3rd Win for Balmer Brothers — CFA Basement of the Year
#1 Winner Jerry Balmer, Balmer Brothers Concrete Works, Inc.
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Balmer Brothers Akron, PA Contact: Jerry Balmer http://www.balmerbros.com What started as two brothers pouring sidewalks and curbs in the summer months in 1973 has become a successful company that has found a niche in upscale, large, unique and complex foundations in the Philadelphia area. Today they have 4 working owners, Jerry Balmer, Gary Balmer, Dennis Balmer and Jay Balmer, along with 28 employees including 2 office personnel and 1 mechanic. During the busy seasons, they hire an additional ten to fifteen workers. Crews vary in size from five to seven daily. Balmer Brothers has been a member of the CFA since 1978, and Jerry Balmer was on the Board of Directors in the 1980’s. ——————— The recipient of the CFA Basement of the Year competition is selected by a peer vote during the Annual World of Concrete. The Basement of the Year is sometimes large, often complex, and always unforgettable. This project by Balmer Brothers was chosen from a record 10 projects that met the criteria for judging. Contractors from across the country cast their votes in the CFA booth at World of Concrete. A formal award presentation will be made at the Awards Banquet Luncheon during CFA’s Annual Summer Meeting in the Wisconsin Dells. See ‘Basement of the Year 2nd and 3rd Place Wins’ for information about the 2nd and 3rd place winning projects.The winner of this year’s CFA Basement of the Year is not only garnering the top spot, but making CFA history as a 3rd time recipient. Jerry Balmer, President of Balmer Brothers Concrete Works, Inc. in Akron, Pennsylvania, knows what it’s like to build a basement from hell – and he just keeps on doing it. Balmer Brothers can now boast three wins, with two wins in consecutive years. In 2000, Balmer Brothers received the Basement of the Year for a 29,000 square foot basement, which was complex as well as mammoth. In 2005 they won again for their construction of a 34,000 square foot basement in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. At the time of voting, this project did not even include the nine-stall car garage.
Having worked on projects over 10,000 square feet numerous times before, Balmer Brothers is not a rookie at tackling complex foundations. Their regional reputation and experience is earning them these projects.
Contractors from across the country at the 2006 World of Concrete voted Balmer Brothers’ entry, ‘The Hattersley Residence’, first place. The project was submitted jointly by Randy Groome, Dennis Balmer, Jerry Balmer, Gary Balmer and Jay Balmer. Jerry Balmer and his crew have nicknamed this project ‘The Dragon House’ and ‘Spaceship’ because of its complexity. Jerry Balmer says ‘This is definitely not the largest foundation we did this year, but it is by far the craziest, most complex foundation that we have perhaps ever done.”
With very few right angled corners, the project kept Balmer Brothers crews on their toes. Many corners went from straight to curved walls with a multitude of corners, T’s and Y sections coming in at various angles. One of the jumps, from 9 foot to a 3 foot wall, occurred in the middle of a curved wall. Balmer says, “It seemed like every corner we came to brought on a new challenge, especially the Y areas, where we used various sized ties as the two walls turned into one.” Most of the time crews were transitioning curved into straight walls and sometimes curved to curved.
Adding to the complexity were stone ledges surrounding the house which ranged from 1 foot to 3 foot deep x 6 inches wide. Much of the ledge was on curved walls requiring a multiple piece ledge to allow flexibility.
Balmer credits the success of this project to his experienced crew on the job. He reflected that “they all know how important a quality wall is to us and it was evident that it was important to them.”
The Hattersley Residence had 995 total linear feet of wall, wall heights ranging from 3 to 9 feet and wall thicknesses of both 12 and 16 inch. Radius measurements ranged from 4’2″ to 91’8 1/2” with many different sizes in between. The project totaled 345 yards of concrete in the walls and 27,680 linear feet of #4 matt steel at 2’ o.c. Footers were 12″ and 24″ wide with 3 – #4 continuous bars with cross bars at 2’ o.c.
The builder, Jim Norcini, had worked with Balmer Brothers before. When this project came up, he knew Balmer Brothers had both the knowledge and equipment for the job.
