Sources: CP staff; National Precast Concrete Association, Indianapolis
National groups representing ready mixed, masonry and precast producers joined individual concrete or cement companies in the Concrete Solutions Pavilion, set among 1,000-plus exhibits at the 2010 Greenbuild International Conference & Expo. The November 16–18 gathering at Chicago’s McCormick Place proved once again a venue for associations, producers and concrete building system or component suppliers to reach architects, engineers and contractors targeting (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) LEED rated public or private projects.
NPCA made its Greenbuild debut this year, detailing on a large booth graphic candidate precast applications within a typical business park. Its co-exhibitor peers were American Concrete Pipe Association, Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute, National Concrete Masonry Association, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, and Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, plus American Concrete Institute and Portland Cement Association. Concrete and cement producers or allied companies within or beyond the Concrete Solutions Pavilion were Boral Roofing Cos. (MonierLifetile + U.S. Tile), Headwaters Resources, Holcim (US) Inc., Lehigh Hanson, and Oldcastle Architectural.
Pittsburgh-based Nova Chemicals, developer of the Elemix polymeric additive for lightweight concrete, chose 2010 Greenbuild as the formal launch of a separate entity, Syntheon Inc. Suited to cast-in-place conditions and precast, Elemix is part of Syncore Additives. It operates alongside Wall, Roof and Deck business units under Syncore Building Envelope Systems, whose product offerings revolve arouond what Syntheon notes are enhanced R-values, decreased energy consumption for building operations, and reduced material consumption during construction. The major thrust at Greenbuild was Syncore Wall, spanning insulated, steel reinforced panels and stay-in-place formwork with pre-placed framing studs to speed interior finishing. Among design possibilities Syntheon displayed was a Syncore Wall section embedded in a precast concrete panel. The company is planning to show a more developed concept at The Precast Show, January 27-29 in Charlotte, N.C.