An innovative Habitat for Humanity pilot project has some concrete ideas about how NetZero Energy homes could be constructed. NRMCA Member Lafarge Precast along with its consulting engineering firm Stantec are completing their first pre-cast concrete duplex home as a prototype design to make homes from concrete. The duplex is designed to be NetZero, meaning over a year its consumption of energy for heating, cooling, lights, water and cooking will be zero. It has photovoltaic and thermal solar panels on the roof and the units also share a geothermal heat pump for heating and cooling. It also takes advantage of the density of the concrete, using its thermal mass to retain heat from the daytime sun and to absorb and deflect heat from the hot winter sun.

In the Land Down Under, university researchers are seeking to improve the use of recycled crushed concrete (RCC) in road building. The City of Canning have already built roads designed to last 30 years by using RCC as the base and sub-base layers; a new challenge will be using an RCC base but with the traditionally-used limestone sub-base - a combination which has resulted in cracks appearing within the first 12 months of road construction. Curtin Civil Engineering Head of Department Professor Hamid Nikraz and Lecturer Colin Leek will test different blends, construction methods and layer thicknesses as well as exploring if the source and quality of concrete has an effect on cracking.

U.S. engineers say the sounds a highway bridge makes when rain falls on it can reveal hidden dangers of potential serious flaws in its structure. Researchers at Brigham Young University in Utah report the method, called impact-echo testing, can diagnose the health of a bridge's road deck based on the acoustic footprint produced by falling water. "There is a difference between water hitting intact structures and water hitting flawed structures," engineering Professor Brian Mazzeo said. "We can detect things you can't see with a visual inspection; things happening within the bridge itself."

BASF's North American headquarters building in Florham Park, NJ, has been named the fifth construction project in the United States and the first in New Jersey to achieve LEED double Platinum certification. The 325,000 square foot building, developed in partnership with the Rockefeller Group Development Corporation at The Green at Florham Park, achieved LEED certification for Commercial Interiors (CI) and Core & Shell (CS) from the U.S. Green Building Council. Platinum certification is the highest achievement attainable through the LEED green building certification program, which encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices. A suite of rating systems is used to recognize projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance.

Central Concrete Supply, a subsidiary of U.S. Concrete, has purchased the assets of Bode Gravel and Bode Concrete. Bode operates two ready mixed concrete plants, including one new portable plant, and 41 mixer trucks in the San Francisco area.

Former NRMCA Senior National Resource Director Vance Pool has joined CERATECH USA as vice president of sales with a focus on expanding U.S. sales operations. Before joining NRMCA, Pool was employed at Blue Circle Cement, Fibermesh, and W.R. Grace serving the cement, concrete and admixtures markets. Founded in 2001, CERATECH produces green cements to the marketplace.

Parking lot paving on the newest Walmart in Nevada is nearing completion, reports NRMCA Senior National Resource Director Jon Hansen. The photos received in the last week, including the one here, show substantial progress on the site paving at the Gardnerville location. The concrete for the paving is supplied by NRMCA member American Ready Mix with delivery in the cool early morning hours starting around 1 a.m.  

The Gardnerville, NV, Walmart is one of NRMCA's "concrete first" parking lot pilot projects that the retailer announced earlier this year. NRMCA first reported on the project in August.

NRMCA's promotion experts have two Webinars on tap for this week. The first, Streets and Local Roads, is set for November 1. The second, ACI 330 R-08 - The Gold Standard on Concrete Parking Lot Design, follows it the next day, November 2. Click on the links below to learn more or contact NRMCA's Jessica Walgenbach at jwalgenbach@nrmca.org.

• Thursday, November 1 - Streets and Local Roads
• Friday, November 2 - ACI 330 R-08 - The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design

On Friday, November 9, the researchers at the Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSH) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will hold a free informational Webinar on the Life Cycle Environmental and Cost Analysis Research. The Webinar will take place from 10 - 11 a.m. and will focus on Life Cycle Cost Analysis for Pavements, Pavement-Vehicle Interaction in Life Cycle Assessment for Pavements and Residential Buildings’ Energy Efficiency. There will also be a question and answer period.

On Monday, November 19, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern time NRMCA will present a Webinar titled Biodiversity at Ready Mixed Concrete Plants. In an effort to aid in the development of sustainable environmental initiatives at ready mixed concrete facilities, the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) developed an approach to sustainability tailored to NRMCA members. The partnership between the two organizations provides guidance to implement on-the-ground biodiversity projects as well as link the successes of the initiatives to community outreach. This unique approach serves the specific needs and potential of ready mixed concrete production facilities to demonstrate environmental stewardship and obtain recognition for voluntary initiatives. It is also compatible with the Sustainable Concrete Plant Certification and the WHC Accreditations.

This 1-1/2 hour Webinar will present the Biodiversity Toolkit specifically designed for the ready mixed concrete industry to engage in habitat projects and environmental education to further its sustainability mission. This toolkit is designed to introduce employees to potential projects and the benefits they can bring to the production facilities as well as the environment. Case studies of successful projects will be offered by industry leaders as practices that can be readily adopted by any concrete production facility to demonstrate its commitment to the community and environment.