Among the many challenges of a project like this is bidding the time and materials that will be needed. Balmer says the only way to estimate a foundation with this difficulty is to be able to take information from job records of previous foundations they had completed. Radius walls with ledges are labor intensive and use extra wall ties. Hundreds of vice grips were needed to hold in ledges, spreaders and props. Hinged corners were used to create correct corners and shapes. Hundreds of fillers were used to create smooth, curved angles and offsets, and forms were double stacked for height. A roller bender was used to bend rebar to match the radius of the curved walls. Seventeen different walls were curved and pulled from 7 different radius points at various levels.
Technically, Balmer’s crews ‘took each area one step at a time’, taking care to think out what would hold walls in place, where walls would try to push and spread and how they could keep those areas from moving. Most of the time they laid forms out as they went, sometimes changing their plan to keep curves smooth.
Congratulations to Jerry and Balmer Brothers for their win.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We were able to get the foreman of this project, Randy Groome, off the job site long enough to answer a few questions for us. We hope you enjoy his personal insight about this project and his work.
INTERVIEW WITH FOREMAN RANDY GROOM
You credited the success of this project to your experienced crew on the job. What training do you provide for your crews and how often?
RANDY: The entire job crew was instrumental in producing this fantastic wall. I can’t say enough about how lucky we are at Balmer Bros. with the quality of people that we have working with us. In fact, any of our crews could have won this award. Our crew just got the luck of the draw this time. Brian Fry, right hand man, has been with us over 25 years. We happened to be next in line when this job came up. Another one of our crews led by Jim Cline won our company’s 2 previous awards.
Most of the training we provide is on the job, but we do also send people to various seminars at conferences such as Admixtures, World of Concrete, CFA meetings, and others. The pump operators attended Schwing School and were certified there. Some have attended OSHA seminars. All of our employees are trained in CPR and AED annually. We also have first aid, fork lift training, and weekly safety meetings.
Do you have some thoughts about the future of this industry…what can you see 10 years from now?
RANDY: I’ve been working with the Balmer Bros. since the early 1980s and over the years the houses and plans we deal with have increasingly become more detailed and more difficult. I only see it getting tougher in the coming years. More things are being done with concrete. Things should keep getting interesting.
Technology changes you expect to see?
RANDY: Technology continues to make our jobs easier. Years ago we used transits, concrete buckets, extra chutes and manpower. Now we use lasers, concrete pumps and cranes. Construction calculators, computers and cell phones have also put information at our finger tips. I expect we will see many more changes in the future.
Do you have any projects going that may be entries for next year?
RANDY: We have a lot of projects going on all year, many of which could be entered in next year’s competition. Every job as you know has some kind of twist or turn that makes it unique. We just try to pick the one with the most twists to send in to the contest.
How have these projects changed the way you do business?
RANDY: Over the years we have built a pretty good reputation for doing projects that are fairly large and somewhat complicated. Each time we are successful in making the builders, homeowners and inspectors happy, word seems to spread and more new customers call. At Balmer Bros. it has always been about doing the job right, and that makes every else’s jobs easier. As for changing the way we do business, I think doing these projects has made us pay even more attention to things like a clean worksite, having the proper equipment, and looking and acting like a professional on and off the job site. People appreciate and trust you much more if you show up in a clean truck rather than some old jalopy.
Do you take advantage of CFA educational opportunities?
RANDY: Absolutely. Each year we send guys to the summer meetings and/or the World of Concrete. The seminars can also be very informative. We also use the publications such as ‘Cold Weather Concrete’ ‘CFA Standards’, and ‘Concrete Facts’.
Has your CFA membership benefited you and how?
RANDY: The CFA membership has benefited us in various ways. Listening to the knowledgeable speakers like Brent Anderson in the seminars, and just talking to other guys at the meetings that may have come up with another way to do something. Again, the publications have come in handy more than once in helping to educate homeowners, builders, and inspectors.
Any other advice you’d like to give?
RANDY: My only advice would be to take your time and make sure everything will stay in place before you pour. Take each problem area one step at a time. Also, let the crew know how much you appreciate them. You certainly can’t do the jobs by yourself.
Randy, would you give some perspective on this project (or projects with this degree of difficulty) from your point of view as a foreman?
RANDY: Preparation is key. Knowing the details and what must happen next is important. Having good equipment is a huge bonus. It just makes everything easier. We are lucky to have bosses who understand this and keep us to date as much as possible. It’s also great to have their trust in knowing we will do the best job in a timely manner; without being rushed through or pushed to cut corners. They have always stressed safety and to do the job neat and correct the first time. I enjoyed working on this project. It was a challenge to say the least. I also enjoyed working for the builder Jim Norcini who appreciated the job we did.
