: Lafarge

Civic Square and Village Green, Brampton, Ontario

Tue, 08 May 2012 02:19:14 GMT

Lafarge Products Give Mount Pleasant Village an Artistic Flourish

Nicknamed the Flower Town of Canada, Brampton, Ontario, earned the title in the1860s from a greenhouse industry that blossomed into a global export business after the Grand Trunk Railroad built a station there in 1856.

Nestled in the northwest corner of Brampton, the neighborhood of Mount Pleasant also prospered from expanded transportation when a GO Transit station built there in 2006 added train lines and bus routes to Toronto and Hamilton in Southern Ontario.

One result is Mount Pleasant Village, a residential, retail, transit, and civic development within Mount Pleasant designed to encourage residents to walk, ride bikes, and use trains. "This is a complex project and has many aspects and a rather large number of contributors," says Alex Taranu, manager of urban design for Brampton. "There is the square, landscape, and public art. There is also the cultural amenity complex, the general built form of the area, transit-oriented development, heritage aspects, and of course the broader planning and urban design aspects."

At the core of Phase 1 of the project is a civic center, village square, and mobility hub, as well as an elementary school, public library, recreation center, athletic field, playgrounds, park areas, and a reflecting pond/ice rink. Residential neighborhoods tucked around the civic square and mobility hub offer condos, townhomes, and lots for sale.

Lafarge North America supplied concrete for the walkway that circles the pond. "The products used are a customized blend of Artevia^TM Colour black granite stone, black granite sand, and a customized black walkway colour," says Georgina Fargiorgio, sales representative for the Lafarge Ready Mix Division. "The path has an exposed finish to capture the reflective properties of the combination of these products." Artevia^TM Colour is concrete saturated throughout with colour so designs and patterns will not fade.

"The walkway was finished with a saw-cut pattern to create a boardwalk effect," adds Fargiorgio. "The pond also contains Artevia^TM Premium Brownstone, which is a neutral earth tone that blends with the rest of the landscape."

Lafarge provided concrete used in the construction of the library, school, and for multicoloured village square surfaces that were textured with Artevia Print^TM, a process that imprints concrete using molds that create stone, slate, slab, or brick patterns.

"My customer, UCC Group, placed and finished the concrete," says Fargiorgio. "They did a tremendous job." UCC Group is a provider of integrated, specialty site-work construction services with regional offices in Toronto, Vancouver, and Orlando.

A focal point of the project is a reconstructed 1902 Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) station, rescued by Brampton Historical Society members who dismantled the structure by hand. The station has been expanded as a cultural facility with community meeting rooms. The building is directly tied to Brampton's Flower Town heritage as the export point for millions of flowers from local greenhouses, and serves as poignant reminder of the departure and return of soldiers in both world wars.

In the complex, public art themes by Ron Baird celebrate Mount Pleasant as a transit-oriented community. A full-size Ghost Train sculpture portrays a steam engine of the type that chugged through Brampton in the 1800s, and three large sculptural panels memorialize the railroad as a significant historic element in the early development of Brampton.

The transit mobility hub features station stops and passenger amenities, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), and transit enhancements at intersections, bus layovers, sheltered passenger areas, a clock tower, and bike storage areas.

"The residential developer is Mattamy Homes while the transit amenities and square have been developed by the city, with the cultural amenities and school complex developed jointly by the city and the Peel District School Board," says Taranu. "From the city's perspective, the square, mobility hub, and cultural amenities are completed. From the developer's perspective the first phase is being completed and was sold out in June. We are expecting a planning application for the second phase soon."

That second phase will offer expanded pedestrian access to transit services; an increase of green space from 7 percent to 17 percent; additional retail and commercial establishments; schools and places to worship; and gateways, trails, paths, and parks connecting the community with existing and future neighborhoods.

Ketch Lake Dam

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:11:36 GMT

Addressing Mass Concrete Issues in Dam Repair

Ketch Lake, near Fort Sills, Okla., began as a stock pond for cattle. It was created in 1929, when the landowner, Frank Ketch, built a 3-foot-thick dam out of stone masonry. Today, Ketch Lake is a recreational lake that holds 180 million to 200 million gallons of water. When the original masonry dam began giving way in 2010, the Army Corps of Engineers developed a reconstruction plan that would keep the lake secure while preserving the appearance of the old stonework. Federal money was obtained to fund the repair project, and White Hawk/Todd, a Lawton, Okla.-based joint venture, was awarded the general contract.

