PCI, CPCI, NPCA release first Sustainable Precast Concrete Plant Program report

Backed by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute and National Precast Concrete Association, the North American Precast Concrete Sustainable Plant Program (NAPCSPP) has yielded its first full-year energy, materials and transportation data benchmarks. PCI’s inaugural Sustainable Plant Program Performance Report presents results in carbon dioxide equivalent (global warming potential), total primary energy and water consumption categories.

PCI members have been reporting environmental impacts for 18 months, beginning the first quarter of 2015. This first annual report includes moving averages for PCI members during 2015. A list of plants that are currently enrolled in the program (through the first quarter of 2016) as well as the PCI Sustainable Plant Performance Report can be found on the institute’s website, www.pci.org.

“PCI producer members that participate in the NAPCSPP are showing leadership by actively monitoring and reporting environmental footprint indicators. These producers recognize that to make improvements, they must first benchmark and track performance,” states Emily Lorenz, sustainability manager, PCI.

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ICC-ES PRECAST DIAPHRAGM SEISMIC DESIGN METHODOLOGY

The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute has received ICC Evaluation Service, LLC (ICC-ES) confirmation that the Precast Concrete Diaphragm Seismic Design Methodology complies with 2012 and 2015 International Building Code provisions. The methodology garnered top American Society of Civil Engineers honors earlier this year, and stems from a groundbreaking investigation PCI funded with the National Science Foundation, Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation and Charles Pankow Foundation.

ICC-ES Evaluation Report ESR-3010 provides guidance to code officials faced with approving methodology use under the 2012 and 2015 IBC, and is available as a complimentary download at www.icc-es.org. It is based on acceptance criteria for Alternative Seismic Design of Precast Concrete Diaphragms and Qualification of Precast Concrete Diaphragm Connectors, June 2016.

“With the approval of this evaluation report, the results of a major research program have affected practice by allowing precast concrete diaphragm systems without a topping to be used in regions of high seismicity,” says PCI Managing Director of Technical Activities Jason Krohn. In the 2018 IBC, he adds, the design methodology will be mandatory for precast concrete used as horizontal diaphragms in buildings assigned to Seismic Design Category (SDC) C, D, E or F, and optional in SDC B according to ASCE 7-16. Through ESR-3010 and local-code official approval, a design professional can immediately use the advanced design methodology for precast concrete diaphragms without waiting until their jurisdiction adopts the 2018 IBC.