Thank you, Randy, for taking time to share your thoughts. It’s pretty obvious Balmer Brothers has come a long way since its inception, and that your company has a great deal of vision overall. Congratulations to you all again on a great win!
CHC/CFA Members Participate in WOC Megademo
The Concrete Homes Council and the CFA were well represented in the World of Concrete Housing Megademo this year. In case you missed it, the Megademo covered two days of activity. The first day demonstrated the set-up and concrete placement for many of the technologies available in concrete housing. Day two focused on finishes showing the forms stripped away with concrete or special finishes exposed. In addition to RCF’s (Removable Concrete Forms), ICF’s, post-tensioning, tilt-up, and precast were also demonstrated.
How did they do that you ask, cast walls (and a deck) one day and strip the next? By using a special concrete mix called 4×4. The goal of this mix was 4000 psi in 4 hours. I don’t know if they got to 4000 psi (the temperature dropped to freezing overnight) but they easily had enough strength (over 3000 psi) to strip the forms. In fact, the interior of the Wall Ties and Forms setup, a 10’x 10’ room with deck above, was at a temperature of over 140 degrees F the following morning.
Two Concrete Homes Council alliance members were represented in the RCF demonstration. Wall Ties and Forms constructed their room and pumped it from the bottom using a special SCC design mix. Their project was finished with a sprayed-on finish. The other member of the CHC participating was Durand Forms. The Durand wall was an insulated sandwich wall using the T-mass System and a vertical thin brick system by Scott System to show how you can get a brick finish in one pouring operation.
Ed Sauter, Executive Director, CFA esauter@cfawalls.orgThe Next Step in Code Development
The approval and printing of the First Edition of the ACI 332 Residential Concrete Standard and the subsequent reference of the chapter on wall construction in the ICC (International Code Council) is just the beginning of what will be a long-term, ongoing effort to clarify codes as they relate to residential concrete construction.
The next effort will be a submittal to the ICC to reference the entire ACI 332 document, not just the walls section. The document (ACI 332) includes chapters on footings, slabs, materials, concrete placement and production – all of which go beyond what is currently stipulated in the IRC.
The provisions included in the ACI document are common practice for most wall contractors and will hopefully eliminate many of the arbitrary interpretations of the code by local building officials.
A stated goal of the ACI is to remove all residential concrete construction requirements (for one and two family dwellings) from its flagship 318 document once the 332 Standard has been expanded to include all aspects of residential construction. When this occurs, it will make life much easier for most wall contractors.
Before this happens, however, the existing 332 document much be dramatically expanded in its scope. Items that were excluded from the initial draft which must be addressed include seismic design, above grade wall construction, and construction with ICF’s (the latter are already in the IRC).
A design section for is also needed for determining wall configurations that fall outside the scope of the empirical tables included in the current draft. All of this will take time, and when you consider that the codes are only updated on a three year cycle you begin to grasp the magnitude and time required to affect these changes.
PROBLEM ON THE HORIZON
Constant vigilance is required as codes are developed. Engineers, academics, and special interests (like sprinkler manufacturers) are forever proposing code changes that promote their companies, products, or pet concerns.
An example that I refer to as change S89 happened during the 2006 code development cycle. A small engineering company ran calculations which “proved” that the connection of the top of the wall to the sill plate and deck were not adequate. To solve this problem, he proposed a modifications that will dramatically increase the spacing and other connections required at the wall/deck juncture. It was submitted during the normal approval process and defeated as unnecessary.
The same proposal was submitted by the same people during the public input process and was approved (no one thought it had a chance).
While most people agree that this is the weakest point in the foundation system, this is a classic case of creating a solution to a problem that does not exist.
In our survey of foundation contractors, the instances of failure in tens of thousands of foundations once the deck has been attached can be counted on one hand – and the circumstances that lead to most of those failures wouldn’t have been handled.
Now we will all have to live with, or fight this provision in the 2006 version of the IRC.
If you have the opportunity to propose amendments to the code in your jurisdiction as it is adopted make sure you argue against this requirement. It will needlessly increase the cost of residential construction.