In late summer 2010, the lake was drained temporarily and a new concrete dam was constructed behind the existing masonry. The new dam is 36 feet high, 20 feet thick, and 82 feet wide at its widest point. In such a massive concrete structure, the heat generated by cement hydration as the concrete cures can cause volume changes that lead to serious cracking problems. In this project, these potential problems were addressed through both concrete mix design and construction technique.

To help reduce the heat of hydration, the concrete mix contained significant amounts of supplementary cementitious materials. Of the 400 total pounds of cementitious material per cubic yard of concrete, 30 percent was Lafarge Type I/II Portland Cement, 50 percent was NewCem® Slag Cement, and 20 percent was Lafarge Class C Fly Ash. In addition to the cementitious materials, the mix included a set retarder and air-entraining, water-reducing, and waterproofing admixtures.

Concrete was placed in six-foot lifts. The concrete contractor, M.L. Young Construction of Oklahoma City, Okla., waited about seven days between lifts to allow the heat of hydration to dissipate after each placement.

Lawton Transit Mix, Inc., of Lawton, Okla., served as the ready-mix supplier. Lawton Vice President Steve Rohde says the temperature control requirement was the project's major challenge. "The specification required us to supply concrete that was no more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit when it reached the jobsite," says Rohde. "Our plant is only 20 miles from the site, but it took the trucks about an hour to make the trip. Lafarge helped us come up with a mix design that could meet all the requirements."

Helen DeVos Children's Hospital

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:11:37 GMT

The mission of the new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich., is to provide the latest and most effective care for patients and their families. To accomplish that goal, the 206-bed hospital employs a highly specialized professional staff with access to the most advanced facilities and equipment. The hospital offers dedicated pediatric emergency and trauma services, operating rooms and diagnostic imaging, and comprehensive care for ill and injured children.

The hospital building, which opened in January 2011, was designed in accordance with both current health care trends and green building practices. Every patient is given a large, private room to accommodate parents staying overnight. Even the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) includes 40 private rooms in addition to semi-private rooms.

The 14-story hospital building was designed for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED^TM) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED^TM certification addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and materials and resources selection. LEED^TM certification for the project is currently pending approval.

Among the environmentally friendly materials selected for the hospital are Lafarge gypsum drywall products, manufactured at the company's Silver Grove, Ky., plant. The building contains 1.6 million square feet of drywall, which, if laid flat, would cover almost 37 acres. Lafarge drywall products from Silver Grove contribute LEED credits in three categories:

MR4, Recycled Content: With 99 percent total recycled content (based on weight), including 3 percent post-consumer and 96 percent pre-consumer. The drywall core (93 percent by weight) is 100 percent synthetic pre-consumer recycled gypsum, and the face paper (6 percent by weight) is half pre-consumer and half post-consumer recycled material.

MR5, Regional Materials: With all drywall components originating within 500 miles of the project site and no wood pallets used for shipping

IEQ Indoor Environmental Quality: With all products classified as low-emitting materials listed as GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified and GREENGUARD Certified for Children & Schools.

Architects for the project were Jonathon Bailey Associates in Dallas and URS Corp. in San Francisco. The Detroit office of Turner Construction Co. was the general contractor. And Bouma Corp. of Grand Rapids, Mich., was the drywall contractor.

Photos: Charles Callaghan

Currie Barracks, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:31:02 GMT

Transformed Army Base is a Model for Sustainable Residential Communities

The Canada Lands Company's* new residential community on an abandoned military base has tapped Imbrium to play a key role in making this Low Impact Development (LID) initiative a model of sustainability. Currie Barracks, a 200-acre (81 ha) project in Calgary, is the largest site to date to earn Gold certification from the LEED for Neighborhoods rating system, an internationallyaccepted standard for high performance in green design and construction.

Imbrium Stormceptors Installed
As part of the sustainability initiative, 10 Stormceptor systems have been installed in Currie Barracks to lessen the development's stormwater footprint, giving Currie Barracks a more sustainable response to rainwater runoff. Stormceptor systems are recognized for their performance by the City of Calgary in concordance with its endorsed principles of smart growth and sustainability. Stormceptor distributor Lafarge was able to provide the units, each uniquely confi gured to meet site conditions.

