There is not a lot of support for an increased gasoline tax to help fund transportation infrastructure, but President Barack Obama and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood "have a considerable opportunity to make a mark on transportation," says Mort Downey, a former deputy transportation secretary. Where the needed funding will come from is unknown. However, the public needs to be educated as to what's at stake, says Marcia Hale, president of Building America’s Future. "If you do the right type of organizing, people will come around on it."

Many piers in South Jersey withstood Sandy's fury with only minimal damage, thanks in part to their concrete construction. The storm slowed down as it moved north, where its longer stay caused far more destruction. Design, however, also played a role, engineers and pier owners say. Commercial piers, such as Steel Pier and others in Atlantic City, are made of concrete and are designed to support buildings. Other, smaller structures, like the Ventnor Fishing Pier, rely on engineering that accounts for the force of wave action, engineers say.

In the Land Down Under, a concrete producer named the Elvin Group recently became the first company in the city of Canberra to be awarded a grant by the federal government to install a solar array. It is receiving $90,945 from carbon tax revenue and is spending another $90,000 of its own funds to install the solar panels, part of what it calls the greening of its business.

The installation is significant - 55 kilowatt - and sits on a warehouse roof at the company's Mitchell site. ''We're trying to do things better in many aspects of our business, including environmentally,'' said Managing Director Barry Innes. ''The array will save us money, but what we're really trying to do is to come up with a more environmentally friendly product."

Vancouver, British Columbia, has developed a warm-mix paving process that converts recycled plastics such as milk jugs and yogurt containers into asphalt. The warm-mix asphalt is expected to help the city reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 20%. "Safety-wise for the workers, it’s a lot better - and they’re finding added benefits in terms of longer life of the pavement as well, because you’re not heating the material quite as much," said Todd Strynadka of Terus Construction. 

NRMCA recently participated as one of the over 1,000 exhibitors at the Greenbuild 2012 Expo in San Francisco. Hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Greenbuild Convention was attended by over 30,000 green building professionals. NRMCA’s message was two-fold: focusing on concrete’s role in both sustainability and sustainable development. Senior Director of Sustainability, Codes and Standards, Tien Peng attended several of the educational seminars and networked with his fellow sustainability experts, letting them know of the concrete industry’s many sustainability initiatives.

Senior Director of National Resources Phil Kresge reports that there was considerable interest in how concrete can help with sustainable development. "Many of the visitors to the NRMCA booth wanted to know more about heat island mitigation, resilient construction and, of course, pervious concrete," says Kresge. "After answering their questions, we directed them to www.greenconcrete.info for more information." Kresge was joined at the booth by Senior Director of National Resources Jon Hansen, as well as by volunteers Paulette Salisbury, CA/NV Cement Council, and Matt Wood, Ash Grove Cement Co. Leads collected at the booth will be shared with the appropriate NRMCA state affiliate partners for followup.

The annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo was launched in 2002 as the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. Thousands of building professionals from all over the world participate in three days of outstanding educational sessions, renowned speakers, green building tours, special seminars and networking events. Greenbuild 2013 will be held November 20-22 in Philadelphia.

Prior to the Greenbuild 2012 Expo last week in San Francisco, Senior National Resource Director Jon Hansen was invited to meet and discuss sustainable infrastructure information with Sacramento, CA, city planners. He focused on concrete overlays of asphalt as a cost competitive, heat island reducing alternative to asphalt and the use of pervious concrete, either in standalone applications or incorporated into the design of plain and pervious concrete applications.

The meeting was arranged by Paulette Salisbury with the Californian Nevada Cement Association and was also attended by Carolyn Ewing, president of the Ewing Group, a consulting firm that specializes in local and state improvement initiatives.

With December in our sights, it's time to turn your attention toward two of NRMCA's most popular - and informative - promotion-focused Webinars, the first is on ACI 330 and why it's widely considered the gold standard when it comes to parking lot design and the next is NRMCA's Concrete Pavement Analyst software. Two related Webinars designed to help your company take advantage of this market. To learn more and to access online registration links, see the links below or contact NRMCA's Jacques Jenkins at jjenkins@nrmca.org.

• Friday, December 7 - ACI 330 R-08 - The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design
• Tuesday, December 11 - Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Software

The preliminary estimate of ready mixed concrete produced in September 2012 is 25.6 million cubic yards, 2.3% lower than that in September 2011. The estimated U.S. ready mixed concrete production through September is 219 million cubic yards, 10% higher than during the same period in 2011. The projected forecast for 2012 is 290 million cubic yards, which will be 9% higher than the production in 2011. The production estimated in states for the third quarter indicate that just six states had a lower level of production in 2012 compared to 2011.

