Concrete Home Building Council - 06/22/2006 (Plain Text Version)

CHBC Chairman
Michael H. Weber

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In this issue:
From Walls to Kitchen Counters, Concrete is Hot
Learn More About Residential Concrete With FREE Brochure
High Wind Resistant Concrete Construction in IRC
CFA Summer Meeting to Examine Residential Market
New Jersey Home "LEED"s The Way
Enter the 2006 Brick in Home Building Competition
Celebrating 5 Years - As Demand for Safer Housing Increases
ICFA Members Leave a Legacy In Norfolk
NAHB & Dryvit's Custom Home Builder of the Year
Protect Your Workers and Your Profits
Concrete Briefs . . .

From Walls to Kitchen Counters, Concrete is Hot

Robert Saucedo shows the simplicity of finishing off the Intergra block system after spraying in the insulation.

This year's Concrete Technologies Tour, produced by the Concrete Home Building Council (CHBC) of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) was held in Phoenix , Arizona , June 11 - 13.

This is the second year that CHBC has produced this 3 day event, which attracted almost 100 home builders and industry executives to Phoenix , Arizona to network and learn about the latest developments in the use of concrete and cement based products in residential construction.

Job site visits allowed attendees to see products and systems in use, while visits to various manufacturing facilities demonstrated the efficiency and high standards to which products in this industry are produced. Key note speakers and exhibit tables at breakfast and dinner provided additional learning opportunities.

Attendees watch the Autoclave Aerated block cutting process at TruStone America's Plant

Monday stops included: Robson Ranch, an active adult sub-division, in Casa Grande, featuring the construction of uniform thickness post-tensioned foundations and post-tensioned masonry walls using the Integra System by Superlight, an OldCastle Company. The next stop in Casa Grande was Trustone America ’s manufacturing facility, the first autoclave aerated plant in the US . On site demonstrations included placement and cutting of the block and then the finale of day one was the production of the block.

Attendees were able to experience hands-on the ease of construction with cement-based materials.

Tuesday stops included: SW Architectural Castings, a precast plant; Eagle Roofing Products; Superlite Block; Sunset Trails IV, an ICF sub-division, and the tour concluded with a visit to Suncoast Post-Tension's new Phoenix, AZ facility, where attendees saw first hand the extrusion and fabrication of bulk material.

"Virtually every home uses concrete," says Dawn Faull, Program Manager for the CHBC, "but this tour represents a unique opportunity for home builders around the county to learn about and experience uses and applications for concrete and cement based building materials that they may not be aware of."

A special thanks to our sponsors, we couldn't have done without them either! Portland Cement Association, Smart Homes Alliance, Dryvit, Western Forms, Arizona Masonry Guild, Superlite Block, IndyMac Bank, Residential Concrete, Concrete Homes Magazine, Permanent Buildings & Foundations, Andersen Windows, Arxx and Cemex.

The 2007 Concrete Technologies Tour will be held in Minneapolis . For more details on the 2006 or 2007 tour, please contact BSC at 800.368.5242 ext. 8676.