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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Spanish Style Tiles

Paris and Milan are not the only style centers in Europe. Spain boasts leaders in architecture (Gaudi and Calatrava), fashion (Balenciaga and Canovas), cinema (Penelope Cruz), and the culinary arts (Ferran Adria). Even the nation's ceramic tile makers "go

Paisley, damask, wood grains, marble patterns, and floral images appeared on ceramic tile at Cevisama, the international tile show in Valencia, Spain. Designers also applied bold reds, menswear grays, and shimmering metallic tones to the product. Innovations included tiles that absorb ambient light so that they glow in the dark and building-façade tiles that destroy atmospheric pollutants. Of course, there was also ceramic tile that looked like tile.

In February, at the invitation of Tile of Spain, the industry's marketing arm, I traveled with a delegation of architects, designers, and other journalists to see the design and manufacturing capabilities of Spanish ceramic tile producers. Cevisama included 390 Spanish exhibitors and 220 from other countries. Products exhibited throughout the four-day show include ceramic tiles, stone, bathroom and kitchen equipment, and machinery. Following are 11 ceramic and porcelain products from Tile of Spain manufacturers that caught my eye.

Dates for the next Cevisama are Feb. 8 to 11, 2011. Information at http://cevisama.feriavalencia.com.

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