Technical Track Sessions to be Featured at NRMCA ConcreteWorks

The following sessions and speakers are scheduled for the Technical Track sessions at NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks Conference and Expo to be held next month at the Gaylord National Resort, National Harbor, MD.

Staying in the Game with LEED v4 and the New Green Construction Code - LEED is changing with a new version due out next year. There’s also a new green building code called the International Green Construction Code (IgCC). The green building movement continues to gain momentum as developers, government agencies and designers build structures to minimize environmental impact using these standards. To take full advantage of this movement and be a participant in the process, you have to have a detailed understanding of the design concepts and guidelines used in LEED and the IgCC. And although concrete will still help meet many of the requirements, there are new concepts that will provide the concrete industry with both opportunities and challenges.

In LEED v4, there are new credit categories, increased technical rigor and revised point distribution that will affect how concrete is specified and used in green building. The IgCC will have requirements for materials that are more focused on performance. Environmental Product Declarations, life cycle assessment, disclosure of chemicals of concern and responsible extraction of raw materials are just a few concepts you will learn about in this session from NRMCA's Lionel Lemay and Tien Peng.

5 Common Pitfalls in Public and Private Contracts and Specs - A ready mixed concrete producer's ability to influence contract terms and specifications differs and depends on a wide range of factors. Whether the producer has negotiating power on setting relevant terms and conditions on the front end, it's vitally important to at least understand – before the project starts – where contractual and specifications pitfalls may lie. This presentation will focus on five examples of common contract or specification language, in both public and private settings, that suppliers should be wary of, and will present strategies for pushing back on such language before the agreement is signed or, at a minimum, to minimize the risk of adverse language later being used against you. Benjamin B. Tymann, Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Quality Control – The Untapped Profit Center - It has been said that Quality Control (QC) does not matter once the project specifications have been satisfied. QC has long been considered a necessary evil of the concrete business and has been treated as a cost center with little thought as to how it can benefit the bottom line of the ready mixed concrete company. It is the presenters’ view that concrete QC, if properly approached, can be a significant profit center for the company. The presenters will show with various examples how concrete QC can add to the company bottom line. It will also become clear that QC is part of a team effort. Karthik Obla, NRMCA; Jay Shilstone, Command Alkon.

Beyond Specifications – Partnering with Contractors for Successful Projects - A key aspect on successful project delivery – whether performance-based or otherwise – is successful partnering with contractor customers. Contractors' requirements for proper placement and finishing concrete are generally not addressed in construction specifications, but there needs to be close coordination and understanding of contractor's requirements in concert with the owner's needs. This presentation will cover several aspects that need to be discussed prior to the pour and success stories where this has worked to the benefit of all stakeholders on a project. Dr. Kevin A. MacDonald, Cemstone Concrete Products Company; Mike Lenkin, Miller & Long.