Sustainability

Thursday, 18 June 2009 21:00

AMHERST (June 26, 2008) –As energy prices rise and sustainability moves to the forefront of homeowners’ minds, the ideas behind the homebuilding of Gimme Shelter Construction are enjoying a revival. County Materials’ concrete lies at the heart of many of Gimme Shelter’s homes, most of which are designed with ready-mix flooring.

“We mostly do walls and floors with concrete,” said Jim McKnight, who with Mark Klein founded Gimme Shelter in 1987. “And sometimes thin floors, to allow for radiant heat. Concrete makes heating more efficient, especially in the summer where you can really cut costs; heating, cooling, comfort, that’s our measuring stick.”

“The really unique thing they do is use ready-mix as a finished floor,” said Judah Haas of Alchemy Concrete in Stevens Point, who does most of Gimme Shelter’s concrete work. This includes decorative stamping and color staining to create stunning effects and lend a dramatic new appearance to any room.

Gimme Shelter builds masonry heaters in a number of homes, an age-old technology given new life by its nature of slow heating and slow radiation, which makes use of County Materials’ fire brick. Masonry heaters can then be covered by any number of County Materials’ veneer options – including concrete brick, natural or manufactured stone, or County Stone® masonry units – depending on the homeowner’s desired motif.

Sustainable-home ideas were displayed at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association energy fair held in Custer. Concrete building ideas were also on display at the Wausau Area Builders Association 2008 Parade of Homes, June 20-22. More information on concrete building ideas, including Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) is available from County Materials.

Thursday, 18 June 2009 20:26

(April 16, 2008) The American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin (ACEC) honored the University of Wisconsin-River Falls student union as a Best of State winner in its annual Engineering Excellence Awards. County Materials supplied the ready-mix (poured) concrete, as well as the brick and structural masonry for the facility.

The center, designed to merge natural elements from nearby wetlands and the Kinnickinnic River, employs elements from eco-conscious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building guidelines.

“It’s because of sustainability that we chose concrete,” said architect Jan Van Den Kieboom of Workshop Architects in Milwaukee. “Plus, we were able to use local materials, and concrete is easier to remodel and renovate over time. (And) you don’t have the fire-code concerns of steel.”

Wednesday, 07 February 2007 00:00

MILLADORE, Wis. (Feb. 7, 2007) – The Stanton W. Mead Education & Visitor Center at the Mead Wildlife Area has reaped praise both documented and spoken for its innovative use of concrete.

The Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center at the George W. Mead Wildlife Area in Milladore is a triumph in sustainable design. The primarily concrete facility, supplied by nearby County Materials, recently received a state honor for its environmentally friendly design.

The Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitor Center at the George W. Mead Wildlife Area in Milladore is a triumph in sustainable design. County Stone® Old World Tumbled concrete masonry (shown in pillars and supplied by nearby County Materials) helped the facility earn state recognition for its environmentally friendly design.

On Jan. 17, Gov. Jim Doyle presented project architect Tom Brown with the 2006 Excellence in Sustainable Design & Construction Award for his work on the facility. Brown has called it “probably the greenest building the state owns right now.”

The center utilizes a combination of wind, solar and geothermal energy to greatly minimize the amount of energy required to light, heat and cool the building. It employs 35,000 donated County Pavers® from County Materials, as well as 600 units of County Block® Retaining Wall system. The Marathon-based company also provided 4,500 units of County Stone® Old World Tumbled CMUs and 177 cubic yards of ready-mix concrete.

“Concrete construction products can contribute toward our goal,” Brown said. He added that he’s hoping the 6,208-square-foot facility will earn a Gold certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® and the LEED Green Building Rating System™.

County Materials operates 30 locations serving the Midwest. The family-owned, American company is an industry leader in the manufacture and distribution of concrete block, brick, stone, ready-mix, hollowcore, pipe, pavers, retaining walls and Aggregate Finish products for residential, commercial and municipal construction and landscaping.

For more information, call us at 1-800-289-2569 and ask for a product guide.