Cross Laminated Timber-built hotel suits Army-aligned developer

Sources: Lendlease Americas, New York City; CP staff

Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program developer Lendlease Americas staged a ribbon cutting for the Candlewood Suites on Redstone Arsenal, billing the 92-room property near Huntsville, Ala., as the country’s first hotel constructed completely of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT).

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Lignin-wise researchers describe new process for concrete-grade plasticizers

Sources: VTT Technical Research Centre Ltd., Finland; CP staff

A research and technology specialist serving Europe’s forest-laden Nordic countries cites a technique to convert lignin, a wood fiber binder and pulp mill byproduct, to a plasticizing agent competitive with synthetic and lignosulphonate-based concrete admixtures.

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PCA, USGS confirm hard figures in 2015 cement, aggregate consumption gains

Sources: U.S. Geological Survey; Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; CP staff

The recently released PCA U.S. Year-End Report finds 2015 cement consumption rising 3.8 percent above prior year figures, to 105 million short tons, while a companion document from a principal PCA data source—the U.S. Geological Survey—shows a 6 percent increase for construction aggregates shipments over the same window.

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Cement Canada EPD covers standard, portland-limestone cements

Sources: CSA Group, Toronto; CP staff

Standards development, testing and certification services provider CSA has registered its first Environmental Product Declaration: “General Use (GU) and Portland-Limestone (GUL) Cements.” The document references (Canadian Standards Association) CSA A3001 product, mirroring ASTM C150 and C1157 plus AASHTO M85 standards, and reflects an industry average of product stage or cradle-to-gate data culled from six Cement Association of Canada (CAC) producer members.

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OSHA maps silica standard’s concrete plant compliance costs, target worker groups

Sources: Occupational Safety & Health Administration; CP staff

OSHA’s final Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica rule covers more than two million workers, including 134,600 in the Commerce Department-designated (NACIS) manufacturing segments of Ready Mixed Concrete, Concrete Block & Brick, Concrete Pipe and Other Concrete Products.

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Construction, business groups firmly opposed to revised silica exposure rule

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.; National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, Alexandria, Va.; U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C.

After brief review of a 1,772-page document, NRMCA Compliance and Operations staff reports that concerns the industry voiced in 2013-14 with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposed Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica rule had carried to a final version. Ahead of compliance assistance materials to be prepared through the NRMCA Operations, Environmental and Safety Committee, staff will update members as the rule’s concrete plant-specific requirements are analyzed.

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OSHA sets 2017, 2018 compliance deadlines in final silica exposure rule

Sources: Occupational Safety and Health Administration; CP staff

As indicated in initial proposals to revise and harmonize respirable silica dust thresholds for general industry and construction worksites, OSHA maintains limits—25 and 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, averaged over an eight-hour shift—for action levels and offering workers medical surveillance, respectively, in its final Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica rule.

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Ash Grove, Monarch principals define longevity on PCA 100-year timeline

Sources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; CP staff

Centennial anniversary observances during the 2016 PCA Spring Congress peaked with a March 14 reception at Chicago’s Renaissance Blackstone Hotel, where officials of Ash Grove Lime & Cement, Continental Portland Cement, Lehigh Portland Cement and 50 peer operators had assembled in 1916 to “raise the standard of concrete construction, improve the quality of concrete work, increase the quantity of cement used in established fields, and develop new fields.”

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Sika expands North American admixture, mortar production footprint

Sources: Sika AG, Baar, Switzerland; CP staff

Sika has opened a mortars and concrete admixtures plant in Vancouver, B.C.—the company’s fourth in Canada and 18th in North America—eyeing the Pacific Northwest market, especially the Vancouver, Seattle and Portland population centers. The facility is part of a NAFTA region supply chain strategy expanding production capacities in major cities and “conurbations.”

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