At Currie Barracks, 10 Stormceptor units remove high levels of fi ne and coarser sediment before stormwater enters an infi ltrative underground storage system used to capture runoff and allow it to infi ltrate into the ground. The Stormceptor units prevent siltation from entering the storage area and are thus essential to the performance of the infi ltration system. In addition, the units remove hydrocarbons and other toxins from the runoff, to protect groundwater as well as streams and local lakes from contamination.

The Stormwater Problem in Calgary
Treating stormwater (urban) runoff is a critical issue in major centres like Calgary, as stormwater in the region travels to source waters used for drinking and recreation - and which are a natural habitat for a diverse range of aquatic species. Sediment in stormwater can quickly overwhelm downstream storm sewer capacity and threaten water quality. Because Currie Barracks is being built in the midst of several older developments, planners needed to leverage the new development to control stormwater pollution as much as possible in the region.

Currie Barracks: A Green Community
The medium-density development includes a retail area (High Street), public green spaces that include a heritage precinct (Parade Square), and residential units serving a diverse population. Other elements of the CLC's development plan include bio-retention areas with bio-infi ltration cells and the infi ltration underground storage system that works in tandem with Stormceptor. As well, mature trees are being preserved and planted and numerous nature areas are designed to complement this pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly community.
Residential units are under construction and will open in the fall of 2010.

For More Information
For more information on Stormceptor systems and sustainable development, visit Imbrium online at: www.imbriumsystems.com.

*The Canada Lands Company (CLC) is an arms length, self-financing Crown Corporation that reports to the Government of Canada.

Hydrovac Facility, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:01:03 GMT

A hydrovac facility collecting sediment from catchbasins and other stormwater infrastructure in Calgary, Alberta was upgraded in 2011. This facility upgrade included a pond system was designed to collect sediment in stages, allowing progressively smaller particles to settle from the water before being released back into the stormwater system. In order to allow this release, the City required that the total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations be reduced to a specifi ed maximum of 300 mg/L.

With the objective of obtaining the set criteria for TSS concentration, the settling pond alone was only able to achieve an estimated 2300 mg/L TSS target, leaving a signifi cant reduction margin remaining. With operating costs and maintenance as key considerations, the facility required that the remaining TSS concentration reduction be achieved with passive rather than mechanical processes, if possible.

Through its relationship with Imbrium Systems, an engineered stormwater treatment company that designs and develops stormwater treatment solutions, Lafarge was able to offer the Jellyfi sh® system as an alternative to this project.

For the hydrovac facility, the Jellyfi sh unit was installed downstream of the settling pond as a means of "polishing" the stormwater to reduce the sediment concentration to the levels desired.

FAST FACT

The Jellyfish Filter (patent pending) is an engineered stormwater quality treatment technology featuring unique membrane fi ltration in a compact stand-alone treatment system that removes a high level and wide variety of stormwater pollutants. Exceptional pollutant removal is achieved at high treatment fl ow rates with minimal head loss and low maintenance costs. This unit consists of a fiberglass disc that holds a series of “tentacle” shaped fi lters and is housed by concrete manhole components.

Community Development, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:17:23 GMT

In a new community development in Calgary's Northeast, a significant drainage area collecting to a single outfall was in search of stormwater treatment alternatives to reduce sediment loads entering city waterways. Ultimately, the StormceptorMAX was selectedThe StormceptorMAX is Stormceptor's solution to large scale industrial, commercial, and municipal sites. Whereas a traditional Stormceptor is confi gured such that the treatment chamber requires a relatively deep installation, the StormceptorMAX treatment chamber is oriented horizontally, providing maximum storage in a minimal footprint. This feature also has the benefit of reduced excavation requirements, which results in reductions to installation costs and schedules.

The project in NE Calgary consisted of 4 - 2440 x 2440 boxes acting as the treatment chamber of the unit, with 1050 mm diameter pipe providing an internal overfl ow between the 2440 mm diameter inlet and outlet risers. This internal overfl ow is one of the key design features of the StormceptorMAX that led to its selection on this project, which allows the unit to be installed in line with the piping system versus other alternatives that require additional infrastructure. Another benefi t to this internal overfl ow, as with all Stormceptor units, is the prevention of scour or resuspension of previously captured sediment.