The CFA will be developing a position paper in response to this proposed code modification in the near future. Please notify us regarding this or any other code problem you may be having. Sometimes the input of a national trade association can help.
Ed Sauter, Executive Director, CFA esauter@cfawalls.orgProviding Improved Product Availability and First Class Services
With over 90 years of experience in the steel industry, Armtec can attribute it’s success to a team of valued employees who provide innovative solutions through a diverse line of quality products, exceptional customer service and effective communication.
Armtec is a manufacturer and distributor of steel and high density polyethylene (HDPE) construction products for use in infrastructure, mining, forestry, industrial, residential, agricultural and municipal applications. Its products include corrugated pipe in steel, aluminum and polyethylene, structural plate corrugated steel pipe, bin-type retaining walls, sheet piling, tunnel liner systems, water control gates, erosion control blankets and geosynthetics. These products are designed to provide solutions in Canada and other countries for roads, sewers, bridges, land development, mining and forestry.
Armtec also manufactures Platon, the uniquely dimpled HDPE air-gap membrane that is used to prevent foundation leaks and doubles as underlayment for flooring. Platon is manufactured in Armtec’s plant from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), the same material used in corrugated plastic drain pipe, one of the toughest and longest lasting plastics. Platon provides a permanent water and moisture barrier.
Their goal is to continually provide customers with improved product availability and first class service. With manufacturing plants and sales offices in every province in Canada they are Canada’s only national multi-material manufacturer specializing in corrugated high-density polyethylene pipe, corrugated steel pipe and related products.
A member of the CFA since 1995, Armtec has actively participated in advertisements in this magazine, as well as sponsoring programs and events such as last year’s coupon book give away and the Winter Meeting. As the CFA works harder to gain interest in Canada, Armtec is a valued member in this effort.
Please visit www.armtec.com for more information about Armtec, or www.systemplaton.com to learn more about “Platon” foundation and flooring protector.
Information was reprinted from CBG’s article “All Concrete Passive Solar Home Stores Energy in Walls,” September 2005
A One-Stop Shop
Griffin Masonry truly is a one-stop shop for homebuilders. Customers can consolidate five calls into one. Griffin Masonry provides masonry (brick and block), concrete basement walls, concrete finishing, brick cleaning, and stone masonry. They also have other divisions that provide concrete pumping (Griffin Concrete Placement), concrete mixer trucks (Blue Dot readi-mix) and commercial masonry (Old North State).
With basement foundations not as common in Charlotte, North Carolina, it is not surprising Griffin Masonry began as a brick masonry company in 1990. But owners Scott and Tony Griffin have worked hard to “make the right decisions, and do right by their employees”. As a result, their company has grown to approximately 411 employees. In 1996 they bought their first set of form panels and by 2004 they purchased their fifth set, pouring 7-8 basements a week.
Griffin Masonry has found that education and experience are invaluable in the foundation business. “Estimates on basements are the most common to fluctuate,” states Rob Merrell, Foundation Division Manager of Griffin Masonry. “We make sure there is someone on site for the initial contact who will submit a complete estimate along with setting clear expectations.
Most of their employees in the Foundations Division have a background in masonry, so if there are changes they know how it will affect the brick mason, the framer, and the slab crew, Merrell explains. A trained crewmember is always available in the field to provide a clear line of communication. This is beneficial throughout the project. “When the customer gets the invoice, there are no-surprises”.
Educating employees on safety is just as important as field experience. Griffin Masonry has worked hard to establish a safety program. A former OSHA inspector oversees the program, which includes training sessions for new hires and also foreman. On rainy days, their employees often watch safety videos along with hands on demonstrations.
“Our core objectives are production and quality,” explains Merrell. “A safe jobsite ensures both”
Griffin Masonry uses CFA to provide educational literature for their employees, as well as concrete facts to present to other professionals in the industry. Members since 1999, Griffin Masonry uses the Association’s publication to help achieve their core objectives and thus provide their customers with the best product possible, while “setting them at ease”.
Rebuilding the Gulf Coast Region Starts With Education
The Concrete Home Building Council (CHBC) and the Home Builders Institute (HBI) met for a post Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita Strategy Summit on Oct. 12 at the NAHB’s National Housing Center in Washington to define how they can work together to educate builders, displaced skilled workers, displaced un-skilled workers and communicate with other industry and governmental entities about plans to rebuild the Gulf Coast. Together, the organizations strive to instruct the region on the benefits and processes of concrete-home construction.
