One of my favorite days of the year is coming up this weekend. On Saturday, Mid-States Concrete Industries will host its annual Company Picnic. About 200 adults and 75 kids are expected to come out for some delicious food, fun activities, plant tours and more.
Why is this one of my favorite days of the year? First, with running a 24-hour operation, this is one of the few days each year where all of us are on the same schedule. This means we get to see people we might not have the chance to see very often. It is a wonderful time to get to know your team, especially given the amount of time we spend with each other. Second, I love to see our team bring in their families and show off Mid-States as a place they are proud to work. With tours of our plant, spouses and children get to see what their partner/parent does all day. And, it gives our team a chance to show off why they come to work every day. We’re all just trying to do the best we can for our families. Third, it is just plain fun. With bag toss, ring toss, gunny sack races, a bounce house, water balloon toss, and delicious food, what’s not to enjoy? Plus, this year we have added a dunk tank and a chance to dunk your favorite executive. I have a feeling there will be a long line for this one!
St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
Our mission is to build meaningful buildings in which to live, work and play. These are not just words to us, but an opportunity to impact people in an amazing way. We are extremely grateful to have been part of building St. Augustine Preparatory Academy in Milwaukee.
Mid-States was excited to partner on this project, and provided 96 Wall Panels (32,136 square-feet), five precast columns, and 1,562 square feet of Hollowcore for the school’s natatorium and gymnasium.
St. Augustine Preparatory Academy is a K4-12 non-denominational Christian school on Milwaukee’s south side. The school is a student-centered environment where young learners take ownership of their education not only in academics, but also physical health, creativity, and faith. The school’s vision statement is: “St. Augustine Preparatory Academy develops students to be tomorrow’s leaders. They will be known by their strength of character, courage, intellect, impactful contributions and their faith.”
The Ramirez Family Foundation supplied $43 million of the $53 million cost and is subsidizing students’ tuition at the private school. The 192,454 square-foot school was developed around a 5.6-acre parcel. The athletics facilities are open to the community and include a 1,000-seat gymnasium, a turf athletic field and running track on the 12-acre property, as well as a competition natatorium housing a competition-sized pool. St. Augustine is also home to an in-school health clinic.
The school’s curriculum is based on curriculums from successful schools across the country and sets high expectations for every student. It aims to be one of the highest performing urban schools in the country. St. Augustine Preparatory Academy just completed its first school year in 2017-18.
Project Partners:
• Owner: Achieving Educational Excellence Inc.
• GC: VJS Construction Services
• Architect: Korb & Associates Inc.
• EOR: Graef
Proud Partner of the Ronald McDonald House Madison Addition
Our mission is to build meaningful buildings in which to live, work and play. These are not just words to us, but an opportunity to impact people in an amazing way. We are extremely humbled and grateful to be able to work on the addition of Ronald McDonald House in Madison.
Without the services of Ronald McDonald House, families would be forced to choose between being with their child and incurring the financial burden and emotional toll of being away from home or not being close to their child. The Ronald McDonald House helps families stay together while away from home during some of the hardest times they will ever face. This addition will allow Ronald McDonald House to help even more families.
As Madison’s medical care has become increasingly sought-after, Ronald McDonald House Madison has seen an increase in need for its services. Last year, there were 461 night stays Ronald McDonald House Madison was not able to accommodate. Founded in 1993, Ronald McDonald House Madison has housed more than 26,000 families since it opened.
The Ronald McDonald House expansion will increase square footage from 17,600 to 32,000 and will provide an additional 13 guest rooms. The project will also include landscaped green space; expanded indoor and outdoor play areas; remodeled common areas and an improved kitchen and dining room; added underground and surface parking; more convenient guest access and improved entry security system; and a quiet room where guests and visitors can gather privately.
We are so proud to be part of this project. Precast on the addition includes nearly 9,000 square feet of hollowcore and solid slabs, 10 columns and 18 beams. The precast will be used for the underground parking area and to create the podium for the addition.
Energy Conservation with Precast
Americans spend almost 90% of their time inside buildings. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, more than 2⁄3 of the electricity generated and more than 1⁄3 of the total energy (including fossil fuels and electricity) in the U.S. are used to heat, cool, and operate buildings. Significant energy could be saved if all buildings, including current building stock, were built to, or exceeded minimum national energy code standards. Saving energy will result in fewer power plants and natural resources being used to provide electricity and natural gas. It also means fewer emissions to the atmosphere. Emissions have been attributed to smog, acid rain, and global climate change.