For more information on the Stormceptor solutions available in your area please contact your local Lafarge Pipe representative or consult the Lafarge Pipe eManual at lafargenorthamerica.com/pipe. to meet the project's needs.

FAST FACT
The StormceptorMAX responds to the needs of large-scale industrial and residential areas which may require a single stormwater management device. It provides stormwater quality treatment for areas 20 to 100+ acres and industrial spill volume capture of 15,000+ gallons.

Balzac Area Shopping Mall, Balzac, Alberta, Canada

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:56:24 GMT

In 2010, Lafarge Pipe in Calgary, Alberta produced a series of concrete box sections for use as an underground storage tank at a large shopping center parking lot near Balzac, Alberta. The purpose of these storage tanks was to allow for stormwater reuse on site as part of day to day operations.

The storage structure consists of three rows of seven boxes in parallel, each equipped with a manhole access entry. The ends of each row were capped with monolithic sections to limit the amount of pieces to be joined in the fi eld. In all, the structure is capable of storing up to 300 m3.

This example of stormwater reuse is illustrative of some of the key concepts outlined in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System® and low impact development. For more information on stormwater storage solutions, please contact your local Lafarge Pipe representative.

Christopher S. Bond Bridge, Kansas City, Mo.

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:38:51 GMT

A Bridge Built for the Long Haul

A year-old cable-stayed, six-lane bridge spanning the Missouri River in downtown Kansas City, Mo., is maximizing safety, mobility, and aesthetic and capacity improvements for the 102,000 vehicles that travel the Interstate 29/35 corridor daily. The new structure was named the Christopher S. Bond Bridge to honor the former U.S. senator from Missouri.

The three-year, $245 million project - dubbed kcICON - upgraded a 4.7 mile section of the I-29/35 corridor. The project name refers to the "Kansas City interstate connections" of I-29/35 as well as the iconic nature of cable-stayed bridges. It is expected to provide more than a century of useful service, notes kcICON Project Director Brian Kidwell.

The 1,715-foot-long bridge was completed in December 2010, on budget and six months ahead of schedule, says Jennifer Benefield, Kansas City district customer relations manager for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

The structure is supported by 40 stay cables that radiate in a semi-fan arrangement from a single reinforced-concrete, delta-shaped pylon. The top of the delta pylon extends about 316 feet above the river's surface. The 40 cables are illuminated by cannon lights.

Additional aesthetic lighting features a unique system located along the outer edges of structure's main support beams. A series of 106 interconnected color-changing panels can display a multitude of colors in a variety of patterns "One-color panels to complex color patterns are used to complement seasonal changes and community events," Benefield points out.

The new bridge was built adjacent to the Paseo Bridge, which was demolished.

Lafarge SF^TM cement was used to meet the high-performance pre-cast concrete specifications for the kcICON bridge project. Lafarge SF^TM cement is a Portland silica fume cement that was manufactured at the Lafarge plant in Sugar Creek, Mo. Lafarge was the first to introduce this type of cement in North America.

Lafarge partnered with Coreslab Structures, a pre-cast concrete product manufacturer, to develop pre-cast panels for the underlying road structure. "These high-performance pre-cast panels will contribute to the overall longevity of the bridge," says Kameron Williams, technical services engineer for Lafarge North America's River Region Cement Division in Kansas City, Mo.

The design-build contractor was Paseo Corridor Constructors, a joint-venture partnership of Clarkson Construction Co., Massman Construction Co. and Kiewit Construction. The project was designed by Parsons Corp. and TranSystems.

About the photo:

The Christopher S. Bond Bridge and fireworks light up Kansas City's night sky on Sun., July 3, 2011. Thousands of festival goers gathered in Richard L. Berkley Park to celebrate Independence Day and get the first look at the bridge's display of colorful lights.

Photo Credit: Cathy Morrison

Vancouver International Airport

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:12:50 GMT

The Opportunity

The Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is the second-busiest airport in Canada and can serve up to 700 departing and arriving aircraft on a daily basis during the summer months. Most of this traffic goes through the airport's two main runways: 26R and 26L. These runways are in constant use and undergo a high degree of wear and tear. When the North runway, or 26R, had to undergo maintenance to remove and replace 11 degraded concrete panels, it was imperative that these repairs be done quickly and efficiently.