With more than 6,000 members and partners in the ready mixed concrete industry who rely on NRMCA for training and information, NRMCA is a powerful force in the ready mixed concrete industry around the globe. Click here to examine the numerous opportunities in the NRMCA Sponsorship Kit to reach key buying influences in the industry. Regardless of your budget, you’ll find opportunities that can deliver to a powerful, receptive audience at an affordable cost. 

Please note that exclusive for 2013 is the opportunity to sponsor NRMCA’s activities celebrating the 100th anniversary of ready mixed concrete in the U.S. Due to the special nature of these activities, Anniversary Sponsorship is not included in any sponsorship package, but members signing up for any package can add Anniversary Sponsorship for the discounted rate of an additional $2,000. Stand alone Anniversary Sponsorship is $5,000.

Sponsorship opportunities are limited and sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. So act now to join the growing list of members who support NRMCA through annual sponsorship!

Last week, the RMC Research & Education Foundation released the latest in its extensive collection of tools and resources: the "Guide to Concrete Overlays of Asphalt Parking Lots". Developed by the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CP Tech Center) at Iowa State University and with the assistance of a Technical Advisory Committee comprised of some of the most experienced concrete overlay designers and contractors in the country, this new guide will be a great asset in selecting project candidates and will provide information and guidance on assessing the integrity of the existing pavement, pavement design principles and design life, managing parking lot drainage and dealing with entry evaluations of adjacent buildings, among other items. The guide also includes aspects of ACI 330 "Guide for Design and Construction of Concrete Parking Lots".

The Portland Cement Association's (PCA) Board of Directors elected Cary O. Cohrs as chairman during the association’s fall board meeting in Washington, DC. Cohrs succeeds Aris Papadopoulos of Titan America. John Stull, president and CEO of Lafarge North America Inc., was elected vice chairman. Cohrs is the current president of American Cement Company, LLC, a joint venture of CRH’s Oldcastle Materials Inc., and Trap Rock Industries Inc., based in Sumterville, FL. In 2000, he was appointed vice president of operations for Florida Rock Industries, where Cohrs also served as plant manager and construction manager. Cohrs has also been an active member of the Florida Concrete & Products Association, serving as a member of its Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Board of Directors has selected Frederick G. "Bud" Wright to be the seventh executive director to lead the nearly 100-year-old organization. He succeeds John Horsley, AASHTO's executive director since 1999, who is retiring February 1.

Wright, a transportation consultant based in Alexandria, VA, has recently worked on a major project examining approaches to performance-based management of the federal-aid highway program. He also has played a significant role in a research effort focused on administrative and institutional issues associated with mileage-based user fees. Wright is a former executive director of the Federal Highway Administration from 2001 to 2008. From 2001 to 2002, Wright was the FHWA program manager for safety. Before that, Wright was director of the Office of Budget and Finance, where he worked extensively on the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). For the past four years, Wright has served on an ongoing basis as a consultant to Lindsay Transportation Solutions/Barrier Systems, Inc., a leading manufacturer of products used in highway lane management and highway safety.

Wright holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg.

The NRMCA recently completed the popular annual Technical Short Course for 43 attendees at the RMC Foundation Education Center in Silver Spring, MD. Besides presentations from the NRMCA engineering division staff, guest speakers included Bill Brooks with Grace speaking on chemical admixtures and Ron Terrelonge with Aggregate Industries speaking on quality control.

Congratulations are due to the personnel obtaining the following certifications: 15 ACI Grade I Field Testing Technician; 11 ACI Flatwork Technician; 28 NRMCA Concrete Technologist Level 2 and 15 NRMCA Concrete Technologist Level 3. Ryan Scott with Essroc obtained the highest score on the Level 2 exam and Matt Dalkie with Lafarge obtained the highest score on the Level 3 exam. To quote Ozinga Chicago RMC President Lloyd Meyer, "The courses I’ve taken at the NRMCA - and there have been many -have been some of the best in my professional development and the Short Technical Course was the best of the best. You set high standards in the course and should continue to maintain those standards."

NRMCA has scheduled the next regional technical short course in Sacramento, CA, for February 18-22, 2013. The course is co-sponsored by CalCima. Space restrictions will limit the attendees to about 40, so industry personnel interested in attending are encouraged to register soon.

Every day transportation agencies across the country face the challenge of carrying out high quality construction projects on time and within budget, all while meeting the expectations of the traveling public. Agencies contending with aging highway infrastructure need to continue to look for new methods to meet these challenges and complete projects better, faster, safer and more cost effectively. Performance contracting offers agencies an alternative to standard low-bid contracts with detailed specifications, allowing for increased innovation and problem solving.

Under a performance contract, agencies specify performance goals and contractors have flexibility in how they carry out the work to meet those goals. FHWA’s newly updated Performance Contracting for Construction: A Guide to Using Performance Goals and Measures to Improve Project Delivery offers state and local transportation departments a valuable reference, walking them through the process for using performance contracting on a typical reconstruction or rehabilitation project. The guide includes recommended processes and sample materials for:

• Project selection

• Performance goals

• Measurement methodology, including associated incentive and disincentive fee structures

• Sample enhanced low-bid and best-value awards

• Applications for FHWA’s SEP-14 program (special experimental projects using alternative contracting techniques).