Energy codes provide minimum building requirements that are intended to reduce energy consumption. The U.S. Energy Conservation and Production Act (ECPA) requires that each state certify that it has a commercial building code that meets or exceeds ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1.1 When subsequent versions of 90.1 are published, the Department of Energy determines whether these more-recent versions meet the requirements of ECPA. The most-recent version of the standard was published in 2013 and has been determined to meet the provisions of ECPA. The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) allows Standard 90.1 as a compliance path and also generally complies with ECPA. The most recent version of the IECC is 2015. In this sense, “commercial” means all buildings that are not low-rise residential (three stories or less above grade). This includes office, industrial, warehouse, school, religious, dormitories, and high-rise residential buildings. Some states implement codes similar to ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and some have other codes or no codes. The status of energy codes by states is available from the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP). Building to minimum energy codes is a cost-effective method of saving energy. The designer is not constrained in aesthetic expression in applying the range of available high-performance building systems to meet the performance criteria of ASHRAE 90.1 or the IECC.
Sustainability or green building programs such as LEED™, 4 Green Globes, or EnergyStar encourage energy savings beyond minimum code requirements. The energy saved is a cost savings to the building owner through lower monthly utility bills and smaller, and thus less expensive, heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Less energy use also means fewer emissions to the atmosphere from fossil fuel power plants. Some government programs offer tax incentives for energy-saving features. Other programs offer reduced mortgage rates. The EnergyStar program offers simple computer programs to determine the utility savings and lease upgrades associated with energy saving upgrades. Sustainable buildings often have features that have been shown to increase worker productivity, decrease absenteeism, and increase student test scores in schools.
The planned design of an energy-conserving or sustainable building requires the architect’s understanding of the effects of design decisions on energy performance. More than half of the true total costs incurred during the economic life of a building may be attributable to operating and energy costs. An integrated design approach considers how the walls interact with the building and its HVAC system. Using this approach early in the design phase helps optimize initial building costs and reduce long-term heating and cooling energy costs. This integrated design approach is recommended for cost-effective, energy efficient, sustainable buildings.
Precast concrete wall panels have many built-in advantages when it comes to saving energy and protecting the building from the environment. Their versatility leads to unique solutions for many energy conservation problems. The relative importance of particular design strategies for any given building depends to a large extent on its location and climate. For instance, buildings in northern, heating-season-dominated climates are designed differently than those in southern, cooling-season-dominated climates.
Several factors influence the actual energy performance of the building envelope. Some of these are recognized in energy codes and sustainability programs because they are relatively easy to quantify. Others are more complex and are left to the discretion of the designer.
Much of the information and design criteria that follow are taken from or derived from the ASHRAE Handbook: Fundamentals and the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1. It is important to note that all design criteria are not given, and the criteria used may change from time to time as the ASHRAE Handbook and Standard are revised. It is therefore essential to consult the applicable codes and revised references for the specific values and procedures that govern in a particular area when designing the energy conservation systems of a particular structure.
~Information courtesy of PCI.
Benefits and Advantages of Architectural Precast Panels
Design considerations must balance a variety of needs, including aesthetics, function, and financing. Each plays a role in achieving success with the finished project. Architectural precast concrete not only can ensure these general goals are met, but it provides a myriad of lifecycle and ancillary benefits that are difficult to match with other materials.
Durability
Architectural precast concrete offers the building owner peace of mind that results from the certain knowledge that the building’s walls have long-term durability and require little or no maintenance to preserve their original look. This requires high cement contents and low water-cement ratios. Combined with good compaction and curing in a controlled factory environment, these factors ensure a dense, highly durable concrete. A low water-cement ratio has been proven to increase resistance to weathering and corrosion. Entrained air may be used to improve freeze-thaw resistance in particularly severe environments.
Aesthetics
Architectural precast concrete panels provide the designer with an unlimited architectural vocabulary of expression. Whether the project’s aesthetic intent is traditional or contemporary, precast concrete can be shaped in a cost-effective manner. The material is incredibly responsive to the designer’s needs. The only limits are imagination and creativity.
Visual interest in the building’s façade can be enhanced with architectural devices such as ribs, bullnoses, reveals, chamfers, or casting against various types of form liners. Precast may be designed with a combination of concave, convex and flat sectional shapes.
Taking advantage of precast’s initial plasticity can economically create these shapes, adding considerable aesthetic appeal to a project. Design flexibility is possible in both color and texture by varying aggregate and matrix colors, size of aggregates, finishing processes and depth of exposure.
Combining different finishes using the same or different concrete mixes within a single precast concrete unit can provide additional flexibility. A highly articulated pattern of color and texture develops a richness of architectural expression.
Commitment to Quality
Architectural precast concrete units produced by PCI-certified plants are produced under strict, factory-controlled conditions to ensure a high quality façade in the desired shapes, colors and textures along with close tolerances. Every PCI member must undergo two stringent unannounced inspections each year by independent auditors to maintain PCI certification. The inspections focus on the process by which the unit is produced, as well as the plant’s general operation.