NRMCA's Lionel Lemay participated in meetings of the Committee ASTM E60 on Sustainability last week in Atlanta. The committee scope is to address the acquisition, promotion and dissemination of knowledge, stimulation of research and the development of standards relating to sustainability and sustainable development. The committee supports and serves as a resource for other ASTM committees in their activities that include sustainability issues. Subcommittees on Building and Construction met, including:

• E60.01.04 – Product Communication

• E60.01.07 – Green Roofs

• E60.01.12 – Life Cycle Assessment

Subcommittees on Manufacturing (E60.80) also met, including:

• E60.80.03 – Take-Back Programs

• E60.80.04 – Chain of Custody

• E60.80.05 – Sustainability of Material Resources

• E60.80.06 – Sustainability Database

Lemay supported the concrete industry’s position that whole building life cycle assessment should include the operational stage that includes operational energy. 

A host of publications have reported on presidential politics, transportation, infrastructure, regulation, heath care, taxes and other subjects, each of which relate to the ready mixed concrete industry. To access these articles for the week of October 22 - 26, please click here.

As a tough year closes, now is the best time for sales reps to really concentrate on mastering how their customers' businesses work. No rock should be left unturned for possible quick orders or to tactically plan for 2013. To help, NRMCA will offer a hands-on, updated workshop, CCSP Module II, Understanding Your Concrete Contractor's Business, December 4-6 in Silver Spring, MD, at the RMC Research & Education Foundation Center.

 

Topics tie directly into what a sales rep should know that impacts business, including learning about contactors’ estimating methods, bidding, design, procurement, project planning and scheduling. Those that pass the optional exam receive credit toward CCSP Module II certification. This is a required class for STEPS recognition.

 

NRMCA's current Internet Spotlight, good through Tuesday, November 6, is the complete four-part set of the Protection Section DVD series (Parts 1-4). While supplies last, prepare your drivers for the winter training season by purchasing the complete PPE driver training DVD series for half price! Series includes:

• (Pt. 1) Head Protection - This first in a series of four videos begins with a big picture view of the "what and why" of PPEs in general. We then move onto an in-depth discussion and "how-to’s" on inspecting and properly caring for head protection.

• (Pt. 2) Eyes and Ears - This lesson provides information on the five specific types of eye protection and when we should be wearing each one.

• (Pt. 3) Vests and Gloves - This lesson provides a discussion on the three classes of safety vests, their differences and guidance on when each type is appropriate.

• (Pt. 4) Boots - The series wraps up with a look at one of the most abused but most critical pieces of PPE - our boots. Based on the collaborative efforts of Danner Shoe Manufacturing Company, this lesson provides six tips critical to getting the best shoe.

November 1, Webinar

Streets and Local Roads

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

November 2, Webinar

ACI 330 R-08 - The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

November 5-9, Silver Spring, MD *Sold Out

Technical Short Course

Email: Karen Bean, 888-84-NRMCA, x1168

 

November 6, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Your Third Choice for Pavement

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

November 7, Jackson, MS

Adopting Disaster Resilient Construction at the Local Level

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

November 8, Madison, WI

Great Lakes Regional Work Plan Meeting

Email: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158

 

November 12, Webinar

Environmental Product Declarations

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

November 14, Little Rock, AR

South Central Regional Work Plan Meeting

Email: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158

 

November 16, Webinar

Effectively Communicating Sustainability

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

November 19, Webinar

Biodiveristy at Ready Mixed Concrete Plants

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

November 27, Wilmington, NC

Adopting Disaster Resilient Construction at the Local Level

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

December 4-6, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module II: Customer Business Knowledge

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

December 4-6, Orlando, FL

Environmental Professional Certification Course for the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

December 6, Las Vegas

Rocky Mountain Regional Work Plan Meeting

Email: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158

 

December 7, Webinar

ACI 330 R-08 - The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

December 11-14, Denver, CO

Plant Manager Certification Course

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

December 12, Silver Spring, MD

Atlantic Regional Work Plan Meeting

Email: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158

 

December 12-13, Doha, Qatar

International Concrete Technology Forum

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

 

2013

 

February 18-22, Sacramento, CA

Technical Short Course

Email: Karen Bean, 888-84-NRMCA, x1168

 

February 19-21, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module III: General Business Knowledge

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

March 3-5, San Antonio, TX

NRMCA Annual Convention

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

March 19-21, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module IV: Sales Fundamentals

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

May 6-8, San Francisco, CA

International Concrete Sustainability Conference

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

 

May 12-15, Chicago, IL

Fifth North American Conference on Design and Use of Self-Consolidating Concrete

 

August 11-15, Montreal

ISARC 2013: 30th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction, Mining & Petroleum Industries

Email: Chantal Murphy, 514-939-2710, ext. 1309