Why Concrete Buildings? 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 Tilt-Up Concrete Association American Concrete Institute Portland Cement Association Post-Tensioning Institute Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute National Concrete Masonry Association
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.   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. 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.   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.   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. 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 others discounted.