Certification pays off for owners and designers because it produces fewer worries about onsite discovery of units out of tolerance, connection details that aren’t cast precisely or finishes that aren’t matched from panel to panel. It also minimizes the need for continuous inspections.
Life Cycle Cost
When comparing the cost of alternative façade systems, the cost throughout the design life of the building needs to be evaluated. A precast façade can be designed to match the intended life of a building with minimal maintenance, providing substantial long-term savings. Precast concrete panels present a durable aesthetically pleasing exterior surface that is virtually air and watertight and does not require painting. This helps the building remain in first class condition long after the mortgage is repaid, ensuring its desirability to future tenants or owners. It also means attractive refinancing can be accomplished more advantageously, too.
Initial Cost
Precast’s speed of erection and its ability to be cast and erected in all kinds of weather aid the entire construction team. Since the casting process does not rely on other critical-path activities to begin, units can be produced as soon as drawings are approved, ensuring units are ready for erection as soon as foundation work and other site preparation is completed. These advantages allow the building’s shell, whether load-bearing or cladding, to be enclosed quickly. This, in turn, lets interior trades begin work earlier and reduces overall construction time.
Faster completion reduces interim financing costs, results in earlier cash flows, and produces other economic benefits. This ultimately lowers the building’s long-term overall cost and can make the use of precast concrete more economical than other façade materials.
Load-bearing panels can reduce framing costs by providing a column-free perimeter. Depending on the floor plan, there also is potential for reducing the number and/or size of interior columns, adding layout flexibility. This results in a more efficient and less costly construction. Cost savings are greatest for low -to mid-rise structures of three to 1 0 stories with a large ratio of wall-to-floor area.
Energy Efficiency
Precast concrete panels can be designed to provide a high degree of energy efficiency for the buildings they enclose. Recessed window walls, vertical fins and various other sculptured shapes facilitate the design of many types of shading devices for window areas to reduce glare and solar gain. This provides economies in the cost of the air-conditioning system by reducing thermal load. Specific wall thermal characteristics can be designed for each face of the structure to suit its sun orientation.
To obtain a range of R-values, precast concrete walls may have insulation applied to the back, or the insulation may be incorporated into a sandwich wall panel to reduce heating and cooling costs. The thermal mass inertia of concrete, which is recognized in ASHRAE standards, also reduces peak heating and cooling loads, thus saving energy year-round by reducing large daily temperature swings.
Other Inherent Benefits
Architectural precast concrete is non-combustible with inherent fire-resistant capability, creating a safe envelope that helps protect personnel, equipment, and the building itself. That in turn reduces insurance rates. It also eliminates the need and cost of additional fireproofing measures, except on structural-steel frames.
Environmental Impact
In addition, the inherent sound attenuation properties due to precast concrete’s mass provide an economical acoustical barrier to exterior or interior noise penetration. These attributes enhance the cost effectiveness of precast panels. The life-safety and tenant benefits provide a potent marketing asset when attracting long-term occupants. Precast concrete is an environmentally sound material. It is produced from natural materials. No toxic substances are produced in its production or use. Also, the production energy consumption of the concrete is quite small. The thermal mass of concrete saves energy year-round by reducing temperature swings.
Concrete’s high albedo (or ratio of light reflected) has the added quality of reflecting heat as well as light, thus reducing the “heat island” effect and higher temperatures endemic to urban areas. The resulting lower overall temperatures can make a difference in the amount of electricity consumed in air conditioning and can reduce smog formation, potentially improving air quality in urban areas. Precast wall panels can be reused when buildings are expanded. Non-loadbearing panels on the end simply are disconnected from the framing and additional panels and framing are added on each side. With the new addition in place, the end panels can be replaced. Concrete measures up well in regard to sustainability. It strikes a perfect balance between meeting today’s needs and natural resources for tomorrow.
Single-Source Provider
As a single unit, precast panels provide one source for supplying the entire exterior wall system. When load-bearing precast structural floors along with panels are specified, it concentrates the complete shell with one certified and reliable producer. This approach ensures complete responsibility and accuracy for meeting design specifications rests with only one supplier. The precaster is responsible for all manufacturing and constructability issues. This reduces the number of subcontractors and minimizes trade coordination. Also, the producer’s competent staff of plant engineers is available to assist the design team.
Supplier Assistance
PCI member precasters can offer detailed expertise that allows the development of design techniques, engineering innovations and scheduling improvements that save time and money from conceptual design to project completion. To maximize these benefits, the design team should interact with the precaster early in the project’s development stage. This ensures each element is as cost effective as possible and will take full advantage of precast’s inherent performance characteristics. The result will be a functionally efficient, aesthetically pleasing structure produced on time and on budget that meets all programmatic needs.
~ Information provided courtesy of PCI.