Safety
A cast-in-place reinforced concrete structure is safer and stronger than any other commercial building types. According to researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, steel, when exposed to fire, loses its strength and stiffness much faster than high-strength concrete. High-strength concrete, which has a lower thermal conductivity, will maintain its structural integrity for a longer period of time in a fire situation.
Aware of the advantages of high-strength concrete over steel, owners today are looking at wider stairs for egress and concrete cores to ensure safety of their tenants’ workforce. Developers already use cast-in-place reinforced concrete as the material of choice for residential buildings, hotels, shopping centers, and all types of institutional buildings. Now, as a form of homeland security and as a means of providing greater protection for the workforce, cast-in-place reinforced concrete should be specified as the material of choice for the construction of all Class A high-rise office structures.
Versatility
On-site Adjustments
Since requests for changes are not uncommon during a construction project, the design flexibility of cast-in-place reinforced concrete permits the contractor to accommodate design changes after the process has begun.
Aesthetic Appeal
Colors
Limited only by imagination, the breadth of colors offered by architectural concrete provides a spectrum of design possibilities. Concrete texture can resemble smooth, high-polished granite or gutsy, exposed aggregates with a rugged feel. Other possibilities include tumbled cobblestone, brick, cultured limestone, slate, flagstone, or river rock. Look around and you will begin to notice the selection of contemporary designs and creative finishes.
A Cost-Effective Solution
Cast-in-place reinforced concrete provides benefits both during and after construction. In addition to being safer and faster to build, it is also more cost effective and allows flexibility of design in construction.
Local availability of the basic raw materials
The basic raw materials needed in the manufacture of concrete--cement, aggregates and water--are available locally.
Faster Turnaround
Once the design has been selected, there is generally pressure to get a project started. More and more owners are making speed a priority, particularly high-technology companies and rapid growth companies. When such businesses decide to construct a new facility, they are often overburdened and already behind schedule. With concrete designs, there is no delay in getting started because concrete is readily available.
Earlier Start-up Generates Faster Revenue
A concrete structure can be well underway before final plans are even completed, which is commonly referred to as “fast tracking.” Earlier start-up means a better cash flow for owners and developers. It could also result in getting the jump on the summer construction season or getting a foundation in before the winter frost. Faster construction, a story every two or three days, means reduced carrying costs and faster revenue generation. This facilitates a timely payback of financing costs and faster revenue generation for the owner/developer.
Faster Finish Times
Cast-in-place reinforced concrete can help reduce construction time and on-site labor costs by taking advantage of pre-fabrication of standard and custom structure segments. The 'flying formwork systems' construction technique increases the speed of floor construction. As a concrete frame progresses upward, workers on the completed floors below can proceed with interior partitions, exterior finishing, mechanical/electrical and plumbing systems.
Lower Energy Costs
Concrete construction minimizes the overall building height. This shortens vertical runs of mechanical and electrical systems and reduces the exterior surface area to be enclosed and insulated.
Lower Finishing Costs
Concrete cladding panels have a great range of finishes and textures. The pre-cast panel is extremely durable, weather resistant, offer superior air tightness, increased sound attenuation and thermal properties, and they are inherently fire resistant. Concrete claddings permit fast enclosure of the structure, allowing other trades to start sooner, cutting construction time, and reducing wall thickness to maximize rentable space.
Long Spans
Due to its valued load-bearing properties, concrete allows for longer floor spans, with fewer columns to plan around. This offers flexibility in architectural layout, creating more usable space.
More Floors per Structure
On average, the construction of concrete buildings will allow one additional floor to be created for every 10 stories of traditional building height. This results in more rental space for buildings similar in size. When faced with height restrictions, concrete construction is a key consideration and could represent initial construction cost savings and additional income generation.
Environmentally Responsible
Building Green
Many office buildings in New York City have been built either as “green” or with “green” or environmentally friendly materials and systems. These buildings can take advantages of the New York State Green Building Tax Credit Law. Applications are available from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in Albany. Concrete can be “green” too. A “green” concrete design mix would include recycled material such as fly ash. Fly ash is used to increase the strength of concrete.
Energy Efficiency
The majority of concrete is produced locally, minimizing fuel requirements for handling and transportation. Once in place, concrete offers significant energy savings over the lifetime of the structure. The mass of a cast-in-place reinforced concrete structure makes it a significant thermal reservoir with the ability to store large amounts of energy. In the heating months, concrete walls and floors absorb the interior heat during the day and radiates the warmth back into the space at night. Concrete’s ability to store heat helps reduce energy consumption and provides a comfortable indoor climate. This helps insulate building environments from fluctuations in outdoor temperatures. The same principle holds true for cooling. This thermal inertia allows concrete to help maintain a relatively steady interior temperature. By storing and releasing the energy needed for heating or cooling, concrete delivers year-round energy benefits. Together, insulation and concrete contribute to highly energy-efficient buildings reducing peak energy demands and the size of HVAC equipment required.
Recycling
Concrete is an inert material that is easily recyclable. Old concrete that has reached the end of its service life can be reused as aggregate for new concrete mixtures. The addition of industrial by-products such as fly ash, silica fume, and blast furnace slag, makes concrete less permeable, while incorporating materials that would otherwise be deposited in landfill sites.
Union vs. Non-Union
Advantages of Union Membership:
- Superior Health Benefits for Workers and their Families
- Strong Pension Program
- Access to Middle Class Income
- Job Security
- In-Depth Apprenticeship Training
- Safer Working Conditions for Members and the Public
“Unions are all about family values,” says Al Gerosa, President of the Concrete Alliance, Inc. Membership brings superior health benefits for union workers and their families, he notes, “and we want qualified non-union workers to be aware of what they can gain by joining.”
Families of union members can also enjoy the advantages of middle class living standards, he adds, followed by a strong pension program when the bread-winner retires. The public benefits as well, because union workers are trained and re-trained in safe working practices.
These are part of the impressive array of benefits when you GO UNION!
Expert’s View
Here's What Some Experts Have To Say
"In fact, living or working in a reinforced cast-in-place concrete building not only provides increased safety and fire protection, but it also "isolates sound" and in tall structures, "reduces the perception of motion caused by wind."
Jacob Grossman, President of Rosenwasser/Grossman Consulting Engineers of New York City.
"We find reinforced concrete to be the best material for high rise-buildings because it provides the best flexibility to accommodate design needs, especially in residential buildings, provides for comfort, redundancy, safety and fireproofing and all at relatively reasonable prices."
Andrew Weiss, Executive Vice President, The Trump Organization.
"The more concrete, the more fire resistance; and the more concrete the less probability of total collapse."
FDNY Deputy Chief Vincent Dunn Ret. In "Why the World Trade Center Buildings Collapsed — A Fire Chief's Assessment," http://www.vincentdunn.com/wtc.html
Links
- Metallic Lathers Union Local 46
- New York City District Council Carpenters
- Teamsters Local 28