Winter 2010 News

Greenroofs.com, the leading online resource for vegetated roofs has launched an online video series about the system.

The WebTV series is entitled Sky Gardens: Greenroofs of the World, and premiered on on Nov. 8, 2009. The first episode featured the Rock Mill Park project in Georgia, and is still available for viewing on Greenroofs.com and as well as YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/greenroofstv.

Linda Velazquez, editor of the series, says, “So many talented and generous people contributed to this endeavor. Being able to film and share this project built on such an environmentally sensitive and culturally important former Cherokee-owned site is an honor for me.”

To submit a project idea to the show, contact Linda at www.greenroofs.com.

According to Concrete Construction magazine, China will overtake the U.S. as the world’s largest construction market by 2018.

Global Construction Perspectives, a construction market analyst, reports that in the next 10 years, China’s construction market will be worth about $2.4 trillion and represent 19% of global construction output, 

The 10-year forecast indicates Nigeria, India, and Poland will also boom. These emerging markets will rapidly overtake the construction output of developed nations. 

Dow Corning Corp. and Wacker Chemie AG have started construction of the second phase of their pyrogenic silica plant in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, China.

The pyrogenic silica plant, together with a siloxane plant, is a key facility of an integrated silicone manufacturing site developed by both companies at Jiangsu Yangtze River Chemical Industrial Park in Zhangjiagang.  It will produce materials used in construction, automobile manufacturing, power generation, and beauty products. Covering an area of 10 million sq. ft., the site is China’s largest facility of this kind and among the world’s largest and most advanced integrated production complexes for silicones.

At capacity, the plants will produce approximately 210,000 metric tons of product per year. Investments from both partners for the new pyrogenic silica production plant is between 60-100 million U.S. dollars.

Celanese Corp., a global chemical company, is expanding its vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) manufacturing facility at its Nanjing, China, integrated chemical complex. The investment will support growth throughout China, India, Southeast Asia and Australia. The expanded facility will double the company’s VAE capacity in the region and is expected to be operational the first half of 2011.

“Since our first manufacturing activities in China just over three years ago, Celanese Emulsion Polymers has grown into a thriving organization in China and is presently expanding across Asia, into India and surrounding countries, Southeast Asia, and Australia,” said Phil McDivitt, general manager.

Doug Madden, Celanese corporate executive vice president, adds, “This expansion anticipates continuing strong growth for high performing VAE emulsions in the region. Celanese is committed to growth within China and across Asia, and this expansion is a solid example of our ongoing investment in the region. We recognize the importance of planning for the future growth of our Emulsions business and are preparing for growth by building upon our past success at our Nanjing facility.”

A major construction industry organization has decided that “cement plaster” can be made with other materials besides Portland cement.

MasterFormat, a system design professionals use to organize building product information, has eliminated the word “Portland”  from the titles “Cement Plaster,” “Cement Stucco,” and “Cement Parging.”

The change is intended to reflect the rise in popularity of rapid-setting calcium sulfo-aluminate (CSA) cement.

“The technology of cement is expanding, and the design community wants access to the benefits of the new materials,” says Creighton Maher, the man behind the change. “Portland cement has been around for over 150 years, [but] other kinds of cement have also been developed.”

As codes tighten and energy costs skyrocket, there has been significant interest in energy performance of buildings.  A new white paper from Reed Business Information discusses how building envelope systems, such as waterproofing and drainage or closed-cell spray foam insulation can improve energy performance and reduce costs. The paper concludes with a set of constructive recommendations for building designers, builders, developers and owners concerned about issues critical to energy and the environment. 

It can be downloaded from the Reed Business Information website.

Celotex, the proprietary fiberboard wall sheathing product, is available once again.  W.R. Meadows announced last month that they had formed a new subsidiary, Blue Ridge Fiberboard, Inc., to resume the manufacture of the product.  Meadows purchased Knight-Celotex, the previous manufacturer, which had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, in June of 2009.

According to a press release, Blue Ridge Fiberboard, Inc. is already preparing for the re-opening of the Celotex plant in Danville, Va. in December with a second plant in Lisbon Falls, Maine coming online as soon as demand resumes.

The release also notes decades-old synergies between W. R. Meadows and Celotex.  Both were established in the 1920’s, and have been doing business together since about 1930.

A popular blog dedicated to waterproofing horizontal decks has been updated and redesigned.

Now at www.deckexpert.com, the site has a new look, new address, and a host of information about waterproofing and deck coatings.  In addition to free information, site creator Bill Leys also provides deck inspection services, expert witness work, consulting, and deck coating installation services through Central Coast Waterproofing.

More than 1300 green building professionals have already signed up to participate in the LEED Credentialing Maintenance Program (CMP) in the first month.  The maintenance program, which supports the LEED AP and LEED Green Associate credentials, ensures that LEED professionals in the field are up-to-date with the most relevant and useful information.

In May 2009, GBCI put in place a number of changes and enhancements to the LEED professional credentialing program, including the introduction of the LEED Green Associate and specialties within the LEED Accredited Professional program to better reflect market practice areas.  LEED AP specialty programs include operations & maintenance, homes, building design & construction and interior design & construction.  The specialties allow LEED professionals to differentiate themselves in the market and focus on specific areas of expertise or practice.

Enrollment is available at no charge to those LEED APs who have passed one of the retired exams. Invitations to enroll in CMP are being sent out to these credential holders from August to October according to a schedule published on the GBCI website.  All newly credentialed professionals are automatically enrolled when they pass the LEED Green Associate or LEED AP specialty exam.  Enroll at: http://www.gbci.org

The 55th annual Appalachian Underground Corrosion Short Course (AUCSC 2010) will take place May 18-20, 2010 at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Va.  

The AUCSC offers over 100 hours of basic, intermediate, and advanced training providing attendees with technical information about the causes and prevention of corrosion on underground structures.  Up to 1.6 Continuing Education Units can be counted towards NACE Recertification and Professional Development hours.

Cost is $110.00 for advance registration and $140.00 on-site. Detailed information and online registration is available at www.aucsc.com, or call (304) 293-4307 for more information.