For the North runway to open to air traffic, the new panels would have to first reach a flexural strength of 3.5MPa to allow for light aircraft traffic, and a flexural strength of 4.8MPa to allow for heavy aircraft traffic. During these repairs, all air traffic would need to be redirected to the South runway, resulting in delayed and cancelled flights as well as a significant loss of revenue. Using regular concrete, this process would take a full week.

The Goal

After some deliberation, Lafarge, Levelton Consulting Ltd., and the Vancouver Airport Authority agreed on a new target for the runway maintenance. This new target would see the replaced panels reach a flexural strength of 3.5MPa within 24hrs, allowing for light aircraft traffic, and a flexural strength of 4.8MPa within 33hrs, allowing for heavy aircraft traffic.

The Lafarge Solution

To achieve full usage of the runway within 33hrs of the pour, Lafarge's rapid strength gain product, Chronolia® 4H, was used. The Lafarge Vancouver Team worked closely with the Vancouver International Airport to ensure that the new timeline would be met. In addition to design meetings, pre-pour meetings, and plant trials, two on site mockups were completed. These mockups were designed to mimic both the worst and best case scenarios and successfully predicted the results and procedure changes that were required to be successful on the runway. All Lafarge recommendations regarding placement, finishing, and curing were followed. The panels were replaced ahead of schedule with the runway opening up to heavy aircraft traffic 15 hours sooner than predicted. The successful removal and replacement of the North runway panels at the Vancouver International Airport is the first time such a maintenance has been completed in under two days.

"Lafarge's concrete product Chronolia® 4H made repairing the north runway in the allotted timeframe possible."- Christopher Rufenacht, Manager, Airside Engineering Projects, Vancouver Airports Authority

East Village Riverwalk

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:42:04 GMT

The Opportunity

In 2007, the Calgary City Council incorporated the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) as a wholly owned subsidiary. The CMLC’s mandate was to implement and execute the Rivers District Community Revitalization Plan. The Rivers District, located on the east side of downtown Calgary, was once a thriving business and residential community, but has since become known for its neglected infrastructure and vacant lots. The Rivers District Community Revitalization Plan aims to unify the Rivers District with the rest of Calgary by transforming the district into a vibrant urban community that will attract new business, dining, recreational, and residential opportunities. Concrete, like wood products, is derived from natural materials that are produced locally.

The Goal

To transform the Rivers District into an urban destination, the CMLC selected several key projects for development. These projects included an underpass, the revitalization of three heritage buildings, and the East Village Riverwalk. Phase I of the East Village Riverwalk was slated to begin in the summer of 2010. The goal behind this project was to build a visually attractive space that would be suitable for public gathering. “We knew this would require a lot of concrete, but we wanted to avoid having it look like a parking lot,” says Neil Mackimmie, Development Manager for the CMLC. The CMLC partnered with Stantec Inc. to create a design for Phase 1 of the East Village Riverwalk that explored colours and texture in concrete. To accomplish this design, Lafarge’s Artevia® line of coloured and exposed concrete was used.

The Lafarge Solution

Construction for Phase I of the East Village Riverwalk was slated to begin in the summer of 2010 and continue into the fall. Prior to construction, Lafarge met with members of Stantec Inc. and CMLC to demonstrate various examples of Artevia® Color and Artevia® Exposed. “We wanted to avoid using beige or grey concrete,” continues Mackimmie. The finished design incorporated both Artevia® Color and Artevia® Exposed concrete. In addition to Artevia®, Lafarge was also able to provide CMLC with UltraSeriesTM Reduced Shrinkage Enhancers and UltraSeriesTM FiberPlus Poly. The addition of these two UltraSeriesTM products will help ensure the long term durability of the project. This means that Calgarians will be able enjoy the East Village Riverwalk for many years to come.

“Artevia really worked for what we were doing. It turned out perfectly.”– Neil Mackimmie, Development Manager, Calgary Municipal Land Corporation.

Bird’s Hill Provincial Park Shower Facility

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 15:05:57 GMT

The Opportunity

Located just 15 minutes North of Winnipeg, Bird's Hill Park is one of the most frequented provincial parks in Manitoba. The provincial park, which sees close to 750 000 visitors annually, is a host to a variety of events during the summer, including one of North America's largest folk music events, the Winnipeg Folk Festival. The park also features campgrounds, bike trails, a recently expanded beach, and a stable for horseback riding enthusiasts. Established in 1964, Bird's Hill Provincial Park has seen steady growth. As it approaches its fifth decade of operation, the park has realized a need to develop new facilities and upgrade old ones to better serve its visitors. The Bird's Hill Provincial Park Shower Facility includes sixteen individual showers, two family showers, two barrier free showers, and both women's and men's washroom facilities.