The transference of cementbased systems and product building technologies to the Gulf region is proactive in nature and they hope the approach will create stronger building codes and “In the last year, there have been two hurricanes that have hit Florida,” says Michael Weber, president of the CHBC and director of residential for Portland Cement Association. “You look at the damage and it isn’t even comparable to the Gulf region because so many structures in Florida have been built to withstand these types of natural disasters. As members of the Concrete Homes Council, it’s our responsibility to provide the necessary education and resources to rebuild.”
Currently, the CHBC association members have programs that are available or can easily be put into a common format that the HBI will embrace and channel through their educational system at state and local levels. The HBI will facilitate the delivery for all education programs at the state and local level utilizing grants from the Department of Labor, HUD and FEMA. Katrina relief efforts continue to focus on immediate recovery activities and funding for training remains an interest, but not an immediate goal. The HBI plans to pursue training programs wherever feasible and have its existing construction programs complement the CHBC courses for developing the necessary workforce in this massive rebuilding effort.
For builders and the workforce, the HBI plans to deliver the CHBC programs with professional instructors and the help of the CHBC members as potential instructors and facilitators of the effort. The HBI’s goal is to incorporate these programs in the permanent coursework, not simply the temporary because of the issues at hand.
Program organizers hope to utilize locations throughout the affected regions that have not been destroyed to house the instructional seminars. Eight-hour education programs are set to be developed for builders on the CHBC member’s wall systems including a four-hour education program for concrete roof tiles. Builders will receive the existing five NAHB education programs (includes three under review) as soon as possible.
Other existing programs in the marketplace for workforce training that focus on ICFs, masonry, removable forms, precast, roof tiles, pavers, and segmental retaining walls will be streamlined through the HBI network of state and local education facilities. The groups also plan to incorporate additional programs as they are introduced.
In order to fund the development of these industry programs, the organizations will utilize the CHBC membership. Their decision to do so stems from the fact that federal grants can’t be used for developing industry training programs. The CHBC also plans to work with the NAHB’s Marketing and Sales Department to reach out to large corporations for additional funding. The HBI will financially support the delivery of the courses throughout the Gulf region through state grants, appropriations or otherwise. This will be on a state-by-state basis, since funding has been committed to each state individually.
In addition to financial commitments, the HBI has also been in contact with the participating community colleges intending to hold education programs. The HBI has a proven record of success with Department of Labor workforce development grants, graduating over 5,000 journeymen through its programs.
The HBI will look to the CHBC and the NAHB members to help facilitate placement of the trained labor force and they will also appoint these members as subject-matter experts for course development and as possible course instructors.
For more information about the planned education programs or to find out other ways the cement industry is impacting the Gulf region contact Dawn Faull at 202- 266-8362 or e-mail dfaull@nahb.com.
by Rachel Zwerneman, Op5 Creative, Inc. Rachel Zwerneman is a project coordinator for Op5 Creative, Inc. in Atlanta, Ga. She is a recent graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in magazine journalism.
ASA Defeats Attempted Expansion Against Subcontractors in Ohio of Tort Claims
Alexandria, Va – Traditional limits on tort claims protect construction subcontractors from negligence leading to damages for delay, “lost profits” and other “economic losses” experienced by construction owners or others not in privity of contract with a subcontractor. In 2004, the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) asked the Ohio Supreme Court to strike down an appeals court decision that allowed a construction owner to challenge these limits. In an October 25, 2005, decision, the high court (in a 5-2 opinion) handed subcontractors a major victory, saving the state’s construction industry from a potential tidal wave of litigation.
Historically, subcontractors are considered legally liable for purely “economic” losses (e.g., back charges, overhead, additional financing expenses, and lost profits) to their prime contractors only, since the subcontract documents outline how losses such as lost profits are to be handled, and the prime contractors have privity of contract with the subcontractors. Similarly, prime contractors are held liable for such losses only per their contractual agreements with owners. Prior to the appeals court decision challenged by ASA, Ohio had not been an exception to this rule, known as the “economic loss rule.”
