Green concrete fence

Precast concrete fence and wall solutions use eco-friendly products in the manufacturing process. VOC- and mercury-free molds, water-based release agents, and recycled materials reduce the use of cement and the product’s carbon impact. The solutions can be integrally colored and rendered to resemble wood fences and brick and stone walls. No painting maintenance is required. The products use recycled cementitious material to reduce the cement component of the product while yielding more than 5,000 psi. Available products include FenceStone, BrickCrete, and WoodCrete Rail.

Artisan Precast Inc., Los Angeles,
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School Takes A SIP Of Savings

Structural insulated panels for walls and roofs first reduce the construction costs and then cut a building's energy use.

When Clark County School District (Las Vegas) began to plan a new elementary school with a tight budget and construction schedule, project architects SSA Architecture, Las Vegas, recommended structural insulated panels (SIPs) for all exterior walls and roofs.

The Jacob E. Manch Elementary School is a replacement for an existing building originally constructed in 1963 to serve children from Nellis Air Force Base. The school supports 900 students in a year-round multitrack schedule.

The Jacob E. Manch Elementary School in Clark County, NV, was framed in 47 days because the builder used structural insulated panels. Another benefit is the reduced cooling load on air conditioners.

During the height of the building boom, estimated construction costs were increasing about 1.5% every month. The architects realized that customary materials-primarily concrete masonry units (CMUs) and tilt-up concrete panels-would not be cost feasible within the approved budget.

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