The Goal

Bird's Hill Park approached MMP Architects Inc. to design a new shower facility that would serve its South Drive campsites. The goal was to create a low maintenance building that would also serve as an architectural feature for the park. Melding functionality and aesthetics, the finished design called for the entire facility to be made with cast in place concrete and featured daring angles and a wood grain exterior finish that would allow the facility to achieve a look that was both modern and natural.

The Problem

This project was originally awarded to a competitor, however, problems arose when the concrete supplied to the contractor, Westland Construction Ltd, lacked the fluidity needed to achieve the angles and the architectural finish called for in the design. Two design elements in particular proved to be a significant challenge: the wood grain finish on the exterior walls of the facility, and a wedge wall that jutted out of the facility and tapered off to knife's edge.

The Lafarge Solution

Westland Construction Ltd. turned to Lafarge for a concrete that would be able to meet their construction needs. Lafarge was able to supply Westland Construction Ltd. With Agilia® Architectural, a self consolidating concrete (SCC) engineered to provide contractors with maximum fluidity and stability. By using Agilia® Architectural, Westland Construction Ltd. was not only able to achieve the wood grain finish called for in the design, but was also able to successfully complete the wedge wall.

St. Joseph Seminary and Newman Theological College

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:02:51 GMT

The Opportunity

When city plans revealed that St. Joseph Seminary and Newman Theological College, located on St. Albert Trail, were in the proposed path of a new six lane highway, the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton decided it was time to relocate. The Archdiocese of Edmonton sold their land to the province of Alberta and began negotiations to acquire a plot adjacent to the North Saskatchewan River.

The Goal

As part of the Green Seminary Initiative, the Archdiocese of Edmonton wanted to design a new two-building campus that would not only follow LEED® regulations, but also offer an aesthetically pleasing exterior. These buildings would tie into the archdiocese' five-year evangelization initiative "Nothing More Beautiful".

The Lafarge Solution

In a collaboration that would last the better part of a year, Lafarge teamed up with Dawson Wallace Construction Ltd., and DIALOG to design a facility that would meet the Archdiocese of Edmonton's requirements for sustainability and aesthetics. The most dramatic feature of the new facility's design is the 11m white concrete wall that cradles the chapel. Consisting of 340m3 of White Agilia® Architectural concrete, the chapel wall is a daring focal point for the entire facility.

"The citizens of the city will see this on a daily basis, and what they'll see is a building of great beauty."- Archbishop Richard W. Smith

Sustainability and Aesthetics

St. Joseph Seminary combines both sustainability and aesthetics. The concrete used for the project was produced exclusively at Lafarge's Winterburn Plant located in Edmonton, lowering the environmental impact and cost of transport. The vibrant white of the concrete used for the chapel wall is not only pleasing to the eye, but will also help lower the energy costs of the facility as it operates. This is because lighter colors reflect more light and heat as they have a higher albedo and SRI value. This effect is even more pronounced when applied to roofing and pavements.

"We were all intrigued as we watched the days of form construction leading up to that massive concrete pour for the chapel in the new St. Joseph Seminary. For some, there were questions about how concrete could possibly be beautiful enough for such an application, but any doubt washes away the moment you step into the curving embrace of the finished space." - Lorraine Turchansky, Director of Communications and Public Relations, Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton

Lafarge North America Headquarters – Reston, VA

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:57:24 GMT

During the summer of 2010, Lafarge North America opened its new headquarters in Reston, Va. The new office space was designed to maximize the use of recycled materials and use electricity, water and other resources in a more efficient manner. Moving to the new office space allowed Lafarge to save more than 30 percent in rental costs in the new building, while gaining an office that is better designed for its smaller, more mobile and more environmentally-conscious workforce.

The design achieved LEED Gold certification by the USGBC (United States Green Building Council), which promotes healthful, durable, affordable, and environmentally sound practices in building design and construction. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally-recognized green building certification system and falls in line with Lafarge's progressive sustainable construction principles. LEED Gold certification is one of the highest levels that can be achieved according to the USGBC's guidelines.