Performance contracts that are awarded on a best-value basis (considering both price and non-price factors) must be approved under the SEP-14 program. Each section in the guide describes a suggested process to follow, presents lessons learned from real-world contracts and provides sample materials for project solicitations. When selecting performance contracting projects, for example, considerations include whether an agency can legally use an award process other than low-bid; if a contractor will be allowed flexibility in its approach to the project; if an agency has adequate resources to conduct performance measurement and whether the project risks are balanced by adequate rewards.

As noted in the guide, performance contracting can be applied to any size contract, not just large projects. The guide includes sample performance measures developed for use on highway construction projects. Categories include safety, construction congestion, quality, time, cost savings, customer satisfaction, environmental sustainability and innovation. Each performance measure has five levels of performance.

The deadline for submitting abstracts for the 2013 International Concrete Sustainability Conference is Friday, November 30. The 8th annual conference, scheduled for May 6-8 in San Francisco at the Hotel Sofitel San Francisco Bay (Redwood City, CA), will provide learning and networking opportunities on the latest advances, technical knowledge, continuing research, tools and solutions for sustainable concrete manufacturing and construction. Researchers, design professionals and industry professionals are invited to present and attend the conference. Suggested topics include the latest developments related to design, specifying, manufacturing, testing, construction, maintenance and research of concrete as they relate to sustainability, including:

• Life Cycle Assessment

• Low Impact Development

• Green Concrete

• New Concrete Technology

• Sustainability Initiatives

• Functional Resilience

Seven more organizations have joined NRMCA as co-sponsors of the 2013 International Concrete Sustainability Conference, bringing the total number of co-sponsors to over 30. The newest co-sponsors include:

• National Concrete Precast Association

• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

• Greenroads

The 8th annual conference, scheduled for May 6-8 in San Francisco at the Hotel Sofitel San Francisco Bay (Redwood City, CA), will provide learning and networking opportunities on the latest advances, technical knowledge, continuing research, tools and solutions for sustainable concrete manufacturing and construction. Researchers, design professionals and industry professionals are invited to present and attend the conference. Suggested topics include the latest developments related to design, specifying, manufacturing, testing, construction, maintenance and research of concrete as they relate to sustainability.

Last week, NRMCA Senior Director of Sustainability, Codes and Standards, Tien Peng presented the NRMCA Sustainable Concrete Plant (SCP) Certification to the Central California division of the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOCC). Approximately 40 participants from the structural engineering profession including Caltrans employees and local engineering students attended the session on sustainable concrete. The session focused on the certification to meet the sustainability initiatives underway from the concrete industry.

Specifiers and consumers alike are demanding more environmentally friendly projects and products. The SCP Certification not only reduces environmental burdens, but also increases efficiency and places ready mixed concrete plants in a position of industry leadership in the growing green movement. The SCP Certification provides quantitative, performance-based metrics to allow ready mixed concrete producers to demonstrate excellence in sustainable development. The program at SEOCC also introduced the development of a concrete Product Category Rule and the establishment of NRMCA’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Program.

Peng was invited to speak at the event by Lisa Podesto, a SEAOCC member.  NRMCA encourages its members to engage the design community and suggest topics for education programs. 

A host of publications have reported on the election aftermath, 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 November 12 - 16, please click here.

NRMCA's November Internet Spotlight, good through Tuesday, December 4, is the complete four part driver training set of the It's Up to Us DVD series (Parts 1-4). While supplies last only, prepare your drivers for the winter training season by purchasing the complete driver training DVD series for half price.

This four part DVD series guides ready mix drivers on best management practices for safeguarding the environment. Part 1 explains what environmental regulations are and how following the rules impacts your business. Part 2 covers water and waste concrete: compliance procedures, how they affect the environment, alternative methods and an important definition of pH. Part 3 examines admixtures, chemicals and fuel, including identifying chemicals, the need to check for leaks, three simple fueling rules and who to call in the event of a spill. Part 4 examines how to minimize air pollution, dust and noise.

November 27, Wilmington, NC

Adopting Disaster Resilient Construction at the Local Level

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

December 4, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part I

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165

 

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: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158

 

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: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165

 

December 11, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst (CPA) Software

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165

 

December 11, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part II

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165

 

December 11-14, Denver

Plant Manager Certification Course *Sold Out

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: Nicole Maher, 888-84-NRMCA, x1158

 

March 19-21, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module IV: Sales Fundamentals

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

 

March 20, Charlotte, NC

Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems & Mixture Submittals

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

 

May 6-8, San Francisco

International Concrete Sustainability Conference

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

 

May 12-15, Chicago

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