In the case decided by the Ohio Supreme Court on October 26, Dublin Suites v. Shook, a construction owner sued for additional expenses and lost profits for delays allegedly incurred because of deficiencies in a subcontractor’s work. However, the subcontractor had deleted the existed between the subcontractor and the owner. An Ohio trial court ruled that an owner could not sue a subcontractor for tort claims based on economic losses, but the 10th Appellate District Court of Appeals in Ohio Reversed the trial court’s decision. Shook, the subcontractor, asked the Ohio Supreme Court to review the appeals court decision, and ASA filed a legal memorandum supporting Shook’s request on May 7, 2004.
After the court agreed to review the case, ASA filed another brief asserting that the right of clients to make claims for economic losses should fall within the four corners of the contract: “The subcontract is the embodiment of the subcontractor’s obligations and risks and provides subcontractors with certainty to what is expected of them on a project. The requirement of contractual privity as a prerequisite to a claim seeking purely economic damages ensures that the parties’ own agreement and the respective benefits of the bargain they struck are upheld.”
In a 5-2 majority opinion, the Ohio Supreme Court Agreed: When a duty in tort exists, a party may recover in tort. When a duty is premised entirely upon the terms of a contract, a party may recover based upon breach of contract. “ ‘Protection against economic losses caused by another’s failure properly to perform is but one provision other contractors may require in striking his bargain. Any duty *** in this regard is purely a creature of contract’” and can only be enforced by a party to that contract. [Citation omitted.]
ASA’s involvement in the case was made possible by the Subcontractors Legal Defense Fund. For more information, contact ASA Construction Law & Contracts Counsel Brian Cubbage at bcubbage@asa-hq.com or 703-684-3450, ext. 1311.
Founded in 1966, ASA serves 5,000 member companies and is dedicated to improving general business conditions for all subcontractors through unified and cooperative actions. ASA’s vision is to be the united voice dedicated to improving the business environment in the construction industry. ASA provides its members with advocacy, leadership, education, and networking.
It’s All in the Footings
Doug Reid began as a foundation contractor, so frustrated with traditional stake-and-wood footing forms that it drove him to develop and patent a new aluminum, panel-based footing system and form the company Fine Line Footing Forms.
This forward thinking system eliminates the endless stream of wood, rebar, and nail purchases. Aluminum forms won’t bow or break, and they last a long time. Because the forms don’t require staking, jobs close a lot faster. There is no sawing or nailing of wood planks on the job. The forms are much lighter and easier to deal with.
Unlike many other concrete innovations, which tend to improve quality but also increase price, Fine Line Footings Forms’ customers still bid competitively against footings contractors using traditional methods.
This new system has gathered attention across the nation, and contractors are using it in Utah, Arizona, Michigan, and West Virginia. Moreover, the system’s usage has been enlarged as contractors have found other uses for it.
As more contractors start using this type of form, the industry may see more companies that specialize in footings. One of Reid’s customers, Darrell Cottle, owner of TC Concrete & Construction in Lindon UT, does just that. Although he considered becoming a full-service foundation contractor, he says the footings business is so easy to manage and profitable that it doesn’t make sense.
Footings are great because you can pour them in bad weather – enabling crews to stay busy year round. Cottle has found most Utah foundation contractors don’t want to mess with footings and prefer to have TC Concrete handle them.
It is uncertain what is to become of the footing industry, but it seems Reid’s stakeless forms may change the footing industry in the future. In the end, it would mean better margins for the contractor, less trouble for the builder, and better foundations for the homeowner.
Fine Line Footings has been an active National Associate member of the CFA since 2002. A regular exhibitor at the Summer Meeting tradeshows, Doug and his company continue to show their support to the foundation industry and to the Association. Consider stopping by his booth at the Summer Meeting’s tradeshow at the Kalahari Waterpark Resort and Convention Center in the Wisconsin Dells, July 18-22, 2006.
Source: Majority of the information for this article was reprinted from “Seeing Green in the Footing Business” in Permanent Buildings And Foundations, January 2005
LAFARGE INTRODUCES ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY NEWCEM® BRAND SLAG Cement to Atlanta Market
ATLANTA, GA– Lafarge North America announced at the 2005 Greenbuild International Conference & Expo the launch of NewCem® brand slag cement to the Atlanta construction market for the 2006 construction season. NewCem is a finely ground, hydraulic cement produced from blast furnace slag, a by-product of the iron-making process. NewCem’s unique properties offer environmental benefits and enhanced concrete performance.