The office space has numerous sustainable features, many of which feature Lafarge products, including:

Interior concrete walkways with lower release of volatile organic compounds (VOC) compared to carpet walkways which rely on glue and other high-VOC materials
Lafarge synthetic gypsum wallboard which uses 99 percent recycled material
Thermal monitoring ensuring different sections of the building are being heated and cooled individually without any wasted energy.

In addition, more than 90 percent of the construction waste was recycled. This project gave Lafarge North America the distinct privilege of demonstrating its commitment to the environment.

Ductal® Wall Cladding for Under Armour® Stores

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:51:15 GMT

Under Armour® Inc., a leader in innovative, high-performance athletic wear, wanted an innovative, high-tech design for its first retail stores. The exterior walls had to be tough but lightweight in order to meet rigid weight requirements for shopping malls, and look like they were transplanted from a stadium.

Bill Gockeler of Artisans in Concrete in Hackettstown, N.J., formerly of Concrete Design Studios, met these requirements with a robust cladding solution utilizing a series of Ductal® ultra-high performance concrete panels (up to) 5-by-8 feet and just a half-inch thick. From concept to installation, the first project - a 6,000 square foot store in Aurora, Ill., was completed in just six weeks. To date, two other Under Amour® stores now have Ductal cladding; one in Natick, Mass., and the other in Bethesda, Md. According to Gockeler, "There was no other alternative solution that could deliver on the designer's entire wish list".

For more on Ductal Building Envelope Solutions, see the brochure below.

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Detroit, Michigan

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 19:11:04 GMT

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) recently opened the new North Terminal; which, together with the McNamara Terminal, opened in 2002, makes DTW one of the newest, most operationally capable and efficient airports in North America. 27,215 MT (30,000 tons) of Lafarge Type II Cement was used in the high quality concrete for the most recent runway project.

Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh, North Carolina

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:56:13 GMT

The Raleigh Convention Center offers 46,450 m2 (500,000 ft2) of display space. The Center has become one of the premier locations for exhibitions in the Southeast. Lafarge's Savannah Ivory and Seaside Type S Colored Masonry Cements were used for the mortar joints in the brick work and Lafarge Magnolia® Type S Masonry Cement was used for the mortar joints in the block work. Lafarge's Type I Cement was used in the production of the concrete block.

Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:43:22 GMT

The newly renovated Kauffman Stadium is home to the Kansas City Royals baseball team. The stadium has a capacity of 40,775 seats and was renovated to improve seating, dugout concourses and concession areas. Two new stair towers were also added. A total of 16,800 m³ (22,000 yd³) of concrete containing Lafarge Type I/II Cement and NewCem® brand slag cement were placed. 55 MPa (8,000 psi) Lafarge Agilia® brand self-consolidating concrete was used in the decorative elements.

Reflections at Bloomington Central Station, Bloomington, Minnesota

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:27:08 GMT

Reflections at Bloomington Central Station provides a blend of suburban and urban living. The two contemporary residential towers boast magnificent views of the Minnesota River Valley, including the National Wildlife Refuge. The Reflections condominiums, which are LEED® certified, are conveniently situated on the light rail service route, providing immediate access to both area airport terminals and the Mall of America. Lafarge Type I Cement and Fly Ash were used in the structural concrete and Lafarge Type III Cement was used in the precast wall panels.

Liberty Memorial Bridge, Bismarck, North Dakota

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:07:33 GMT

The new Liberty Memorial Bridge, honoring North Dakotan veterans, was dedicated on Veterans Day, November 11, 2008. The first Memorial Bridge was an historic part of Bismarck and Mandan for more than 80 years. The 14-span, 722 m (2,369 ft) long new bridge crosses the Missouri River. The high performance 35 MPa (5,000 psi) concrete containing Lafarge Type I/II Cement and Class F Fly Ash was designed for long-term durability.

Two Liberty Center Office Building, Arlington, Virginia

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:22:43 GMT

Two Liberty Center is part of the larger Liberty Center project, a sophisticated 92,900 m² (1 million ft²) mixed-use development. Two Liberty Center is a 16,700 m² (180,000 ft²) architecturally designed Class A office building with retail space on the ground floor. The exterior precast panels utilized Lafarge Type III cement and the cast-in-place concrete contains Lafarge NewCem® slag cement.