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Why Concrete Buildings? |
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Slightly more than half of all low-rise buildings in the United
States are constructed from concrete. Designers select concrete
for one-, two-, and three-story stores, restaurants, schools,
hospitals, commercial warehouses, terminals, and industrial
buildings because of its durability and ease of construction. In
addition, concrete is often the most economical choice:
load-bearing concrete exterior walls serve not only to enclose
the buildings and keep out the elements, but also carry roof and
wind loads, eliminating the need to erect separate cladding and
structural systems.
While steel construction can be advantageous in regions of the country
where local market conditions and traditions favor it, concrete
is the most cost-effective choice throughout much of the South
and West-regions with strong masonry traditions. Concrete often
is used in low-rise construction in Florida, where the
material's ability to weather hurricanes and tornadoes, and its
resistance to insects, are valued. Builders in California select
concrete for its fire resistance.
Four methods of concrete construction are commonly used to
create load-bearing walls for low-rise construction: tilt-up,
precast, concrete masonry, and cast-in-place. Although precast
and concrete masonry construction historically have been the
standard for low-rise construction, in recent years builders
have increasingly used tilt-up construction techniques to erect
low-rise commercial buildings quickly and economically.
National Resources
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute
National Concrete Masonry Association
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Resources
Available: Visit
PCA's
Concrete Thinker web site,
a resource to help architects make sustainable design
a reality through the durability, versatility
and energy efficiency of concrete.
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RP427 - Environmental Design & Construction Magazine
Reprint - September 2005
Description: This reprint from the
September 2005 issue of Environmental Design and
Construction Magazine contains 10 pages of articles that
highlight concrete as a sustainable solution. Topics
include: an overview of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Urban
Infill case study, High Performance Wall Systems, Cement
Plants Going Green, and Concrete Innovations for Sustainable
Design. |
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RP432 - Exploring the Environmental Attributes of Concrete
Description:
This reprint from Environmental Design and Construction
magazine contains articles that highlight concrete as a
sustainable solution. Topics include: concrete application
for sustainable world, durable concrete, green homes, and
pervious concrete for storm water solution. |
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RP417 - Concrete Builds the Sustainable Movement
Description: In
partnership with Building Design & Construction this
in-depth report features essential articles and case studies
examining concrete’s role in green building design, LEED and
concrete, green concrete building resources, and green
building costs. The supplement profiles green building
applications in various market sectors including
educational, public, civic, government, residential,
commercial and renovation projects. |
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RP420 -
Exploring The Environmental Attributes of Concrete
Description: In partnership with
Environmental Design & Construction, this in-depth
report features essential articles and case studies
exploring the environmental attributes of concrete and
examining concrete’s role in green building design and LEED
certification. |
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PL995 - Building Better Outcomes in Concrete
Description:
This brochure highlights the advantages of concrete framing
for buildings. Geared to owners and developers, it
illustrates how the choice of a structural system is not an
engineering or construction decision, but a business
decision that will affect every phase of the building and
its operation for the lifetime of the structure. |
Visit PCA's
Bookstore and search for "concrete buildings" for numerous
publications available for purchase. Many of these publications are
also available in digital formats (PDF) for immediate download -
some are free and other deeply discounted. |
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