“Lafarge will have its latest NewCem facility on-line in time for the 2006 construction season in Atlanta,” said Joe Goss, Lafarge Cement Southeast Region President. “The Atlanta facility will reduce CO2 emissions by replacing more than 100,000 tons of portland cement in concrete production with NewCem.”
NewCem provides a significant contribution to sustainable construction. The use of NewCem in concrete production consumes less energy and offers improved efficiency in building performance. NewCem can be used to achieve points in the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program.
NewCem helps achieve low permeability, resistance to chlorides, high sulfate resistance, resistance to alkali silica reaction, greater strength potential, lower temperatures for mass concrete, and improved workability. Concrete containing NewCem can be expected to be lighter in color, offering improved aesthetics and visibility at night.
Lafarge is one of the Platinum Sponsors of the Sustainable Condo. The Sustainable Condo is an EcoSmart project designed by Busby & Associates Architects, to address the challenges of urban sustainability. The Sustainable Condo is on display at Greenbuild, occurring November 9-10 in Atlanta. Greenbuild is the annual meeting place for the green building industry. For two days in Atlanta, thousands of green building industry professionals meet to learn about the latest advancements in green building design, construction, project financing and building management.
Lafarge North America (TSX & NYSE: LAF) is the U.S. and Canada’s largest diversified supplier of construction materials such as cement, ready-mixed concrete, gypsum wallboard, aggregates, asphalt and concrete products. The company’s materials are used in residential, commercial, institutional and public works construction across the U.S. and Canada. In 2004, net sales exceeded $3.7 billion.
Jim Baty, Technical Director jbaty@cfawalls.orgMaking the Case for Poured Walls
When I began construction on my home in 1988, I couldn’t find a poured wall contractor in the Pittsburgh area to do my foundation. I reluctantly had to settle for block. In my first year of living in the home, the builder was called back several times because of moisture and cracks in the foundation.
In my mind, there was a definite need for a poured wall contractor in the area.
In my position as regional manager for the country’s largest concrete pump manufacturer, I was intimately familiar with the various forming systems used in residential foundations. I was convinced block was an inferior product. After all, there were more than ten pages of phone directory advertising block repair companies in Pittsburgh alone, so something wasn’t working. I was convinced that residential builders would embrace this new and superior technology. I eventually decided to leave the concrete pumping industry and pioneer the use of aluminum forms for residential foundations in the Pittsburgh area market. My company, Fastrac Foundations, In., poured its first wall in November 1996.
The Western Pennsylvania market has its own unique circumstances and because homebuilders are so dollar driven, the more expensive concrete walls were not readily accepted by the builders. A few progressive builders like Jim Thomas Construction and First City Companies kept Fastrac in business during the early years.
Through advertising heavily and participating in many home shows, I was able to sell the concept to many homebuyers. When given information on the benefits of poured walls, combined with a shortage of competent block layers, more and more builders started to recognize the advantages of poured wall foundations. Finally, Ryan Homes, the largest homebuilder in Western Pennsylvania started using Fastrac Foundations, Inc. and poured wall technology. Since Ryan used poured walls in every other market in which they built, the company was aware of the advantages of poured walls for their customers in the Pittsburgh area. This helped to attract additional wall contractors into the market.
Today there are at least twelve concrete foundation contractors pouring walls in the Western Pennsylvania market and close to ten percent of area foundations are poured walls. The future for the poured wall industry looks bright.
As more builders embrace the concept of poured walls an more companies enter the market or expand current markets, the ready mix industry should be excited at the prospect of a new and growing sales base. In many cases, poured walls are the easiest work for the ready mix producer. Wall pours usually take place in the afternoon (when most producers have completed their busiest hours), use a pump and get their trucks on the road to the next job quickly.
Of course, their will be increased pressure on the producers to sharpen their pencils, provide consistent quality mix and keep their trucks available for good service. Because margins are so slim while competing with block, time lost waiting to finish a pour is critical. As the use of poured walls continues to grow, these issues will straighten themselves out and the poured wall industry should be rewarding for the whole team – supplier, contractor and customer.
Nationwide, 85 percent of all below grade foundations are poured concrete. Western Pennsylvania’s potential market is more than 300,000 cubic yards of concrete per year.
Jim Rowe, Fastrac Foundations President of WPCFA
