI,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders. “At this point, many builders are bracing themselves for the winter months when home buying traditionally slows, scaling down their inventories and repositioning themselves for the time when market conditions can support an upswing in building activity – most likely by the second half of 2008.”

The index gauging current sales conditions for single-family homes improved by a single point to 19, and the index gauging sales expectations for the next six months rose two points to 26. Meanwhile, the index gauging traffic of prospective buyers declined three points to 14.

Regionally, the HMI results were mixed in December. The Midwest and South each posted two-point gains in their HMI readings, to 15 and 21, respectively. The West held even at 18, and the Northeast, which experienced wetter weather conditions than normal in the survey period, posted a seven-point decline to 19. All regions were down on a year-over-year basis.

The U.S. Department of Commerce reported that housing construction fell in November and that single-family activity dropped to the lowest level in more than 16 years. Construction of new homes and apartments dropped by 3.7 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.187 million units.

Construction of single-family homes fell by 5.5 percent to an annual rate of 829,000 units, the lowest level since April 1991, while multi-family construction was up 4.4 percent to an annual rate of 332,000 units.

Applications for building permits fell for a sixth straight month, dropping by 1.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.15 million units, the slowest pace for building permits since June 1993. The overall construction decline left home building 24.2 percent below the level of activity a year ago.

Construction workers have begun pouring concrete for the first of five bridge abutments on the I-35W bridge project in Minneapolis.

Even with the above-normal temperatures on Monday, workers are using cold-weather construction methods. Minnesota Department of Transportation spokesman Kevin Gutknecht says that after state inspectors test the concrete to ensure the formula is correct, it is poured, covered with thermal plastic blankets and kept warm for proper curing.

"The concrete is tested to make sure it's the right mix for this particular purpose," Gutknecht says. "There's a great deal of science into pouring concrete, actually, so there's a lot of quality control on this."

Gutknecht says the $234 million project is on schedule, with the opening set for December 24, 2008.

The Portland Cement Association and the Cement Association of Canada are accepting nominations for the 2008 Promotion Progress Awards.

The awards honor the achievements of PCA members in advancing cement and concrete in construction markets plus involvement in standards development, education and public affairs.

The deadline for nominations has been extended to January 31, 2008. Promotions in 2006 and 2007 are eligible.

Two Minnesota construction firms specializing in concrete for residential interiors are winners in the Cemstone 2007 Decorative Concrete Awards.

The Grand Prize winner was Foley Construction of Le Sueur, Minnesota, for a project featuring kitchen countertops made with recycled crushed glass to create interesting color patterns. The judges said, “The hip and stylish countertops are well executed. Nice material re-use of the crushed glass to provide interesting color patterns.”

The First Prize winner was Allstate Decorative Concrete of Cokato, Minnesota, for a colored basement floor featuring a highly detailed coat of arms. The judges said, “This creative and whimsical use of colored concrete provides a rich, warm depth to the first floor basement.”

Cemstone, a supplier of ready-mixed, engineered and decorative concrete in the Upper Midwest, sponsors the award to recognize excellence in the design and use of decorative concrete in residential and commercial construction. The winners were selected from nearly 70 contractor entries that featured Cemstone-supplied colored, stamped and/or stained concrete.

Habitat for Humanity of New York City is using Insulating Concrete Forms in the construction of nine Brooklyn homes.

Habitat is building the homes in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, using ICFs in an effort to make the homes energy-efficient.

The nine families who will own the homes have contributed 300 hours of "sweat equity" per adult to the construction of the homes on Halsey Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard.

The homes are expected to be move-in ready by 2008.